St. Peter, Minn. – The Saint Benedict softball team used a long line of singles with a few key doubles mixed in to close the regular season with a 6-0 win over Gustavus on Sunday (Apr. 28), salvaging a split after dropping the opener of the doubleheader 4-1.
In the second game of their doubleheader with the Gusties (12-13, 9-5 MIAC), the Blazers ran out to a 5-0 edge after the first two innings, using timely hitting to build a lead they would never lose.
Lexi Alm,
Emily Engelmeier and
Kelsey McQuillan all had run-scoring singles in the first inning, as the Blazers (19-17, 8-12 MIAC) quickly jumped out ahead.
Engelmeier started and scattered two this in the bottom of the first, bringing the Blazers right back up looking for more. In the second,
Stacy Svihel started the scoring with an RBI double, and one batter later, Alm drove her home for the 5-0 lead.
Engelmeier would go the distance, allowing just four hits, the second-lowest tally of her career. She improved to 8-7 on the season with the win, also charting her first career complete game shutout.
She helped her own cause at the plate as well, doubling home Alm in the fifth for the final run of the game.
The win also carried some extra sentiment, as first-year Blazer head coach
Rachael Click is a Gustavus graduate, closing out her first season at the helm with a win over her alma mater.
The win came after the Blazers fell in game one, scoring just one run on just three hits.
Rachel Nelson started and pitched well, allowing just four hits and only three earned while striking out five. But the Gusties took advantage of three walks and three two Blazer errors to do their damage.
The game two win is the Blazers' first over Gustavus in nine years, while their 19 wins on the season are the most since 2005.
They will now open the MIAC Tournament on May 3, starting with pool play in hopes of advancing to the field of four that will play Saturday and Sunday. The league office will release the four, three-team pools later this week.
