KISSIMMEE, Fla. – With a bit of Bennie offensive magic late, the College of Saint Benedict (5-1) registered wins over York College (Pa.), 12-4, and Illinois College, 5-4. 

In moving to 5-1 in Florida, the Bennies had a dramatic walk-off, run-scoring double from first-year catcher Bryn Ruhberg in a 5-4 win over Illinois College (3-7) in game two of the day. That bit of drama followed Saint Ben's extra winning 12-4 win over York College (3-2) when the Bennies had an eight-run eighth inning.

CSB Head Coach Rachael Click, who recorded her 250^th career win in the walk-off win, was pleased with the performance of her team, which has won three straight games in Florida.

"These were good team wins today," said Click, who is 250-130 in her coaching career. "It was great to see different players step up. Bryn Ruhberg had a great day at the plate with that walk-off hit in game two. Tiffany (Thompson) has been very consistent for us all week in the ninth spot," she said.

By the numbers
All-American senior outfielder Gabby Spencer had a big day with four hits, including a pair of doubles, two stolen bases and four RBI as she is now hitting .313 on the season and has a .560 OBP. Junior Tiffany Thompson had five hits on the day to push her average to a team-high .563 with a team-best .750 slugging mark. She has team-highs in hits with nine and RBI with seven. Junior infielder Tori Harren had three more hits and lifted her average to .500 (8-of-16). With 17 runs on 27 hits, CSB is now hitting .323 as a team with 54 hits, 11 doubles, three homers and 30 RBI. The Bennies also have a .443 slugging mark and .415 on-base percentage as a team. In the circle, CSB owns a 2.80 earned run average and has recorded 30 strikeouts, including 17 from first-year Ellie Peterson.

Today, fifth-year Jordyn Swoboda had four hits, including a home run, with three RBI and figured in key moments in both wins. In the 12-4 win, she had a two-run home run in the eighth inning and scored the game-winning run in the come-from-behind 5-4 win over Illinois College. On the mound, first-year Ellie Peterson moved to 3-0 in the win over York College as she registered her third straight complete game to open the 2023 season.

Game 1 – Saint Benedict 12 York College (Pa.) 4
Ellie Peterson (3-0) pitched an eight-inning complete game for her third straight win and the Bennies exploded for eight runs in the eighth inning to win in extra innings.

CSB scored three runs in the second inning and added another in the fifth inning before York College rallied with three runs over the final two innings to tie the game at 4-4 and send the game into extra innings. Then, the Bennies exploded for eight runs in the eighth. It was a season-high runs in an inning and total runs in a game with their late-game heroics. The eight runs in the eighth inning were the most by a CSB squad since scoring 11 in a 21-1 win over Crown on Feb. 17, 2018.

In the victory, both Gabby Spencer and Jordyn Swoboda had three hits in five at bats with three RBI. Swoboda had her first home run of the season and 17^th of her career. Tori Harren, Olivia Tautges, Megan Erickson, and Tiffany Thompson all had two hits.

Peterson allowed six hits and four runs with a career-high nine strikeouts across eight innings.  In her 120 pitches, she threw 81 strikes.

Game Summary –
CSB jumped to a 3-0 lead after a two-run double from Gabby Spencer in the second inning. In the three-run second, Tiffany Thompson also collected an RBI. In the fifth inning, Spencer doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Olivia Tautges for a 4-1 lead. York College scored a run in the sixth inning and tied it with two runs in the seventh frame. In the top of the eighth inning, Bryn Ruhberg broke the tie by scoring on an error by York before Swoboda hammered a two run home run over the centerfield fence for a 7-4 lead. The lead grew to 8-4 on a run-scoring single by Spencer as Megan Rasmussen, who singled earlier, came home. With two out, Olivia Tautges singled to score Thompson, who had reached on a single. CSB scored another run on an error before Lexi Hanson's run-scoring infield single scored Tautges. Swoboda had her third RBI of the inning with a run-scoring single to center which plated Hanson for the 12-4 margin.

Saint Benedict 5 Illinois College 4 (7 innings)
Bryn Ruhberg hit a walk-off, run-scoring double to score Jordyn Swoboda as the Bennies rallied for a dramatic 5-4 win over Illinois College.

Ruhberg had two hits in three at-bats with a run scored and RBI. Tori Harren had two hits as she had her third multi-hit game of the season. Gabby Spencer added a double and stolen base while Tiffany Thompson led the way with three hits and two RBI.

CSB had four pitchers work in the circle against Illinois College. Senior Elly Novak finished and earned her second win in three decisions. She did not allow a hit or walk a hitter in her one inning of work. First-year Olivia Wallace earned the start and tossed four innings in which she allowed five hits and two runs with two strikeouts. Also working in the circle was Olivia Tautges, who allowed one run and one hit in an inning. Addy Bowne also pitched as she gave up a run and two hits in one inning.

Game Summary
CSB jumped to an early 1-0 lead when Bryn Carlstrom doubled to score Spencer, who had been hit by a pitch to open the game. After Illinois College took a 2-1 lead, CSB rallied with three runs in the fourth inning for a 4-2 lead. Spencer and Thompson each doubled in the fourth inning to highlight the inning. Thompson's two-run double plated Ruhberg (reached on a double) and Cat Smetana (reached on a single). Spencer's double plated Thompson. After Illinois College tied the game, Swoboda opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single. After a sacrifice by Smetana advanced Swoboda to second, Ruhberg hit the game-winning, run-scoring double to help CSB win its first walk-off of the season.