Written by Armani Johnson
BVU Sports Information Student Intern
DUNDAS, Minn. (March 4, 2022) - The Buena Vista University Softball Team traveled to the Dundas Dome to face off against Bethel University in a double header on Friday evening and walked away with a pair of victories.
The beginning of game one started off slow with neither team being able to get a rhythm offensively. As the regular innings were left scoreless, the game came down to the wire in the 8th and 9th innings. With the international softball rules being used, a runner starts the inning on 2nd during the extra innings. The first score of the game came across as
Danica Workman stepped on home plate after
Carlee Guyett doubled to right field. Bethel's Kayla Smiacek then retired the inning shortly after, leaving two BVU runners on base.
In the bottom of the 8
th Bethel answered back with a score of its own, thanks to a sacrifice and a single. The 9
th inning began with another sacrifice bunt from BVU, as
Ashtyn Miller followed with a single that gave the Beavers the go-ahead run. As Bethel began to move runners into scoring position in the bottom half,. Miller produced a pair of pop outs to conclude the game as BVU hung on for a 2-1 victory. The Beavers ended the game with just five hits and 10 stolen bases compared to Bethel's six hits and 3 three stolen bases. Miller gains the win which totals her third win of the season with just one loss.
The second game of the doubleheader had a completely different look. The game started hot as the Beavers placed three runners on base before
Ashtyn Miller's RBI groundout brought one runner in to score. The game was eventually tied 3-3 after one inning The Beavers went on to score four runs in the second inning which included a triple by Miller and RBI singles from
Jamie Wendt and Nattie Murillo. The Royals again responded and got within 7-6 after two.
Neither team was able to push across another run until BVU again put up four in the fifth to take an 11-6 lead. Guyett got the rally started with a two-run single while Wendt and Miller also added RBI. Bethel was able to scratch across two in the home half but that ended up being the game's final score (11-8).
Guyett was 3-for-5 with three RBI while
Chloe Wells also added a career-best three hits. Miller doubled and tripled and finished with three RBI.
Peyton Gross notched the win in the circle by pitching all seven innings, scattering 13 hits and allowing eight runs (seven earned). She struck out four and issued just two walks to improve to 2-1 overall.
Buena Vista moves its record to 5-3 on the year and will turn around on Saturday morning to play a doubleheader inside of the Rochester Dome against Macalester College starting at 10:30 a.m.
