Mankato, Minn. – Bethany Lutheran baseball got two big wins over in region opponent St. Olaf yesterday in a doubleheader at home.
Game One (W 6-2)
Cody Hallahan (Silver Lake, Minn./Minnesota State, Mankato) was in fine form striking out seven batters and allowing only one earned run on two hits. Hallahan pitched six innings before Darin Hendley (Nicollet, Minn./Mankato East) came in to close the game striking out one batter without allowing a hit.
The Vikings got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Oles error to put Hendley on base, then a string of singles by Casey Woodside (Albert Lea, Minn./MN-Crookston) and Travis Fisher (Cedar, Minn./St. Francis) got him around to cross home. In the second, the Vikings made contact with some timely hits including three doubles by Zach Herd (Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East ), Hendley, and then Woodside to score four more. A sacrifice fly in the sixth by Aaron Siefken (Lone Rock, Iowa/Iowa Central CC) gave BLC its sixth run.
Offensively, Hendley was two for four with two runs scored and two RBI to lead the team. Woodside was two for three with one RBI. Catcher Mitch Kleist (Eagle Lake, Minn./Mankato East) was also solid at the plate going two for three.
Game 2 (W 6-4)
Siefken pitched a complete game giving up four runs on nine hits. The left-hander struck out five batters and walked two. The Vikings remained sharp in the field with no errors. BLC’s six runs came on 12 hits, and two St. Olaf errors.
Shortstop Dylan Gass (Bird Island, Minn./BOLD) went two for three with one run scored and two RBI. Woodside and Herd also went two for three.
The Oles came out to score three in the top of the first, but by the bottom of the second the Vikings tied things up. Gass singled up the middle for his two RBI after Woodside and Fisher singled to reach base, and Brad Lawson (Belle Plaine, Minn./Dakota County CC) sacrifice bunted them both into scoring position. The third run during the inning came on an error by the St. Olaf
The Vikings took the lead in the next inning scoring two more when Woodside doubled, and then Lawson doubled to trade bases. Lawson scored later in the inning. In the sixth to give Siefken a little breathing room, Trent Sonnicksen (Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area) batted in another run.
The Vikings will play Minnesota-Morris in a three game stint this weekend to finish the conference regular season.
