KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Stellar pitching matched with clutch hitting helped the College of Saint Benedict Softball Team (9-1) to a pair of victories on Saturday (March 11) in the final day of play for the Bennies in Florida.

As Saint Ben's extended its winning streak to seven games, the Bennies earned a 1-0 extra inning win over Carroll University and a 5-2 decision against No. 6 Belhaven University. CSB, which recorded a pair of wins over top-25 NFCA-ranked teams, wrapped up its play at the Spring Games with a 9-1 record. Next for CSB is a doubleheader at home against Buena Vista on March 19.

In the wins today, CSB had another impressive performance from All-Region pitcher Elly Novak (5-1), who had an eight-inning complete game and was added by a walk-off sacrifice fly by Bryn Ruhberg in a 1-0 win over Carroll University. It was CSB's second walk-off win this season. The second game of the day, the Bennies scored four runs in the second inning and used a strong start from Ellie Peterson (4-0) to pick up a 5-2 win.

Saint Benedict 1 Carroll University 0 (8 innings)
With a complete game in the circle from Elly Novak and a walk-off sacrifice fly by Bryn Ruhberg, CSB recorded a 1-0 extra inning victory over Carroll University.

Novak moved to 5-1 with a second straight complete game in which she recorded 13 strikeouts. In throwing 97 pitches, Novak had 75 strikes and walked just one batter.

Carroll's Breanna Roberts also had a solid effort in the circle, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts across 7 2/3 innings.

Scoring Summary
Both Novak and Roberts tossed up zeroes on the scoreboard for seven innings. In the eighth inning, after CSB pinch runner Olivia Van Hout was placed at second due to extra inning rules, she stole third base and Gabby Spencer drew a walk. Then, Ruhberg had her first career walk-off with sacrifice fly to right field to score Van Hout.

Saint Benedict 5 No. 6 Belhaven 2
CSB scored four runs in the second inning and, combined with a solid pitching performance from first-year Ellie Peterson and senior Elly Novak, recorded a 5-2 win over Belhaven University in the final game in Florida.

Peterson (4-0) won her fourth game of the season by allowing just two runs (one earned) and seven hits across seven innings. She threw 62 pitches with 42 strikes in recording four strikeouts. Novak had her sixth career save with three innings of shutout relief pitching. Novak allowed just two hits and had a strikeout.

The Bennies totaled five runs on eight hits, led by a pair of hits from both Gabby Spencer and Cat Smetana. Megan Rasmussen had two RBI and a run scored while Tiffany Thompson had a hit, run scored and two RBI. In addition, Bryn Ruhberg had a hit and RBI.

Scoring summary
In the top of CSB's second inning, Cat Smetana, Tori Harren and Bryn Carlstrom had base hits to load the bases. On a fielder's choice groundout by Megan Rasmussen, CSB scored twice for a 2-0 lead. The Bennies added two more runs on an error for a 4-0 advantage. After Belhaven scored single runs in the second and fourth innings, CSB added a run in the fifth inning when Thompson singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ruhberg.