Bethel athletics photo

Roseville, Minn. - With the Royals' 6-4 extra-inning win over Northwestern in game on Saturday, head coach Brian Raabe picked up career win No. 300. Bethel rallied late in game one scoring two runs in the seventh to tie the game at three forcing extra innings.

John Solfest took the mound in the backend of the doubleheader for the Royals, tossing five innings allowing just three hits and one earned run while recording eight strikeouts. A pair of four-run innings in the first and third propelled the Royals to a 9-2 win and the doubleheader sweep improving the Royals record to 2-3.

Game 1: Bethel 6, Northwestern 4 (8 innings)
Northwestern grabbed the early lead scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Noah Wenberg led off the fifth with a single followed by a Zach Thompson single up the middle advancing him to third. Matthew Carlsen brought home Thompson from third on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to one.

The Eagles tacked on another run in the bottom half of the fifth extending their lead to 3-1.
A one out Noah Wenberg single in the top of the seventh followed by a 2-run Zach Thompson home run to left tied the game at three.

Ryan Parker worked a scoreless bottom half of the inning striking out two Northwestern batters to send the game to extras.

Andrew Cardenas led off the eighth with a single to left center. A throwing error by the Eagle shortstop allowed Noah Wenberg to reach first and Cardenas to advance to third.

With two outs and runners on first and second Matthew Carlsen hit a double to the left center field gap scoring both runners, giving the Royals their first lead of the game 5-3.

A Nolan Jurgensen single to center brought in the insurance run from third, extending the Royals lead to three.

Parker allowed two runs in the bottom of the eighth but was able to hold off the Eagles and close out the 6-5 Royals win, their first of the season.

Ryan Parker earned the win for the Royals working 2.0 innings out of the bullpen, striking out two, walking none and allowing one earned run.

Zach Thompson went 2-for-4 at the plate driving in two on his game tying homer in the seventh.
Andrew Cardenas put together a three-hit ballgame going 3-for-4, Matthew Carlsen went 1-for-4 with three RBIs.


Game 2: Bethel 9, Northwestern 2
Matthew Carlsen led off the game with a double down the right field line, Nolan Jurgensen then drove him in with a double of his own giving the Royals their first run of the game.
Jordan Krupke walked followed by an Andrew Cardenas single bringing home Juegensen.
A Carson Christiansen two RBI triple to right center would extend the Royals lead to four.

The Royals broke the game open in the fourth striking for four runs again, starting with singles by Andrew Cardenas, Joe Meurer and Carson Christiansen. Zach Thompson reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Wenberg. Christiansen came home thanks to a Northwestern wild pitch and a Jordan Krupke groundout to third drove in Jurgensen to give the Royals an 8-0 lead.

The Royals tacked on one more in the fifth thanks to a Matthew Carlsen leadoff double, advancing to third on a Jurgensen single and stealing home making it a 9-1 ballgame.
John Solfest tossed five innings allowing just one run and striking out eight Eagles hitters.
Jackson Hunter and John Axberg pitched a pair of scoreless innings of their own out of the pen to close out the game for the Royals.

Up Next:
The Royals now hit the road and head for Davenport, Fla. kicking off their spring break trip with a doubleheader against Aurora Friday, March 8. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. central time.