ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (May 14) - The Buena Vista softball season came to an end on Saturday evening after a tough 3-2 loss at the hands of 12th-ranked Bethel University in the second elimination game of the day.  BVU advanced on to face the Royals after eliminating Bethany Lutheran a game prior by the score of 8-0 (6 inn.).

After being shutout in consecutive games, dating back to their conference tournament loss to Wartburg, the Beavers got back on track in a big way to begin day two of the regional tournament by slugging a pair of home runs and scoring in four of the six innings against the Vikings.

Senior Ashtyn Miller helped her own cause by lacing an RBI double into the gap in right center in the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead.  Neither team scored in the second and then BVU broke things open in the third with four runs, including a big two-run double from Rylee Cain.  Carlee Guyett launched a solo homerun to straightaway center in the fourth before Chloe Wells blasted a two-run shot to center in the sixth for the game's final score.

Guyett was 3-for-3 in the contest with an RBI and four runs scored to set the tone for BVU at the dish.  Cain followed with two hits and the two RBI as BVU tallied seven hits overall.  Miller got the win inside the circle, going 4.0 innings, allowing no runs and three hits while also striking out three. Peyton Gross pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.

BVU moved onto face the Royals about 30 minutes following the win over the Vikings and looking to move into Sunday's championship game with a victory.  It was the third time the two teams would face-off this season, but the first time they've played against each other outdoors since 2004.  The Beavers swept Bethel in a doubleheader played indoors earlier this season.

Bethel struck first with a run in the top of the second inning with an RBI triple before Jamie Wendt quickly pulled the Beavers back even at 1-1 with an RBI double in the bottom half.  That's how things stood until there was two outs and a runner at third in the fifth when Lexi DeBace lined a ball down the right field line for Bethel that went all the way into the corner leading to an inside-the-park 2-run homerun that gave the Royals a 3-1 lead.  Wendt got a rally started for BVU in the bottom half with a leadoff single before coming around to score with two outs on a single from Guyett.

The Royals got runners to second and third in the sixth with no outs before MIller recorded consecutive strikeouts.  After a walk loaded the bases, Miller got out of the jam with a flyout to end the inning.  BVU needed at least one run in the bottom half of the seventh to keep the game and its season alive, and got things going with a sharp leadoff single up the middle off the bat of Cain.  A sacrifice bunt by Cain moved pinch runner Daisy Olais to second, but a flyout and a pop out ended it all.

Cain and Wendt each had two hits for Buena Vista which had five overall.  Gross got the start inside the circle and pitched the first five innings, allowing all three runs on six hits while striking out five.

The Beavers wrapped up their historic season at 27-15 overall, giving the program its highest single-season win total since also winning 27 games back in 1996.  The game also concludes the great careers for seniors: Peyton Gross, Ashtyn Miller, Carlee Guyett, Savanna Pohlmann as well as junior Alyssa Barnhart.