ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team wasted no time settling back into its home field Saturday afternoon as the Bennies picked up a nonconference sweep of Bethany Lutheran to improve to 11-1 overall.
CSB used a big hit from
Megan Erickson and another solid game on the mound from
Elly Novak to win the first game 3-0, and a pair of home runs led the way for a 6-4 win in the second game. The Bennies are now on a four-game winning streak.
In the first game of the day, the Bennies got things going right away when
Gabby Spencer reached on an error and
Bryn Carlstrom walked. Spencer and
Emilie Houge – pinch running for Carlstrom – both came around to score on a two-run double from Erickson to make it a 2-0 game.
That's where the score would stay until the fourth inning when
Maddie Brey walked and
Lizzy Walker, who came in to run for Brey, stole second then came around to score on a sac fly to left field from Spencer. The Vikings left two runners stranded in the second and third innings, but failed to score.
Erickson and
Sheridan Glashan notched CSB's two hits in the first game. Novak gave up just three hits and struck out four to earn her sixth win of the season.
In the second game it was the Vikings (9-8) who struck first with a trio of runs in the third inning thanks to a fielder's choice RBI and a two-run double, but the Bennies answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Spencer led off the inning with a solo homer over the center-field fence, Carlstrom followed with a double and Erickson came up third with a two-run homer to center – the first of her collegiate career.
The Bennies added one more run to take a 4-3 lead when Houge – running for Glashan after a single – scored on a double from
Katie Carlson. Bethany tied the game in the fifth with a sac fly to center, but Erickson recorded her fifth RBI of the day with a single and Carlson singled, advanced on a single by
Mo Burns and a walk, and came around to score on a passed ball.
Erickson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Carlson also added two hits for CSB, which had nine total hits.
Addy Bowne threw the first four innings to earn the win and Novak picked up her fourth save of the season after throwing two scoreless inning to end the day. She also added three more strikeouts to her total.
The Bennies are back at home Sunday, March 20, when they host Buena Vista for a noon doubleheader.
