MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany softball team opened their season this weekend with four games. The Vikings went 1-3, defeating Concordia before falling to Carleton, Macalester, and Saint Mary's.
Bethany 5 – 4 Concordia
After four scoreless innings, the Vikings struck first in this one as Bailey Erlandson drove a single to the gap with the bases loaded to bring in two runners. Emily Doyle would then hit a single a few batters later that brought in two more for a 4-0 lead. The Cobbers would respond with four in the seventh, before Bethany would take the win after the Concordia pitcher made an errant throw that allowed a runner to come home.
Kaija Mork had three hits in the contest, while Erlandson had two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. Kayla Senne got the win on the mound, going the distance and striking out nine.
Carleton 9 – 1 Bethany
The Knights put up eight runs in the first four innings of this one as they cruised to the victory. The lone Viking run came from a home run from Haley Stockman, who had a team-high two hits in the game.
Macalester 6 – 3 Bethany
The Scots would get the scoring started in the third inning of this one before the Vikings took a lead in the fourth after Aliya Kehler and Bailey Erlandson ripped back-to-back RBI singles. Macalester would answer with two in the fifth to retake the lead before Bethany evened things up in the bottom half of the inning thanks to another Stockman home run. In the seventh the Scots would use a pair of walks and a hit by pitch while adding a big single to score three runs before holding off the Vikings in the bottom half for the win.
Erlandson and Stockman each had two hits in the contest with Stockman also scoring two runs.
Saint Mary's 5 – 1 Bethany
Haley Stockman opened the scoring in the first inning, but that was all Bethany would get in this one. They would outhit the Cardinals 6-4 with Mork tallying two hits, but four errors doomed the Vikings. Jade Krenik was solid in relief, allowing just one earned run in 4 and 2/3 innings.
Next Weekend
The Vikings will be in action again this coming weekend when they play in four contests. The Vikings will play St. Olaf at 8 a.m. Saturday, Hamline at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Macalester at 8 a.m. Sunday, and St. Catherine at 1 p.m. Sunday with all games being at the MSU Dome.
