The College of Saint Benedict (1-1 MIAC, 6-10 overall) softball team opened up the MIAC season with split against Concordia College in Moorhead, MN Thursday evening.  The CSB bats erupted in game one for 12 hits, including a pair of homeruns off the bat of junior infielder Devin Bowlin (Winona, MN, Winona Cotter) leading to an 8-2 victory.  Unfortunately the offense cooled off, and the Cobbers picked up an 8-1 win in the nightcap.

In the first game of the doubleheader, CSB got on the board first when Bowlin hit a solo homerun over the left field fence in the top of the third inning.  Later in the inning, junior Alyssa Kubesh (Buffalo Lake, MN, Buffalo Lake-Hector) had an RBI single to center.  In the very next inning, Bowlin hit a two-run shot to give the Blazers a 4-0 lead.  CSB continued to put runs on the board by adding two more in the top of the fifth inning on a two RBI single by junior Elle Borba (Ontario, CA).  Concordia rallied with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into the CSB lead.  Sophomore Sierra Dooley (Spring Lake Park, MN, Spring Lake Park) and senior Beth Hanson (Faribault, MN, Bethlehem Academy) added RBIs in the seventh inning to make the final score 8-2.

Sophomore pitcher Emma Alwin (Plymouth, MN, Wayzata) was effective on the mound for the Blazers.  Alwin earned the win by throwing five scoreless innings, scattering just four hits, and striking out three batters.  Bowlin led the offense with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with three RBIs.  Kubesh, Hanson, and Dooley finished the game with two hits and an RBI apiece.

In the nightcap, the Cobbers used a seven-run fourth inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead.  The Blazers got on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Hanson singled to start the inning, moved to third on a double by junior Abby Richardson (Storm Lake, IA, St. Mary's), and scored on a passed ball.

CSB tallied five hits in the second game of the doubleheader.  Richardson led the offense with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate.

The Blazers will be back in action Saturday, April 10 when they host Augsburg College in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.