CLERMONT, Fla. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team split a pair of games in its second day of competition in Florida.
The Bennies (7-1) started the day with a 7-3 win over Mount Union before falling 7-0 to Muskingum to wrap up the day. Saint Benedict started the day by jumping into the NFCA Top 25 Coach's Poll for the first time this season, making its debut at No. 23.
After a scoreless start against Mount Union (4-5), the Raiders got on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo home run over the left-field fence. That 1-0 lead held until the fourth when
Megan Erickson doubled, advanced to third on a single from
Tori Harren and came around to score on a sac fly to shortstop from
Katie Carlson.
Jordyn Swoboda hit a solo homer over the center-field fence in the top of the fifth to make it 2-1, but the Raiders tied the game in the bottom of the inning. The Bennies broke open the game in the top of the sixth thanks to three runs on two hits and two errors. Erickson reached on an error and Harren walked, and both came around to score on a two-run double from Carlson.
Maddie Brey sent Carlson in with a double to left field to give CSB a 5-2 lead.
Mount Union tacked one run on in the bottom of the inning, but
Gabby Spencer doubled and later scored on a wild pitch and
Addy Bowne sent in a run thanks to a single down the left-field line to end the scoring.
Seven different players had a hit for Saint Benedict and Carlson led the team with three RBIs. Junior
Elly Novak picked up her fourth win of the season after giving up three runs – two earned – on seven hits in seven innings of work. She struck out four batters.
In the second game of the day, the Bennie offense went quiet against the Muskies. Muskingum (4-0) scored once in the second and fourth inning, then scored four in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Spencer,
Bryn Carlstrom and Swoboda all singled in the sixth inning – the team's only three hits of the game.
Bowne picked up her first loss of the season on the mound after giving up six runs (three earned) on nine hits in five innings.
Tiffany Thompson threw the final two innings and gave up one run and one hit.
The Bennies are off Wednesday, and return to the field Thursday with games against Nebraska Wesleyan and York (Penn.).
