MANKATO, MN – The Bethany Lutheran Softball team claimed their first ever regular season Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) championship with a sweep of the UW-Superior Yellowjackets. The Vikings and Yellowjackets both entered today's games with a 12-0 conference record, battling for the championship and top seed in the upcoming UMAC tournament. With two games remaining in the conference regular season, the Vikings have now clinched at least a share of the title and secured the #1 seed in the UMAC tournament.
Bria Majeski has been the key for the Vikings all season long in the pitching circle. She went all seven innings in game one to earn the win, giving up only four hits and four runs with seven strikeouts. The Vikings scattered nine hits across their lineup with Haylee Sobrero and Morgan Mashlan each contributing two. Kaylee Mork went 1-3 and crushed a triple down the left field line in the sixth inning to score Mashlan. That play contributed to a three-run inning for the Vikings as they watched their lead grow to 5-0 heading into the seventh. The Yellowjackets made a late push including a three-run homer, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit as the Vikings held on for the 5-4 win.
The Vikings and Yellowjackets were tied 2-2 after two innings in game two when Haylee Sobrero crushed a go-ahead homer in the third to put the Vikings up 3-2. Anna Hoffman added one more run to the board for the Vikings in the third, bringing the score to 4-2 and that would be the final score as BLC captured their first ever regular season championship. Zoe Kinakin came up big for the Vikings, going 3-4 at the dish along with some key defensive plays down the stretch. Haylee Sobrero was 2-3 with two RBIs. Bria Majeski earned her second win of the day and 14th of the season as she pitched the final four innings, allowing just two hits and zero runs.
Head Coach Dan Nessler has led a great turnaround of the BLC softball program in just his third season. In his first season, the Vikings more than doubled their win total from the previous season. In year two, the Vikings again increased their win total despite play significantly less games due to weather and they also won two games in the UMAC postseason tournament. Now in his third season, the Vikings sit at 24 wins which is a new school record already even with six games remaining on their regular season schedule.
Up next: The Vikings host St. Scholastica on Saturday, April 27 beginning at 1:00 PM.
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MEDIA: If you need further information, please feel free to contact Dan DeWitt at 507-344-7856 or email
ddewitt@blc.edu
