LA CROSSE, Wis. (May 17, 2025) - Senior Evan Taylor breaks the program record for career hits with a big game-tying 3-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning while the Beavers tacked on three more in the eighth to avoid elimination from the NCAA Regional Tournament with a thrilling 11-9 victory over No. 4-seed Bethany Lutheran on Saturday morning.

Taylor came up with the bases loaded and one out, and following a pitching change by the Vikings, laced a double through the right side that scored Tegan Bock, Jake Eddie and Cooper Sobeck and tied the game at 6-6. It was his 241st career base hit which sent him past Jordan Mathewson who had set the record last season.

That momentum carried over into the bottom of the eighth when the Beavers chalked up five more runs to take an 11-6 lead. Bock started the scoring with a safety squeeze to score pinch runner Jacob Eversole from third before Taylor followed with his second double in as many at-bats that scored both Bock and Eddie. Taylor now has 25 doubles this season which ties the single-season mark of 25 set by Neil Marshall in 2016. He extends his all-time career mark with 66.

Joel Garcia and Brandon Jenkins each singled home runs after Taylor's 2-run double to give BVU the five-run cushion on eight unanswered runs.

The Vikings didn't go away quietly in the ninth. Senior Morgan Smith went back out to the mound and struck out of the first batter of the inning before the next four guys reached base safely, including a bases loaded walk that made it 11-7. Smith was then relieved by freshman Dylan Johnson, who got his first batter to line out to right for a sacrifice fly, but then he walked back-to-back hitters to force in a run and make it 11-9. He then got a force out at second on a ground ball to Eddie at second to end the game en route to his second career save.

Bethany Lutheran grabbed the early 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run but the Beavers quickly bounced back and took their first lead in the bottom half on a two-run single from Bock, who finished 1-for-1 with two walks, three RBI and three runs scored.

The Vikings then erupted for a 5-run fifth inning, that began with a 2-run home run to right, and built a 6-2 lead before BVU clawed back over the final four frames.

Taylor finished 2-for-5 at the plate with five RBI while Garcia was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. He now has 239 career base hits and moves within one of Mathewson and remains three shy of Taylor for the all-time mark. Drew Taylor also chipped in with a pair of hits as the Beavers totaled 10 overall to go along with four hit-by-pitches.

Smith earned the win to improve to 8-1 on the year, and in the process he surpassed Larry Frakes (1973-76) for the program's all-time mark for wins with 25. The right hander went 8.1 innings and was charged with all nine runs (seven earned) and 12 hits while striking out six. Johnson worked the final 0.2 innings and worked around a pair of walks.

The win pushes the Beavers to 33-11 on the year. Their 33 wins moves the team into a tie for third alongside the 2016 team on the program's all-time charts.

Next up for BVU will be the loser of No.1 UW-La Crosse and No. 3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps later tonight in an elimination game at 6 p.m.