Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Morris, Minn. - Starting the week, Bethany was contention for a UMAC regular season championship. Four straight losses meant that instead of a possible #1 seed in the UMAC postseason tournament, they were now the #4, and final, seed in the double elimination tournament that began Friday in Morris.

The disappointing end to the regular season didn't carry over into the postseason though as the Vikings are now one win away from clinching an NCAA tournament berth with two big wins over St. Scholastica and Martin Luther.

All season long, Bethany has had a knack for scoring in the later innings to pull out victories and that was true again Friday against the top-seeded Saints. The Vikings trailed 3-1 going into the fifth. Senior Ashley Jensen hit a game-tying 2-rbi single to left center scoring both Annie Donley and Gena Chester.

The Saints scored a run in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead meaning the Vikings needed to come back again.

With one out in the sixth, Angela Timm got on base with a single to right center. Two batters later, Chester connected with a two-out RBI double to score Timm to knot the game at 4. Aimie Wiechmann then brought Chester home with a single to center giving Bethany a 5-4 lead.

St. Scholastica threathened in the bottom of the seventh. With a runner on first and second and one out, Nicole Starkson got Kara Warren to ground into a game-ending double play securing the 5-4 win for the Vikings.

Two hours later, Bethany battled Martin Luther who had defeated Minn.-Morris in the first game of the day. No comeback was needed against the Knights as two third inning runs gave the Vikings a lead they wouldn't relinquish as Shannon Heitz scattered six hits to get the win in the 4-1 victory.

Wiechmann got the game-winning RBI in the first game and was the offensive spark plug again against the Knights collecting three hits and scoring two runs. She singled in the 2-run third and on the play Chester came around to score from a throwing error by MLC. Wiechmann scored herself following an RBI single from Jensen.

The Knights countered with a run in the bottom of the third, but Bethany tallied two more in the fifth. Chester doubled to lead off the frame. Wiechmann reached on a bunt single. Two batters later, Kelsey Pekarna hit a sacrifice fly to score Chester. Wiechmann later scored coming home on a wild pitch.

Amanna Berthusen added two hits in the 11-hit Viking attack.

Saturday's tournament schedule is as follows:
10 am - Martin Luther vs. Minn.-Morris (loser is eliminated)
12 pm - Bethany vs. winner of MLC/UMM
2 pm - (if necessary) Bethany vs. MLC/UMM

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