Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Mankato, Minn. - With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Crown baseball team needed to take at least one game from the Bethany Lutheran Vikings in their doubleheader on Saturday to keep any postseason aspirations alive.  After a heartbreaking walk-off loss in game one, the Storm rallied back for a come from behind win in game two.  Both games ended with final scores of 3-2.

Game one featured an excellent start from sophomore lefty Jonathon Matity.  The southpaw went six strong innings, allowing just one earned run (two total) while striking out three.  

Daryl Taylor gave Crown a short-lived lead in the sixth with a two-run home run, but the Vikings would answer right back, tying the game in the bottom of the frame.

Brandon Hudson came out for the seventh inning and cruised through two innings before a trio of walks loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth.  A bases loaded single to left would end the game as the Vikings escaped with a 3-2 win.

Harry Ballantyne and David Cruz each had two hits, while Joel Silva scored on Taylor's home run.

Game two would be just as exciting as the first, with the Vikings jumping out to a 2-0 lead against starter Trent Krekelberg.  The freshman right-hander was chased with one out in the fourth after struggling a bit with his control and issuing five walks.

Ryan Denison would come on and fire five innings of masterful relief, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out two. 

Hunter Foss had pulled the Storm to within one with a sacrifice fly in the top half of the fourth, and it was the speedy outfielder who would once again be in the middle of things in the Crown ninth.

Trailing 2-1 heading into their last at bat, Crown got off to a great start when Cruz singled to lead off the inning.  Blake Jobe came on as a pinch runner and the next batter, Matthew Tate singled to put runners on first and second with no out.  Tate, who went 4-4 in game two, was lifted for pinch runner Berend Schnabel.  

Camden Wiens laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, bringing Foss to the plate.  After a tough at bat, Foss hit a chopper to third that he beat out for an infield single and Jobe made a fantastic read, breaking for the plate on the throw across and coming in ahead of the throw from the first baseman.  Foss, ever aggressive on the bases, advanced to second on the throw with the Bethany Lutheran infielders scrambling around.

After a pitching chance and a pop-up left Crown with runners on second and third with two outs, a wild pitch brought home Schnabel with the go ahead and eventual winning run.

Denison came back out to try to close out the game and gave up a leadoff single before a sacrifice bunt put the tying run in scoring position with one out.  Denison then intentionally walked the next batter before giving way to Josh Flanders.  

The junior reliever coaxed a pair of ground balls to earn the save and give Crown the split.  The win moves Crown's record to 7-10 in the UMAC with four games remaining, including a three game series with Northwestern, who currently hold the fourth position in the standings.  Currently, the Storm sit in a three way tie for fifth place with Minnesota Morris and Martin Luther.