ST. PAUL, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team dropped a pair of MIAC games to St. Kate's University Sunday afternoon in St. Paul, Minn. The Wildcats led early in the first game, but fell 7-3, and couldn't get the bats going in a 10-0, five-inning loss in the second game.
CSB took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the first game thanks to an error and a hit.
Kim Lidstone reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a sac bunt by
Megan Toninato and scored when
Sara Wennerstrand hit into an RBI fielder's choice. Wennerstrand later came around to score on a bunt by
Nicole Nelson.
St. Kate's (24-10, 11-7) got one run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single, and tied the game on another RBI single in the third. The Wildcats scored three runs on four hits in the fourth inning to make it 5-2, but CSB made it a two-run game in the fifth when
Becky Gigstad walked and scored on an RBI single by Toninato.
The Wildcats added two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to a two-run double to center field, and the Blazers failed to score in the final two innings.
Nelson finished 2-for-3 to lead CSB, which had six hits. Toninato and Wennerstrand each had an RBI.
Cassie Meyer threw the first 3.1 innings and was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits.
Taylor Ellingson threw the final 2.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.
St. Kate's took an early lead in game two and never looked back en route to a five-inning win. The Wildcats scored one run in the first inning, and took advantage of four hits and one CSB error to make it 6-0 with five runs in the second. The Wildcats added four more runs thanks to five hits in the bottom of the fourth to end the game early.
Four players had a single hit for CSB, which finished the second game with four hits. St. Kate's had two solo homers and three doubles.
Melissa Seldon took the loss on the mound after giving up seven runs on seven hits.
Taylor Ellingson gave up three runs on four hits in one inning of relief.
Also on Sunday, the Blazers traveled to the Macalester campus to finish a game that was halted on April 12. The game was halted tied 4-4 with two outs and no runners on base in the top of the eighth inning. CSB got the final out of the eighth inning, and Seldon singled to start the bottom of the inning, but was stranded as the Scots sat down the next three batters.
After a one-two-three inning for Macalester in the top of the ninth,
Bailey O'Hotto singled to start the bottom of the inning, then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Toninato reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second, and Wennerstrand was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Jessica Davison was walked with the bases loaded to send in the game-winning run.
The Blazers are now 19-17 overall and 8-10 in the MIAC. CSB has two doubleheaders left in the regular season. The Blazres are at Carleton Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and hosts St. Olaf Saturday, at 1 p.m. April 25.
