NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team picked up a pair of 11-3 wins in a MIAC sweep of Carleton Wednesday afternoon in Northfield, Minn. The first game took all seven innings, but the Blazers won the second game in five innings thanks to a big first inning.
 
With one conference doubleheader left in the regular season, CSB is 21-17 overall and 10-10 and in sixth place in the conference.
 
The Knights (9-25, 4-16) scored a run in the bottom of the first inning, and held a 1-0 lead until the fourth when CSB scored three runs. Megan Toninato tripled to start the inning, Sara Wennerstrand was hit by a pitch and stole second and Melissa Seldon sent in a run with an RBI single. Nicole Nelson hit a bunt single to load the bases, and Mackenzie Wenner sent in two more runs with a two-run single to right field. The Blazers had one more hit but CSB left three runners stranded.
 
Carleton tied the game with two runs in the fifth, but the Blazers exploded for five runs in the sixth thanks to six hits. Becky Gigstad hit an RBI triple and Bailey O'Hotto hit an RBI single to start the inning. Kim Lidstone singled to send O'Hotto to second and Wennerstrand singled to load the bases, and Seldon sent all three home with a bases-clearing triple to make it 8-3. CSB added three more runs in the top of the seventh when Wenner walked, Kiela DeVlaeminck singled and Gigstad hit a three-run homer over the left-field fence.
 
Seldon finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead CSB, which had 16 hits. Gigstad was 2-for-4 with four RBIs, Wenner went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and O'Hotto, DeVlaeminck and Lidstone all had two hits each. Cassie Meyer threw the first 4.2 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. Taylor Ellingson earned the win after throwing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief after the Knights tied the game.
 
The Blazers didn't waste any time getting on the board in the second game. Saint Benedict led 11-0 after two innings thanks to a five-run first inning and six more runs in the second. Sara Wennerstrand started the scoring with an RBI single, and Seldon added an RBI double. Wenner and Gigstad both added RBI doubles, and Emma Steck wrapped up the scoring with an RBI single to center field. CSB had five hits and took advantage of three Carleton errors.
 
CSB had five more hits in the second inning. Wennerstrand doubled to start the inning and scored on an RBI double by Seldon. O'Hotto hit a three-run triple, and Lidstone hit an RBI single to wrap up the scoring for the Blazers.
 
The Knights scored three runs in the fourth thanks to five hits, but it wasn't enough to keep the game going the full seven innings.
 
Seldon finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Blazers, who had 14 hits. O'Hotto and Wennerstrand were both 2-for-3, and O'Hotto had three RBIs. Seldon threw all five innings and earned the win on the mound after giving up three runs on eight hits.
 
CSB plays its final game of the regular season Saturday, April 25, when it hosts St. Olaf at 1 p.m.