The College of Saint Benedict softball team improved to 6-6 in the MIAC with a doubleheader sweep of St. Olaf College Monday afternoon in Northfield, MN.  The Blazers used a six-run fifth inning to take the opener 7-3 and held off the Oles 5-4 in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

In game one, the Blazers scored first on RBI double from first-year Stacy Svihel to take a quick 1-0 lead.  St. Olaf tied the game with a run of their own in the bottom of the third before CSB broke the game open with six runs in the fifth inning.  First-year Lexi Alm collected a two-out RBI double to start the Blazer scoring, and senior Devin Bowlin followed with an RBI single to keep the inning alive.  With the bases loaded, senior Alyssa Kubesh blasted a triple to clear the bases and give the Blazers a 6-1 lead.  The Oles committed an error that allowed CSB to add another run to make the score 7-1.  St. Olaf added two runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, but it wasn't enough as CSB snapped a four-game losing skid with the victory.

Kubesh paced the CSB offense with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate including a run scored and three RBIs.  Bowlin, Alm, and senior Kristen Herges each collected two hits and a run scored.  First-year Rachel Nelson earned the victory on the mound by pitching a complete game, scattering eight hits, and only allowing three earned runs.

In the nightcap, Alm hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the Blazers on the board.  In the second inning, Lis Wineke knocked in Kubesh to extend the Blazer lead to 4-0.  St. Olaf collected two runs in the bottom of the third inning before the Blazers added a key insurance run on a Kubesh sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth.  The Oles added two more runs in the fourth inning before relief pitcher junior Emma Alwin kept the Oles scoreless for the final 3.2 innings.

Alm was the only Blazer to collect multiple hits in the game by going 2-for-3.  Alwin was credited with the win on the mound after relieving first-year Trisha Johnson, who pitched the first 3.1 innings.
 
The Blazers host the Carleton Knights in a doubleheader tomorrow, April 26 starting at 4 p.m.  CSB head coach Denny Johnson is now just two wins away from career win number 500.

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score