ST. PAUL, Minn. – Bethany Lutheran bounced back after a tough opener, splitting a UMAC doubleheader with Northwestern on the road Saturday. The Vikings fell 9–1 in game one before responding with a strong 9–7 victory in game two to clinch a share of the UMAC regular season championship.
Game 1 – Northwestern 9, Bethany Lutheran 1
Bethany opened the first game battling early, answering Northwestern's first-inning run in the third when Olivia Sanborn and Bryn Weidner both singled before Emily Doyle delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 1–1.
Northwestern answered quickly with two runs in the bottom half of the third and gradually built momentum before breaking the game open in the fifth with a five-run inning, highlighted by a grand slam.
Sanborn paced the Vikings offensively with multiple hits, while Doyle drove in Bethany's lone run.
Despite the final score, Bethany stayed within striking distance through the middle innings before Northwestern's late surge created separation.
Game 2 – Bethany Lutheran 9, Northwestern 7
The Vikings responded immediately in game two with one of their strongest offensive performances of the conference season.
Bethany struck first in the opening inning as Carly Nelson delivered an RBI single before Aliya Edbom-Kehler added another run-scoring hit to help the Vikings build an early 2–0 lead.
After Northwestern answered, Bethany kept applying pressure. Edbom-Kehler once again came through in the fourth inning with the biggest swing of the day—a three-run homer that capped a four-run frame and turned a tight contest into a 7–4 Viking advantage.
Bethany added critical insurance in the fifth when Emily Doyle lined a two-RBI single to center, scoring Emily Nelson and Olivia Sanborn for a 9–4 lead.
Edbom-Kehler finished with a huge offensive game, highlighted by the three-run home run and four RBIs, while Doyle and Nelson each played major roles in the attack. Addie Ahern also contributed with an extra-base hit as Bethany's lineup produced throughout.
Northwestern threatened late, scoring in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Vikings held on to secure the bounce-back win and earn the doubleheader split.
Bethany enters UMAC playoffs next weekend ranked second in conference. They will travel back to Saint Paul to play next weekend for the UMAC Playoff Championship.
