Bethany came out firing Saturday morning, scoring six runs in the first inning. Avila answered back with one run in the second, but the Swedes scored in all but one inning as they defeated Avila 10-2 in a five-inning run rule.

Senior Morgan Evans led the Swede offense with three hits in the contest. Sophomore Stephanie Tyler added two hits, as did senior Emily Zimmerman. Senior Jacquelyn Hernandez, juniors Anita Espinoza and Britany Brady, sophomore Elissa Stein, and freshmen Miranda Mickelson and Brittany Mosqueda all contributed one hit. Brady had three RBIs in the contest as Tyler and Mickelson each had two. Hernandez, Zimmerman, and Stein tacked on one RBI each. Tyler got the start and the win for Bethany.

The Swedes had a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning of game two before Avila posted a comeback in the sixth and jumped to a 6-5 lead. However, a clutch hit by sophomore Kellyn Peters in the bottom of the sixth scored the go-ahead Bethany run. The Swedes held Avila in the seventh and went on to a 7-6 "W."

Evans, Mickelson, Zimmerman, and Peters had two hits each. Hernandez, Stein, and Mosqueda all tallied one hit on the night. Hernandez had two RBIs as Mickelson, Peters, and Evans each totaled one. Senior Becka Hileman got the start on the mound as Tyler came in as relief.

"We hit well both games," said head coach Janice Esses. "We have been specifying quality in practice; not just quality hits, but quality at-bats. Not striking out or popping up, but putting the ball in play. Focusing on that, when you don't expect a hit every time and just want to put the ball in play, I think that helps confidence."

Bethany is now 6-6 overall. The squad traveled south for a double header against Southern Nazarene University on Tuesday, March 16 before heading to Ft. Hays State University on Wednesday, March 17. The Swedes next compete at the Sterling College Tournament Friday and Saturday, March 19-20.

"In the second game, we came back," Esses said. "We got down, but battled back. That is always good to see."