ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern softball team welcomed Bethel University to Reynolds Field for the 2019 home opener. The Royals, who have been unstoppable as of late, picked up their 11th and 12th straight wins to improve to 14-1 on the year.
 
Game 1: Bethel 12, Northwestern 2
After a scoreless first inning, the Royals did some damage in the top of the second, scoring six runs on six hits to take the definitive lead. Northwestern earned one run back in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy).
 
Bethel was at it again in the top of three, this time scoring five runs all produced from two homeruns. The Royals added one more run in the top of the fourth.
 
The Eagles tacked on a final run in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn't enough to avoid the five-inning (eight) run rule.
 
Kayla Madison (North Branch, Minn./Forest Lake) and Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) recorded the Eagles lone hits in the game. Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) reached base three times on walks.
 
Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege) and Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) shared the pitching duties in the circle. Nelson was credited with the loss, moving her record to 3-3 on the year.
 
Game 2: Bethel 11, Northwestern 3
The Royals were back at it offensively in game two, scoring six combined runs through two innings of action.
 
Northwestern got the bats going themselves, producing three runs on seven hits in the non-conference match-up. The Eagles biggest offensive inning came in the bottom of the seventh when UNW scored two runs on three hits. Kayla Madison (North Branch, Minn./Forest Lake) and Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) put together back-to-back singles up the middle to drive in runs.
 
Bethel tacked on 19 hits in the game as Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) pitched the complete seven-inning game. Kopacek allowed six earned runs as her record moves to 3-4 in the circle this season.
 
Madison and Ronning each recorded a pair of hits in the game, while Madison added a team-best two RBI's.
 
Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West), Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) and Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) added one hit for the Eagles.
 
Northwestern will return to action on Thursday, March 28 when they host Hamline University in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Reynolds Field.