The College of Saint Benedict Blazer softball team (10-4 overall, 2-0 MIAC) picked up a pair of conference wins Wednesday afternoon against St. Catherine University (5-7 overall, 0-2 MIAC) in St. Joseph, Minn.
The Blazers started their first home series with a 1-0 win over the Wildcats. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh when first-year catcher Mackenzie Wenner (St. Peter, MN, St. Peter) hit her first home run of the season over the center field fence. Wenner went 2-2 with a run and a RBI. Sophomore pitcher Rachel Nelson (Lindstrom, MN, Chisago Lakes) picked up her sixth win of the season on the mound for the Blazers. Nelson struck out three batters and only allowed seven hits.
Saint Benedict picked up their second conference win of the season and took the series with a 10-4 win over the Wildcats in game two of the double header. The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when senior Kaitlyn Frank singled to advance Alyssa Luedtke home. The Blazers answered back in the top of the first with two runs. First-year Lonnica Johnson (Stillwater, MN, Hill-Murray) singled to right field to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Nicole Kirkvold (Winona, MN, Winona Cotter). Center fielder Lexi Alm (Stacy, MN, Forest Lake) sent Johnson to third with a single to right field. Johnson stole home to tie the game on a wild pitch to senior Sierra Dooley (Spring Lake Park, MN, Spring Lake Park). Alm advanced to third on the wild pitch. Sophomore Maddie Lenker hit a single to center field to send Alm home and put the Blazers up 2-1.
The Blazers took a three run lead in the bottom of the third. Lenker doubled to left center field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Wenner. Steck got on base on a fielder's choice and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. McQuillan gave the Blazers a 4-1 lead with a double to left center field. St. Catherine picked up three runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game 4-4.
CSB took a 5-4 lead at the bottom of the fourth with runs by Kirkvold and Alm. Kirkvold was walked to start the inning and advanced to second when Alm reached first on a fielder's choice. Kirkvold stole third on a wild pitch to Dooley and Alm advanced to second to put two runners in scoring position. Dooley was pitched another wild pitch which allowed Kirkvold to steal home and Alm to go to third. Alm gave the Blazers a two run lead off of a sacrifice fly to right field by Wenner.
Saint Benedict earned their last four runs of the game in the sixth inning. Alm got the Blazers on the board with her fifth home run of the season to give the Blazers a two run lead. Dooley got on base with a single to left field. First-year Danielle Tossey (Chisago City, MN, Chisago Lakes)pinch ran for Dooley and advanced to third on a double by Lenker. Wenner picked up her second home run of the day to give the Blazers 10-4 lead.
Getting the win on the mound for the Blazers was sophomore pitcher Trisha Johnson. Johnson went all seven innings giving up only two earned runs with five strikeouts. Alm went 2-3 with three runs and an RBI. Lenker was 3-3 and had two runs and an RBI. Wenner went 2-2 at the plate, driving in four RBI's and a run.
The Blazers return to action on Sunday April 1st, in St. Paul, Minn. against MIAC opponent Macalester College at 1 pm.
