MANKATO, Minn. – In a game that took under two hours, Conor Merton and Jackson Huiras combined to allow just four hits as the Bethany Lutheran baseball team was able to defeat UW-Superior 3-1 on Friday afternoon.

From the get-go this game was bound to be a pitcher's duel as Merton and Superior starter Ben Welle were efficient in the first two innings to keep things scoreless. In the third Superior would break through on Merton, as they would manufacture a run to take a 1-0 lead.

Welle evaded a Viking threat in the third before Bethany would finally get to him in the fourth, as Ben Hopper gapped a double followed by a Vaughn Pouncy single to even the game at one.  Both pitchers would then go 1-2-3 in the fifth and Merton did the same in the sixth before the Vikings finally got their first lead in the bottom half.

Liam Peterson would leg out a single and force an errant throw that allowed him second base before Hopper knocked his second extra base hit of the game, a massive triple to right center to give Bethany a 2-1 lead. Brad Bickmann then stepped up and ripped a single to left to score Hopper and make the game 3-1.

Merton went 1-2-3 again in the seventh and recorded the first out of the eighth before allowing a single that took him out of the contest. Jackson Huiras came on in relief and after a walk and fielder's choice to put runners at second and third, he induced a towering pop fly that Bickmann would snag to get out of the jam.

Huiras would then shut the door in the ninth to give the Vikings the 3-1 victory.

Merton went 7 1/3 in the contest, allowing just four hits and one run. Huiras got credit for the save after going 1 2/3, allowing no hits and tallying one strikeout.

Hopper provided the offense for Bethany in the contest, tallying two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI.

Bethany is back in action tomorrow for games against UW-Superior at 2 and 5 p.m.