ASHLAND, Wis. – The Bethany Lutheran softball team opened UMAC competition on Friday morning, taking two contests from Northland. The Vikings won the first matchup 8-7 before a convincing 18-5 win in five innings in game two.

Bethany 8 – 7 Northland

Things got off to a good start in game one for Bethany, as they used four hits and an error to plate four runs for an early lead. Emily Doyle, Haley Stockman, Elizabeth Cizek, and Bailey Erlandson were all responsible for run scoring at-bats in the first inning for the Vikings.

Northland would get to Bethany starter Kayla Senne early with back-to-back doubles in the bottom half to plate a run, but three straight strikeouts from the sophomore would end the inning.

To open the second inning Jolyne LeClair and Katelyn Halbach would both reach via single, before eventually being driven in by Kaija Mork and Doyle to make the score 6-1. Bethany continued to add onto their lead in the top of the third, as Bailey Erlandson reached base and was eventually batted in by Halbach to put the Vikings up 7-1.

Bethany's offense would hit a standstill though, as Northland would slowly rally back into the game. In the bottom of the fourth, the LumberJills used a pair of hits and a walk to plate a pair of runs and bring the game to within four.

Neither team would score in the fifth inning, but after a scoreless top of the sixth Northland's offense would take advantage of some Bethany errors to get back into the game. After a single to start the inning, Senne would retire the next two batters on strikes. Back to back errors on the Vikings though allowed a run to score and the inning to continue. Northland took full advantage, connecting for a pair of hits including a double to plate three more runs and tie the game at seven heading to the final inning

Elizabeth Cizek would reach base in the seventh with a one out single and eventually steal second. After a groundout to the pitcher Tori Pahl would single to shortstop, scoring Cizek to take a one run lead into the bottom of the seventh. Senne locked in for the final three outs, as she struck out the side for the win.

Cizek and Halbach led the attack at the plate for Bethany in this one each finishing with three hits, an RBI, and two runs scored.

Senne threw all seven innings, striking out 14 while allowing five earned runs in the win.

Bethany 18 – 5 Northland (5 innings)

After a close call in game one the Vikings left nothing to be decided in game two, erupting for 13 hits and 12 runs in the first two innings.

In the first inning Ana Christofferson and Brynja Mielke each came to the plate with two runners in scoring position and delivered, each knocking a single up the middle to plate a pair of runs as Bethany got out to a 4-0 lead after one.

After a 1-2-3 bottom half of the first from Mork, she helped herself out to start the second with a triple down the right field line. From there Bethany would put together eight more hits in the inning and scratch across eight runs in the process to take a commanding 12-0 lead after the top of the second.

Northland would plate a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 12-1, but Christofferson would deliver a 2-RBI at-bat in the fourth to put Bethany back up 14-1. The LumberJills would match the Vikings in the inning, as they used a two-run home run to make the score 14-3 after four innings.

Bethany would respond to the Northland runs, all but putting the game away in the top of the fifth. After three runners reached base, Halbach would hit a single with the bases loaded that moved everyone up one base. Mork would follow that at-bat up with a bases clearing double to the right center field fence to give the Vikings a 18-3 lead.  

Northland would score two more runs in the fifth but the Vikings held on to win via the eight-run rule after five innings.

Mork got the win in game two on the mound, allowing two earning runs while striking out three. She also led the team offensively, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate and driving in five runs while scoring four. Aliya Kehler and Halbach each add three hits in the contest, with Halbach also scoring four times.