ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Heading into Tuesday's doubleheader against Macalester, Lizzy Walker had nine total RBIs in her collegiate stat line with the College of Saint Benedict softball team.
 
Tuesday, Walker nearly doubled that total in two big games.
 
Walker finished the doubleheader with three hits – all extra-base hits – and seven RBIs as the Bennies beat Macalester 9-1 in five innings and then 10-4 in the nightcap. The wins mark the 19^th and 20^th of the season for CSB, marking the ninth time in the last 10 seasons the Bennies have reached the 20-win milestone. CSB is 20-3 overall and 8-1 in the MIAC.
 
In the first game of the day, Katie Carlson had an RBI single and Bree Griffin sent in one run on a groundout, then another scored on a throwing error by the Scots' first base player to make it 3-0 after one. Macalester (10-18, 4-8) got one run back in the second, but Walker made it a three-run game in the bottom of the inning with her first hit of the day – an RBI double.
 
The Bennies broke the game open it the fourth with five runs on five hits and two Macalester errors. Megan Rasmussen sent in a run when she reached on an error, and a second error came across on that same error. Walker's second hit of the day was a two-run shot over the left-center fence to make it 8-1, and the run to end the game came when Griffin reached on an error to send in a run. CSB got three easy outs in the fifth to end the game early.
 
Walker finished 2-for-2 with a double, a homer and three RBIs to pace the Bennies, who had eight total hits. Carlson also had two hits and Lexi Hanson had a double. Pitcher Elly Novak improved to 12-0 after giving up a single earned run and one hit. She also notched five strikeouts to push her over the 100-strikeout milestone for the second straight season. She is the first pitcher to reach the milestone in back-to-back seasons since Rachel Nelson in 2013 and 2014.
 
In the second game of the day, Saint Benedict needed a few big hits to pull out the win – but Walker came through.
 
Addy Bowne had an RBI single in the first, but the Scots scored three runs in the third to go up 3-1. One scored on an error and two more came on an RBI single. The Bennies re-claimed the lead in the fourth when they scored three runs on two costly Macalester errors. A long fly ball to left – again from Walker – was dropped to send in two runs, and Gabby Spencer reached on an error to score Walker to make it 4-3.
 
CSB broke open the game in the fifth thanks to Walker's next big hit. Hanson doubled to send in a run to make it 5-3, and Walker hit a grand slam – again over the left-center fence – to make it a 9-3 game. The two home runs Tuesday marked the second and third of her Saint Benedict softball career. Macalester scored one in the sixth, but the Bennies got that run back in the sixth on an RBI sac fly by Carlson to end the scoring.
 
Bryn Carlstrom and Hanson both had two hits to pace CSB, which had nine total hits, and Walker had four RBIs. Addy Bowne threw the first three innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits, and sophomore Tiffany Thompson picked up her first collegiate win after giving up a single run on eight hits in the final four innings.
 
The MIAC sweep kicked off a busy week for the Bennies, who have doubleheaders scheduled Thursday at St. Olaf, Saturday at St. Kate's and Sunday at Hamline.