ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – St. Olaf ended the College of Saint Benedict softball team's winning streak in Game 1 of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon, but CSB started a new streak in Game 2.
After losing 8-4 in the first game Thursday, Saint Benedict bounced back to beat the Oles 9-1 in six innings in a pair of MIAC games in St. Joseph, Minn. CSB is still at the top of the MIAC with an 11-1 record and is 22-6 overall. St. Olaf is now 18-10 overall and 7-5 in the league.
The Oles scored once in the first inning of the first game then added all the runs they would need as part of a four-run third inning to make it 5-0. St. Olaf used five hits – all singles – to score four runs. CSB got one run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from
Sara Wennerstrand, and Saint Benedict got within one thanks to a three-run fifth inning.
Karlee Pfaff had an RBI single in the fifth and
Kiela DeVlaeminck sent in a pair of runs on a two-run double, and all were unearned thanks to an Ole error. CSB stranded runners on first and third in the sixth, and the Oles put the game out of reach with three more runs in the top of the seventh inning – all unearned after two CSB errors.
Megan Toninato had two of CSB's seven hits and DeVlaeminck's double was the only extra-base hit for CSB. DeVlaeminck took the loss on the mound after giving up eight runs on 12 hits. She struck out five batters. Ole pitcher Julie Graf struck out eight batters – the most strikeouts in a single game for CSB so far this season.
After suffering its first conference loss, CSB bounced back quickly in Game 2. Saint Benedict scored once in the first inning when
Kate Deming singled and came around to score on an Ole error, and the team added three more runs in the second. Deming had a two-run single and CSB took advantage of three Ole errors in the inning.
St. Olaf scored once in the fourth, but CSB added four runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth thanks to two more St. Olaf errors and a two-run homer by
Olivia Olson to make it 8-1. CSB ended the game early in the sixth when
Emilie Antony led off the inning with a triple and came around to score on an RBI single by Wennerstrand.
Deming went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs to lead CSB, which had nine total hits. Wennerstrand and Olson added two hits each.
Cassie Meyer threw all six innings to earn the win. She gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts.
CSB is on the road Saturday, April 15, when it takes on Bethel at 1 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.
