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ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team headed into Friday's regional tournament game looking to extend its home winning streak, but the Bennies ran into a hot pitcher on the first day of the Saint Joseph Regional.
CSB fell 4-0 to Nebraska Wesleyan Friday on the first day of the double elimination tournament. The Bennies now have to win twice to earn a spot in Sunday's region championship game. Saint Benedict plays again Saturday at 2:30 p.m. when it takes on Illinois Wesleyan, which fell 5-2 to Wartburg in the first game of the day Friday. CSB will be the visitor on the scoreboards and the Titans will be the home team.
The first three innings were uneventful for both teams.
Elly Novak struck out the first three batters she faced, and the Bennies went down in order in the bottom of the first. The second inning was just as fast, and NWU (23-14) got a baserunner on in the third thanks to a Bennie error, but she was stranded.
The Prairie Wolves scored the only runs of the game in the fourth inning thanks to two hits and another CSB error. The first batter reached on an error and advanced to second on a sac bunt, a hit by pitch put runners on first and second and both came around to score on a two-run double. Two more runs scored on a homer over the left-field fence to make it 4-0, and that's all NWU would need.
Nebraska Wesleyan loaded the bases in the seventh, but a fielder's choice ended the inning. First year
Addy Bowne hit a single up the middle – CSB's only hit of the game – as the second batter in the bottom of the seventh, but a pair of fly outs ended the game.
Novak struck out seven batters and gave up a single earned run (four total) as she picked up just her third loss of the season. She scattered five hits over seven innings. NWU pitcher Kailey Meyer gave up a single hit and struck out six for the Prairie Wolves, who take on Wartburg at noon Saturday to start the second day of the tournament.
The winner of the noon game advances to Sunday's region semifinal. The loser of the noon game and the winner of the 2:30 p.m. game play at 4:30 p.m. to see who else earns a spot in the region championship.
