DUNDAS, Minn. – The UW-Superior softball team dropped a pair of games to Bethel at the Dundas Dome Saturday, 7-6 and 8-3.
 
Down, 7-1, going to the seventh inning of game one, the Yellowjackets stormed back with five runs to nearly tie the game. Alayna Tulip (Arcadia, Wis./Arcadia) hit a one-out double to score Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East), who had walked. Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) followed with a single to center field, plating Kaela Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights). With two out Davriana Horvath (Esko, Minn./Esko) walked and Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) reached on an error, scoring Tulip and pushing Taipale to third.
 
Olivia Bancroft-Hart (Cambria, Wis./Cambria-Friesland) then singled home Taipale to make it 7-5 before Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) plated Horvath with a run-scoring single of her own.
 
Bethel reliever Ellie Rogers settled down and induced a groundball to shortstop from Kirk to end the game.
 
Bethel scored in five of its six at-bats, including two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to build the lead.
 
Hannah Schmidt went the first five innings for the Royals, scattering four hits and an unearned run with three walks and three strikeouts to earn the win. Amanda Kishish (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) went the distance for UWS in the circle, allowing 11 hits and six earned runs, while fanning two to fall to 2-1 overall.
 
Horvath and Bancroft-Hart tallied two hits apiece in the opener for Superior, while Allie Fauth, Alexa Hanowski and Jamie Axelberg collected two base hits each for Bethel.
 
The Royals jumped on UWS starter Taipale for five runs in the top of the first inning of game two. Pitcher Calli Maki supplied the big blow, helping her own cause with a one-out, two-run single through the right side of the infield for a 4-0 Bethel lead.
 
The 'Jackets made it 5-1 in the bottom of the inning as Tulip scored on a wild pitch after doubling with two out and moving to third on a Horvath single. The Royals added two more runs in the third inning and one in the fourth to take an 8-1 advantage.
 
UWS got two back in the bottom of the seventh as Lexi Lasso (St. Paul, Minn./Roseville Area) reached on an error that scored Yoch with two out and Horvath singled home Kirk.
 
Maki pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and one earned run for the victory. Taipale fell to 0-3 in six innings of work. She allowed 10 hits, seven earned runs and six walks on the night.
 
Horvath went 3-for-4 with a run scored to pace the UWS offense in game two. Hanowski was 4-for-4 with a double and run scored for the Royals.
 
Superior (2-4) returns to action at the Auggie Dome Games next Friday and Saturday, taking on Augsburg and Edgewood in doubleheaders at 5:30 p.m., and 8:30 a.m., respectively.