ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Thirteen different players had at least one hit Saturday evening to help the College of Saint Benedict softball team start the 2018 season with a pair of big wins over Crown College.
Saint Benedict went off for 17 hits and 21 runs in a 21-1, five-inning win in the first game of the nonconference doubleheader, and added 13 more hits in a 15-1, five-inning win in the second game. The doubleheader was played at the St. Cloud State Husky Dome in St. Cloud.
CSB (2-0) led 3-1 after the first inning of Game 1 Saturday, but hit around in the second inning to take a 10-1 lead thanks to seven runs.
Kate Deming had a three-run triple and
Olivia Olson had a three-run homer to highlight the inning. After a scoreless third inning, CSB went off for 11 more runs in the fourth, including RBI doubles from
Sara Wennerstrand and Deming and RBI singles from Wennersetrand,
Kendra Swanson,
Madison Mikolich,
Andrea Dienslake and
Alex Smith.
Toninato went 3-for-3,
Kate Deming had three RBIs and Olson went 2-for-2 with five RBIs. Deming, Toninato and Olson all had triples.
Jocelyn Metz threw the first two innings to earn the win. She gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Cassie Meyer had three strikeouts in two innings of work, and
Kadee Vesledahl threw a scoreless, hitless fifth inning.
Saint Benedict was just as good in Game 2 as it scored three runs in the first, two in the second, six in the third and four in the fourth to end the game early. Toninato went 3-for-4 including another triple and a double and she had two RBIs. Wennerstrand added a triple of her own and went 2-for-2 and Mikolich had a pair of RBIs.
Kiela DeVlaeminck picked up her first win of the season as she gave up no runs and one hit and struck out three in two innings of work. First year
Ally Hjort struck out two in two innings and
Alex Smith threw the final inning and struck out one batter.
CSB is in Rochester Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, to play four games at the RCTC Dome before heading to Tucson, Ariz., for spring break on March 4.
