Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NEW ULM, Minn. - The Bethany softball team needed two wins Wednesday and that's what they got in a pair of tight victories at Martin Luther.

In the opener, Bethany crossed the plate first in the third inning. Katy Snyder led off with a single to left and was later on third after a single from Cindy Pawlitschek. With two outs, Allison Norton brought Snyder home with a single to center to give Bethany a 1-0 lead.

Martin Luther scored twice in their half of the third to take a 2-1 lead.

The score remained that way until the seventh before Bethany staged a two-out rally. Snyder singled to keep the game alive and scored the tying run on Anna Pipenhagen's single to right center. Pawlitschek singled to put Pipenhagen in scoring position. Desi Becker delivered the big go-ahead hit with a double to left to score Pipenhagen and give Bethany a 3-2 lead.

Pipenhagen, who struck out 11 batters, held MLC scoreless to preserve the come-from-behind win.

The second game was an offensive affair as the two teams combined for 15 runs and 27 hits. After each squad scored once in the first inning, Bethany put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the second. After one run already crossed the plate, Pawlitschek drilled a double to right center that scored two to give BLC a 4-1 edge.

The Vikings would lead 6-3 going into the seventh before scoring two key insurance runs. The big knock came from the bat of Pipenhagen whose double to right center plated both Rachel Kurtenbach and Aimie Wiechmann to give Bethany a 5-run cushion.

Martin Luther didn't go away quietly though. Their first four batters of the frame all reached base and all four would score to cut their deficit to one. Pipenhagen came on to pitch in the seventh and got the final out on a pop to save the 8-7 win.

Bethany (10-18, 4-9 in UMAC) next plays Friday at Northwestern for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.