MANKATO, Minn. - Xander Meissner homered twice in an opening day series against Buena Vista that saw seven lead changes in two games, and it was a walkoff single by Gary Swann in game two that highlighted the day for the Vikings. Bethany dropped a back and forth contest 7-6 in game one before Swann's single gave Bethany an 8-7 victory over the Beavers in game two.

Buena Vista 7 - 6 Bethany
Trent Ash got the start on the bump for the Vikings in game one and made quick work of BVU in the first with a pair of strikeouts before he worked around two walks in the second to keep the game scoreless.

Meissner then stepped up for his first collegiate plate appearance in the bottom of the second and blasted an opposite field home run to plate the first run of the season. 

Ash would toss a scoreless third inning and it wasn't until the fourth that the Beavers would plate their first runs. They would use two free passes to put a pair of runners on before a flare down the left field line got to the corner and plated a pair for the 2-1 lead. 

Ash would be relieved by Jack Howard in the top of the fifth and Howard would go 3.2 strong innings, allowing just one run and striking out four but Bethany was held scoreless during the same stretch. 

After a Malachi Santiago walk to open the eighth, Aidan Russell would knock a base hit to put two on before a Will Carlson walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Eli Fest would then single to plate one run and cut the deficit in half and make it 3-2. After a Viking strikeout, Nolan Spence would then come up and deliver in the clutch, launching a grand slam over the left field wall and putting Bethany up 6-3 headed to the ninth.

Two walks for BVU to open the ninth brought the tying run to the plate before Sean Gamble was able to induce a fly out and get a strikeout. Down to their final out, the Beavers would keep their hopes alive as they would knock a double into the right field corner to plate one and put the tying run at second. BVU shortstop Joel Garcia had other ideas though, as he would battle Gamble in a lengthy at-bat before driving one over the left center field fence to put them on top 7-6. 

The Vikings would get out of the inning and have their chance in the bottom half, but one hit by pitch was all they could muster as the Beavers claimed the win. 

The Vikings were held to just five hits in the opening contest with Meissner being the only player to reach twice thanks to a hit and a walk. 

Ash had a strong opening outing for Bethany as he tossed 4.1 innings, allowing two runs and striking out six.

Bethany Lutheran 8 - 7 Buena Vista
After each team would plate a run in the first two innings of game two, the Beavers would plate a pair of runs in the third after putting together three hits to gain the early advantage. 

Fest opened the third with a double before a Russell walk would put two on for the Vikings. After a BVU punchout it was once again Meissner who came up big, as he would put his second opposite field home run over the left field wall to put Bethany in front 4-3. 

The freshman wasn't done there though, as one inning later the Vikings would push one run across thanks to some nifty baserunning before Meissner came up with two outs and drove a single into right field to plate another and make the score 6-3. 

Tyson Reger, who came on in the third for the Vikings and allowed a pair of runs, really settled in over the next few innings as he would go on a stretch where he retired 12 of 13 BVU batters before the Beavers were able to get to him in the seventh. They would use four hits including a home run in the inning to chase him from the game before Riston Wojcik would come on and get a strikeout to end the inning. 

Bethany would go down scoreless in the bottom of the seventh and the Vikings would get a huge play in the top of the eighth from right fielder Kyle Carlberg as he would gun down a runner at third base to help keep BVU off the scoreboard. After the Vikings went scoreless in the bottom half, Zachary Stevens would come in and toss a scoreless top of the ninth to set up the theatrics. 

After a Viking groundout to open the inning, Spence would draw a walk before Meissner would walk as well. Swann would then step up to pinch hit and Bethany would catch an immediate break, as the BVU pitcher was called for a balk due to a near pitch clock violation that saw him stop his delivery and push both runners into scoring position. After a long at-bat that saw Swann foul off multiple two strike pitches, he would slap a single over the second basemen's head with both runners coming in to score to give Bethany the win.

Stevens picked up the win on the mound in a game that saw Meissner and Fest lead the Viking offense with two hits. Russell, Spence, Jayden Kopp, and Seth Jones also reached base twice as each picked up a hit and a walk in the contest.

Bethany and Buena Vista will square off again tomorrow in the series decider with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.