The College of Saint Benedict Blazer softball team (6-4 overall, 0-0 MIAC) picked up a pair of hard earned wins Thursday in Kissimmee, Fla. at the Rebel Spring Games.

The Blazers started day five of their trip to Florida with a 2-0 win over Westminster College of Pennsylvania. Picking up the win for Saint Benedict on the mound was sophomore Trisha Johnson (New Ulm, MN, New Ulm). Johnson went all seven innings, giving up only four hits, three walks, and one strikeout. Sophomore infielder Kelsey McQuillan (Stillwater, MN, Stillwater) went 1-3 in game one with a run scored. First-year infielder Emma Zierden (Avon, MN, Albany) was also 1-3 with a run scored. Continuing her hitting streak was sophomore centerfielder Lexi Alm (Stacy, MN, Forest Lake). Alm went 1-3 with a triple and an RBI. Sophomore outfielder Nicole Kirkvold (Winona, MN, Winona Cotter) earned an RBI to help the Blazers.

Saint Benedict finished day five of the Rebel Spring Games in an exciting 4-3 win over Emmanuel College in 11 innings. The Blazers held a 1-0 lead until the top of the seventh where the Saints tied the game 1-1. Neither team scored in the eighth to get the win, forcing a ninth inning. The Saints scored to get the go ahead run in the ninth, but the Blazers answered back to tie the score 2-2. Both teams earned a run in the tenth to make the score 3-3 and force an 11th inning. Due to tiebreaker rules, each team starts the inning with a runner at second. Saint Benedict placed first-year catcher Mackenzie Wenner (St. Peter, MN, St. Peter) at second to start the inning. Sophomore infielder Maddie Lenker (Eden Prairie, MN, Eden Prairie) advanced Wenner to third on a sacrifice. With two outs on the inning, McQuillan hit the game winning RBI, a single up the middle to allow Wenner to reach home and give the Blazers their sixth win of the season.

Sophomore pitcher Rachel Nelson (Lindstrom, MN, Chisago Lakes) went all 11 innings in the win for the Blazers. Nelson gave up seven hits, two walks, three strikeouts, and only one earned run. Alm showed her consistency at the plate going 1-3 with a triple, a walk, and two runs scored. McQuillan was 3-4 with two RBI's and Lenker went 2-4. First-year outfielder Lonnica Johnson (Stillwater, MN, Hill-Murray) was 1-4 with an RBI against Emmanuel.

Saint Benedict finishes play at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. tomorrow, March 9th, with games at 1 pm against Husson University and at 3 pm versus Beloit College.