Minneapolis – The Saint Benedict softball team scored a pair of much needed wins today (Apr. 19) sweeping conference foe Saint Mary's 2-1 and 7-5 in a doubleheader played at Augsburg in Minneapolis.
 
With the sweep, the Blazers improve to 19-8 overall on the season and pull to even at 6-6 in MIAC play, also tying the Cardinals for fifth in the conference standings. CSB and SMU are each just outside of fourth place, with the top-four advancing to the MIAC Tournament at the end of the season.
 
As they have been all season, the Blazers were paced by great pitching performances. Rachel Nelson (Lindstrom, Minn.) took the ball in game one and went the distance, allowing just one run while scattering eight hits and striking out three.
 
In game two, Emily Engelmeier (South St. Paul, Minn.) improved to 11-1 in the year, allowing three runs (two earned) on just six hits over 6.1 innings, before turning the ball over to Nelson who closed it out.
 
At the plate the Blazers were led by Stacy Svihel (Cold Spring, Minn.) and Kim Lidstone (Minnetonka, Minn.) who finished with four and three hits respectively over the two games.
 
Each also scored in each game, with Lidstone putting the Blazers on the board in the top of the first twice, each time giving her team a lead it would not lose.
 
A five-run seventh in game two blew the scoring open, with Kelsey McQuillan (Stillwater, Minn.) and Engelmeier each notching two-RBI hits in the inning.
 
Now back to .500 in conference play, the Blazers will look to five doubleheaders over a six-day stretch to close out the regular season.