DUNDAS, Minn. – The St. Olaf College softball team opened its 2019 season by dropping a pair of games to Bethany Lutheran College, falling by scores of 2-0 and 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at the Dundas Dome.

Game one was a pitcher's duel between junior Julie Graf and Bria Majeski, but Bethany Lutheran (2-0) scored the game's only two runs in the fifth to claim the opener. St. Olaf (0-2) built a 4-1 lead in game two before the Vikings scored five runs in the top of the seventh and held on in the bottom of the frame to complete the sweep.

Bethany Lutheran 2, St. Olaf 0 | Box

Majeski, a transfer from NCAA Division II powerhouse Minnesota State, threw a two-hit shutout to outduel Graf in the opener and got all the offense she needed in the fifth inning. Graf went the distance for the Oles, striking out 13 batters, while Majeski had five strikeouts in her two-hitter.

The Vikings put a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings, but Graf struck out five in the two frames to escape early damage. Graf got eight-straight outs via strikeout from the final out of the first through the first out of the fourth, while Majeski retired the first 10 batters she faced prior to an Abby Grismer single with one out in the bottom of the fourth.

Bethany Lutheran finally broke through in the top of the fifth with the only two runs of the game. After a one-out walk and a sacrifice bunt, Kaylee Mork singled through the left side to plate a run and then scored on a RBI triple down the left-field line by Sarah Presler.

The Oles mounted a threat in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second and one out, but the Vikings got out of the jam thanks to a diving play by Mork at second to rob Graf of an RBI single. Majeski retired St. Olaf in order in each of the final two innings.

Bethany Lutheran 6, St. Olaf 5 | Box

Sophomore Hannah Matthies drove in three runs to help St. Olaf to a 4-1 lead entering the seventh in game two, but Bethany Lutheran pushed across five runs in the top of the seventh and held on in the bottom of the inning to complete the sweep.

Matthies drove in senior Emily Carr with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the first after Carr drew a walk to start the game for the Oles. The Vikings responded with a run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Majeski to even the game at 1-1.

St. Olaf generated a two-out rally in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead. After a single by Grismer and a walk to first year Andrea Conway, Matthies doubled to center field to drive in both runners and put the Oles back on top.

In the bottom of the fifth, St. Olaf threatened to add to its lead with another two-out rally. A double by Grismer followed by a single by Conway and a stolen base by the first year left two runners in scoring position, but Shelby Bloemendaal escaped the threat.

The Oles tacked on an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore Ally Bode that plated first year Kaleigh Santmyer. The Vikings took advantage of a pair of walks and had four hits in the top of the seventh to score five runs and take the lead, with Presler and Zoe Kinakin delivering two-run singles in the frame off Graf in relief.

Carr drove a solo home run out to left-center field to lead off the home half of the seventh to make it a one-run game. Grismer followed with her fourth hit of the day, a single to center, to put the tying run on base. Later in the inning, St. Olaf got runners at second and third with two outs before a strikeout ended the game.

Grismer was 3-for-3 in the nightcap, while Matthies was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Bode also had a pair of hits for St. Olaf, which outhit the Vikings by a 10-8 margin.

St. Olaf returns to the Dundas Dome on Saturday, Feb. 23 for a doubleheader against Martin Luther starting at 7 p.m.