ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Carleton College softball team opened MIAC play by splitting a doubleheader at Bethel University. The Knights dropped the opener 10-2 (5 inn.) but rallied for an extra-inning triumph in game two, prevailing 7-5 (8 inn.)
 
Game 1 — Bethel 10, Carleton 2 (5 inn.)
All of the scoring came over the opening two innings, with 9 of the game's 12 runs crossing the plate with two outs.
 
The Knights (7-11, 1-1 MIAC) had three hits, including a two-out two-run double from Grace Colburn to grab a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. The Royals (9-10, 3-1 MIAC) countered with a six-run outburst in the bottom of the frame, with four of the tallies being unearned.
 
The hosts widened their lead with four more two-out runs in the second inning.
 
Dominque Walicke and Abby Otterness held Carleton hitless over the final three innings to close out the victory.
 
Five different players had the Knights' five hits.
 
Sydney Trentman absorbed the loss, permitting the six earned runs over 1.2 innings in the circle. Becca Madsen tossed 2.1 scoreless frames of relief for Carleton.
 
Game 2 — Carleton 7, Bethel 5 (8 inn.)
The back-and-forth affair saw Carleton erase a 4-1 deficit only to see Bethel force extra innings. In the bonus frame the Knights scored twice then got a nifty defensive play to escape unscathed and snap a three-game skid.
 
Megan Smith singled to start the contest, advance to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout, and came home on Adriana Wiggins' single through the left side. That 1-0 lead held up until the bottom of the second when the Royals used a two-out single and a double to knot the score at 1-1.
 
Carleton regained the lead in the third inning. Smith singled again and made her way around the bases via a sac bunt, wild pitch, and RBI grounder by Bryanna Schaffer.
 
The Knights' advantage did not last long, however, as a hit batter and back-to-back walks loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the third inning. A two-run single and a bases-loaded hit batter gave the Royals a 4-2 lead.
 
Smith opened the fifth inning with a double, her third hit of the contest. Esme Song followed with a single, and Schaffer's RBI groundout brought Carleton within a run. Wiggins followed with her third single in as many at bats, and Colburn delivered a game-tying sacrifice fly. Jade Thach struck out, but the ball eluded the Bethel catcher and Wiggins raced home on the throw down to first base.
 
The score remained 5-4 until the bottom of the seventh inning. A two-out single by Mikaela Girard was followed by a game-tying triple by pinch hitter Kayley Frenette.
 
Thach was placed on second base to begin the top of the eighth. After a flyout, consecutive singles by Natasha Paez and Samantha Rodriguez brought home the first run, and Paez later scored on a wild pitch to give the Knights a 7-5 lead.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Bethel threatened after getting runners at second and third with none out, but a line drive up the middle was snagged by Thach, who touched second base for an unassisted double play. The game ended two pitches later on a groundout to Schaffer.
 
Smith and Wiggins both went 3-for-4, while Paez add two hits. After Madsen yielded a run over the front 1.2 innings, Rachel Block worked the final 6.1 frames and allowed four runs (three earned) in notching her fourth victory of the season.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton travels to Saint Mary's University for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, April 6.