ST. PAUL, Minn. – After stranding eight runners in Game 1 Sunday afternoon in St. Paul,
Mo Burns and
Claire Boatman weren't going to let that happen again in Game 2.
Burns went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Boatman finished with three hits and an RBI to help the College of Saint Benedict softball team bounce back from a 5-1 loss in Game 1 to beat Hamline 4-0 in Game 2 in a MIAC doubleheader.
CSB is now 17-8 overall and 5-4 in the MIAC. The Pipers are 12-13 overall and are also 5-4 in the conference.
After two quick innings to start the second game,
Maya Chuppe singled and
Kate Deming walked to start the third. Burns sent in one run with an RBI single, and another run scored on that same play on a fielding error by the Pipers. Boatman doubled to send in Burns and give Saint Benedict a 3-0 lead. CSB left a single runner on in the fourth and fifth innings, but wasn't able to score again until the seventh when Deming singled and came around to score on an RBI single by Burns.
Ally Hjort kept the Pipers off balance and gave up no runs and just three hits in seven innings. She struck out three batters. Burns and Boatman combined for six of the team's 10 hits.
In the first game of the day, Saint Benedict threatened to score several times, but didn't manage to score until the top of the fifth when Deming singled and came around to score on an RBI single from Boatman.
The Pipers, on the other hand, used three CSB errors and a pair of hits to score four runs – only two earned – in the bottom of the first. Hamline got runners on in the third, fourth and fifth, and added one more run in the sixth after loading the bases and bringing one run in on another CSB error.
Deming and
Alex Smith each had two hits for CSB, which had eight hits.
Lauren York threw the first inning and took the loss – just her second of the season – after giving up four runs (two earned) on two hits with one strikeout.
Grace Gilmore threw the final five innings and gave up a single unearned run and one hit with two strikeouts.
CSB is back at home Tuesday, April 9, when St. Kate's come back to town to play Game 2 of the doubleheader that was halted on March 31. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
