ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team is back in conference play on Tuesday, as the Cardinals head to the Rochester Dome for a 5 p.m. MIAC doubleheader against Bethel.

The Matchup | Tuesday, April 2 | 5 p.m.
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-0 MIAC | 9-4 Overall)
vs. Bethel Royals (0-0 MIAC | 9-7 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals kicked off their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule in impressive fashion on Thursday, as SMU cruised to back-to-back 13-run efforts in sweeping Augsburg 13-3 and 13-9 in Minneapolis, Minn. … Bethel has been off since March 19, when the Royals dropped both ends of a nonconference doubleheader against Luther at the Rochester (Minn.) Dome, falling 10-7 in the opener and 9-8 in the nightcap.

SMU vs. Bethel — A Year Ago:
March 31, 2012: SMU, which breezed to a 9-2 victory in the opener against Bethel — putting a runner on base in every inning, while scoring in five of their six at-bats — picked up right where it left off in Game 2, scoring five runs in the first three innings, and boasting a 5-0 lead heading into the sixth inning. In those final two at-bats, Bethel would score nine times — including seven in seventh inning — as the Royals earned a split in the conference series with a 9-5 victory in the nightcap at the SMU Field.

Up Next:
The Cardinals are scheduled to play their home opener — weather permitting — on Thursday, as SMU entertains Hamline in a 3:30 p.m. conference doubleheader at the SMU Field. … Bethel is also back in action on Thursday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. MIAC twinbill against St. Thomas. 

Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2013 Roster | 2013 Statistics | 2013 Schedule
With their conference-opening sweep of Augsburg, the Cardinals head into Tuesday's DH against Bethel having won seven of their last eight games. … The Cardinals' sweep of Augsburg marked the first time SMU has opened conference play with back-to-back wins since beating Carleton 10-1 and 10-1 to open the 2009 MIAC season. … SMU's 13-run efforts vs. Augsburg were not only a season high, but also the most since the Cardinals plated 14 in a 14-1 win over Carleton on May 3, 2011. … The Cardinals head into their doubleheader against Bethel hitting .368 — while boasting three players who are hitting above .400 and seven who are hitting .300 or better. … Nat Boissiere (Plymouth, Minn.), who went 7-for-9 with five RBIs in SMU's sweep of Augsburg last Thursday, owns a team-best .605 batting average, while Kristen Thelen (Rochester, Minn. / .457) and Paige Carter (Rosemount, Minn. / .432) are also hitting above .400. … Boissiere also leads the team in hits (26), total bases (30), slugging percentage (.698) and on-base percentage (.609), while also sharing the team lead with four doubles. … Carter owns a team-best 18 runs and Alex Raske (Chicago, Ill.) has amassed a team-best five walks and 15 RBIs. … Carter and Raske have accounted for SMU's two home run this season — Carter belted a first-inning, solo shot against Iowa Wesleyan on March 5 and Raske tallied a lead-off third-inning home run in Game 2 against Augsburg on March 28. … Thelen had a season-high eight-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-2 Game 2 against UW-River Falls on March 17. The junior rebounded with hits in both games against Augsburg, and has now reached base safely in 11 straight games. … Boissiere owns a team-best eight multiple-hit games — including a pair of four-hit performances — while Raske has recorded a team-high five multiple-RBI contests. … The Cardinals have swiped seven bases in nine attempts this season, with Hailey Ohl (Bloomington, Minn.) accounting for six of those seven steals. … Kayla Peterson (Lewiston, Minn.) heads into the Cardinals' conference DH against Bethel with a 7-3 record and a 3.40 ERA. She has thrown 57.2 of the team's 84.2 innings, walking just nine, while striking out 36. … Carter has made nine appearances — including eight in relief — compiling a 2.07 ERA in 27.0 innings, with a team-best two saves. … SMU has outscored its opponents 17-4 in the first inning, 14-4 in the second, and 19-8 in the fourth. On the flip side, the Cardinals have been outscored 8-0 in the seventh. … Three of SMU's four losses this season have been by one run. … SMU is 8-2 when scoring in the first inning and 7-0 when outhitting its opponent.

Scouting The Bethel Royals:
2013 Roster | 2013 Statistics | 2013 Schedule
After opening the season with wins in nine of their first 13 games, the Royals have dropped their last three, including back-to-back setbacks against Luther on March 19. … The Royals' 8-4 spring trip to Clermont, Fla., was highlighted by a season-high five-game winning streak. … Bethel outscored its opponents 59-14 during that five-game run — including a season-high 20-run effort against Thomas College on March 13. … Bethel has scored seven or more runs in 10 of their 16 games this season. … Bethel is hitting .338 as a team, and boasts five regulars hitting .380 or better. … Caroline Kivisto enters Tuesday's conference-opening DH against Saint Mary's hitting a team-leading .649, while also leading the team in hits (24), doubles (6), home runs (5), RBIs (23), total bases (45), slugging percentage (1.216), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.700). … Angie Jackson is second to Kivisto with a .440 batting average, while Rachel Gilbert (.397), Jess Newstrom (.391) and Megan Matson (.385) are also hitting above .380. … Bethel boasts six players who have scored 10 or more runs, led by Jackson with 19. … Kivisto and and Gilbert have recorded four-hit games this season, while Kivisto also owns a team-best seven-RBI effort against St. Scholastica on March 16. … Bethel has belted 15 home runs in 16 games this season, led by Kivisto with five and Kalyn Sorensen with three. … Rye Royals are a perfect 19-for-19 in stolen bases. … Karli Persson and Courtney Saurer have shared the workload inside the pitcher's circle, with Persson hurling a team-best 54.0 innings, while Saurer has tossed the other 47.1. … Persson owns a 5-4 record and a 1.43 ERA in 11 appearances, while posting eight complete games, two shutouts and a team-best 50 strikeouts. … Saurer, meanwhile, is 4-2 with a 3.40 ERA and owns five complete games and 30 strikeouts in eight appearances. …