MAPLE GROVE, Minn. - Bethany baseball put together another dominant performance Friday, defeating North Central 13-1 in seven innings at Gleason Field. The Vikings extend their winning streak to eight, improving to 22-5 overall and 10-3 in the UMAC with their third straight run-rule win against a different opponent. 

After a scoreless first inning the Vikings plated five runs in the second. Yunior Pena scored on an error, Josh Miller hit an RBI single, Jayden Knutson knocked in two runs with a base hit, and Gary Swann grounded in the fifth run. 

Max Athmann drew a one-out walk in the third and later scored on an infield error for a 6-0 lead before the Rams tallied their first and only run in the bottom half with an RBI double.

Bethany put the game out of reach in the fifth with six runs on as many hits. Josh Miller hit a two-run homer - his second of the season - and two batters later, Swann singled home Knutson. Xander Meissner ensued with an RBI double and scored on a single by Pena. Pena then came home on a double by Athmann for a 12-1 lead. The final run was scored in the sixth as Seth Jones hit his third homer of the season. Jones' home run was the team's 35th this season, which sets a new single season program record - beating last year's mark of 34. 

Aidan Byrd pitched a six-inning gem to improve to 6-0. He allowed one run on just two hits with eight strikeouts. Jaden Case tossed a hitless seventh inning with two punch outs. 

Miller led at the plate, batting 3-for-3 with two runs, three RBI, a home run, and a hit by pitch. 

The Vikings and Rams conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. 
  Read Full Article