ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – No. 17 College of Saint Benedict (19-5, 10-4 MIAC) had three home runs plus another stellar effort in the circle from Ellie Peterson in a 13-0 game two win and a split of a MIAC doubleheader with Hamline (12-15-1, 6-8 MIAC) on Sunday (April 23) at the CSB Softball Field.

With the split, CSB moved to 10-4 and second in the MIAC (tied with St. Catherine). The Bennies, which have won 5-of-6 games, now stand 19-5 overall. Next for CSB is a MIAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 25 against St. Scholastica at 3:30/5:30 p.m., in Duluth, Minn.,

After weather postponed a doubleheader with St. Catherine on Saturday, April 22  (moved to May 4) at the CSB Softball Field, CSB recorded a season high in runs and home runs (3) in the 13-0 game two win. The Bennies dropped an 8-5 decision in the opener.

 

On Senior Day, the Bennies honored five seniors – Gabby Spencer, Lexi Hanson, Tiffany Thompson, Elly Novak, and Hannah Sundem. Several of those seniors stepped up as Gabby Spencer had four hits in eight at bats while Sundem had three hits and two RBI and Lexi Hanson had two hits in three at bats. Novak had eight strikeouts in pushing her career strikeout lead to 426.

In the doubleheader, junior infielder Tori Harren was 4-of-6 with three runs, two RBI and hit her team-best fifth home run of the season. She now has 14 in her career for fifth all-time at CSB. Graduate student Jordyn Swoboda had two hits and a team-high four RBI on the day. She also cracked a three-run homer. Bryn Carlstrom also homered for the first time this year and the second time in her career.

In the circle, Peterson won her 10^th game as she hurled four shutout innings against Hamline. In the past three outings, she has three wins, dropped her earned run average to 2.05 and allowed just one run in 16 innings.

Game 1 -- Hamline 8 Saint Benedict 5
Hamline opened up a 4-0 lead and earned an 8-5 win over CSB in game one. Hamline had two runs in the fourth and seventh innings to earn the win.

CSB, which was led by Harren with three hits and an RBI and Spencer with two hits, scored runs in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. CSB had 10 hits, including two hits and an RBI from Maddie Brey.

Novak (9-4) had eight strikeouts in throwing her eighth complete game. She allowed nine hits and seven earned runs. With her eight strikeouts, she now has a CSB record 426 in her career. She now has 41 complete games in her career which ranks fifth in school history.

Game 2 – Saint Benedict 13 Hamline 0 (5 innings)
In game two, Saint Benedict slammed three home runs and scored seven runs in the second innings on the way to a 13-0 run-rule win. The Bennies, which had 14 hits, scored a season-high 13 runs.

After seven runs in the second frame, CSB had two in the third inning and four more in the fourth inning. Nine players collected hits in the game two shutout.

CSB had two hits and two RBI from  Spencer and two hits from Hanson, Carlstrom, and Megan Rasmussen, who had a triple.

Swoboda hit a three-run home run for her third home run of the season and 19^th of her career, which ranks second all-time (Lexi Alm, 30, 2011-14). Harren also homered in the second inning as she followed Swoboda's homer with a back-to-back shot. As a result, she had her fifth of the season and 14^th of her career, which rans fourth all-time at CSB. In the third inning Bryn Carlstrom led off with her first home run of the season.

Peterson (10-1) earned her 10th win in 11 decisions by holding Hamline to four hits while recording four strikeouts in four innings. Olivia Wallace finished for CSB with one inning of shutout relief.

By the numbers
Through 24 games, CSB has a .335 average with a .483 slugging mark and .403 on-base percentage. The Bennies have 39 stolen bases, 16 home runs, 40 doubles and five triples among its 221 hits. Leading the way is Spencer, who is batting .507 with a .620 on-base percentage and .775 slugging mark. Spencer, who has a team-best 10 multi-hit games, has 21 RBI and 36 hits. First-year Kallie Finkbeiner, who has nine multi-hit games, has a 12-game hitting streak. She is hitting .467 with a .510 on-base percentage. Harren, who has nine multi-hit games is hitting .380 with five home runs and 19 RBI.

In the circle, CSB has a 2.38 earned run average with 10 shutouts, 16 complete games and 153 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .213 against CSB pitching. Peterson leads the team with 10 wins and a 2.05 earned run average with eight complete games. Elly Novak has nine wins, 2.19 earned run average, eight complete games, and team-highs of five shutouts and 88 strikeouts.