Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 After opening up the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) season with a historic sweep of Augsburg College Sunday, the St. Catherine University softball team hoped it could keep its momentum going into its home opener. However, the Wildcats couldn't slow down a high-powered Bethel University lineup that erupted for six home runs in two games to hand the Wildcats two MIAC losses Tuesday afternoon in St. Paul. 

Caroline Kivisto hit three home runs in the opening game to lead the Royals to a 15-4, despite a third-inning rally from the Wildcats. She then picked up another in the top of the fifth in the night cap to put the finishing touches on an 11-0 victory for the sweep. 

For the Wildcats, Jessica Tyminski (Champlin, Minn.) had another strong hitting performance going 3-for-6 with two singles and a double that nearly missed clearing the fence in the the bottom of the second inning in game two. The junior infielder now leads the Wildcats with 17 hits, 26 total bases and a .542 slugging percentage. Her .342 average is also second on the team this season. Kaitlyn Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) also picked up three hits on the day including a bunt single in each of the two contests. 

In the first game, the Royals collected five runs in two innings to take an early 5-0 lead. The Wildcats then put together a strong third inning an attempt for a comeback. Two Royal errors put Raven Baker (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Alyssa Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) in scoring position for Lindsey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.) to crush a two-RBI single bringing both Wildcats home. With the Royals' lead cut to just three, Tyminski hit a single to advance pinch runner Callie Boelter (Henderson, Minn.) and Kaitlyn Luedtke to second and third, respectively. Alyssa McKee (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) then picked up one of her two hits on the day to send Boelter and Luedtke home to cut the Royal lead to 5-4. 

The Royals then strung together two more explosive innings heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Wildcats recieved a lead-off single from Rachael Thomspon (St. Peter, Minn.) to start the inning. Several batters later, Alyssa LUedtke would pick up a hit to bring Thompson home for the Wildcats' fifth and final run of the game. 

In the second game, the Wildcats' couldn't find a way to get any offense going against Royal pitcher Lindsey Edeen as she allowed just four Wildcat hits including two from Tyminski and one each to Kaitlyn Luedtke and Raven Baker in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Klein and Thompson each picked up a loss on the mound for the Wildcats who fall to 4-12 overall and 2-2 in the MIAC. The Wildcats are slated for a doubleheader Wednesday at Hamline University in St. Paul beginning at 3:30 p.m. 

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