ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team's bats were held unusually quiet Wednesday afternoon – but the Bennies still found a way to win a pair of close MIAC games.
 
CSB recorded six hits in each game to come away with 3-0 and 1-0 wins to complete the sweep of Saint Mary's Wednesday at the OAC. The sweep sets up the Bennies for a conference showdown with St. Thomas Saturday afternoon. The Tommies' Wednesday doubleheader was postponed, so CSB is currently in second in the league with a 17-3 record, while UST is third at 15-3. The top two teams get a bye in the MIAC Tournament.
 
In the first game, CSB was finally able to string a few hits together in the fifth and sixth innings to score a few runs. After four scoreless innings, Bryn Carlstrom doubled in the fifth and Kiarra Summers – running for Carlstrom – came around to score on an RBI single from Sheridan Glashan. The Bennies added two more runs for good measure in the sixth on an RBI single from Jordyn Swoboda and an RBI double from Lexi Hanson.
 
Those timely hits helped sophomore pitcher Elly Novak tie the school record for wins in a season with 16. She threw her ninth shutout of the season and dropped her ERA to 0.92 after spreading four hits over seven innings. She struck out eight batters to earn the win. She is now tied with Stacie Klaviter, who set the record with 16 wins in the circle in 1993, and Emily Engelmeier, who tied it in 2014.  
 
Swoboda had two of the team's six hits. She, Katie Carlson, Hanson and Carlstrom all doubled.
 
The second game was even closer. Neither team scored until the fourth when Tori Harren singled, Carlstrom walked, Glashan reached on a fielder's choice and Mo Burns sent in the winning run on an RBI fielder's choice to second base. The Cardinals got a runner to third in the fifth, and CSB threatened to score in the bottom of the inning, but the 1-0 lead held and was enough for the win.
 
Harren finished the second game with two hits. Carlson and Swoboda both added another double to their daily totals. Ally Hjort picked up the Game 2 win and improved to 8-3 on the season after spreading four hits over seven innings. She struck out eight batters and walked one.
 
Saint Benedict's game against UST starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 1, at the OAC. That game is the last of the regular season for the Bennies. The MIAC Tournament runs May 13-16 with the high seed hosting.