MORRIS, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran softball team played two more contests on Saturday, defeating Northland 8-0 in the morning before an 11-2 win over MLC in the afternoon to push their win streak to 20 games. Both contests needed just five innings as the Vikings improved to 25-11 overall and 17-0 in the UMAC.
Kayla Senne got the wins in both contests, with her win in game one setting a new single season and career wins record for the program.
Bethany Lutheran 8 – 0 Northland (5 innings)
Katelyn Halbach got things started in the bottom of the first as she singled and stole second to get a runner in scoring position. Kaija Mork then doubled to drive in the games first run with Emily Doyle singling to right to score Mork in the next at-bat. Ana Christofferson would draw a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out, but the LumberJill pitcher would get three consecutive outs to end the threat.
After a scoreless top of the second, Brynja Mielke got things going again in the bottom half with a single. After the Northland pitcher would get a pair of outs, Mork would put one over the fence in right center to plate two more and make the score 4-0.
Senne would continue to shut down the LumberJills, allowing just four hits through the first four innings. In the bottom of the fourth, a Northland error followed by a base hit from Mielke to start the inning put two runners on. After consecutive outs, Mork stepped up and singled before Emily Doyle launched a grand slam to put the Vikings up by eight headed to the fifth.
The LumberJills would load the bases with three singles in the fifth but Senne would work around the jam and get out of the inning scoreless to end the game due to the eight-run rule.
Mork went 3-for-3 in the contest with three runs scored and three RBI, while Doyle had two hits and five RBI.
Senne got the complete game win, striking out nine while scattering seven hits.
Bethany 11 – 2 Martin Luther (8 innings)
The game began with a scoreless first two innings from both starting pitchers, before Bethany would finally break through in the top of the third. After a leadoff out, Halbach, Mork, and Doyle ripped three consecutive singles to plate the first run of the game. Later in the inning, Stockman would single to bring Mork across and give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
The Knights would use a pair of walks and singles in the bottom of the third to plate their first run of the contest and cut the deficit in half.
Both teams went down quickly in the fourth inning before the Vikings jumped back into the score column in the fifth.
Halbach would single and steal second and eventually third before Doyle ripped a double to bring her home. Doyle then advanced to third on a wild pitch before a Christofferson sac fly extended the lead to 4-1.
Senne would throw a scoreless fifth before the Bethany offense exploded in the top of the sixth for seven runs. The Vikings got RBI hits from Sierra Brown and Tori Pahl, before Mork delivered with a three-run shot to left field to put the Vikings up 9-1. They weren't done there though, as Doyle and Morgan Eckes would each reach base before Elizabeth Cizek drove both in with a double to go up 11-1. The Knights would connect for a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth but that was all they would get though as the Vikings won via the eight-run rule.
Mork and Doyle each had three hits in the second contest with Mork driving in three runs. Halbach and Cizek each added two hits to the effort for Bethany, with Halbach crossing home plate three times.
Senne got the win again in game two, going the distance and striking out eight while scattering four hits.
