ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With a three-game winning streak, No. 21 ranked CSB Softball (21-5, 12-4 MIAC) will play a pair of road doubleheaders this weekend. The Bennies, which were regionally ranked in the initial NCAA DIII rankings on April 26, play at Concordia (5-24, 1-12 MIAC) on Friday at 3:30/5:30 p.m., in Moorhead and at Saint Mary's (16-14, 8-6 MIAC) at 1/3 p.m., on Sunday in Winona, Minn.
Quick look
CSB opened the season with a 13-1 record, which included a 9-1 record at the Spring Games in Florida. CSB returned to open the MIAC with four straight wins including victories over St. Olaf, 7-3, and 3-2 and then Augsburg, 6-0, and 10-0. CSB split a doubleheader with Gustavus on April 10, in St. Peter, Minn., as the Bennies lost, 6-3, before recording a 7-2 decision. Before the 11-game winning streak ended in the 6-3 loss at Gustavus, CSB had the longest run since April 17-April 28, 2021. In 2021, Saint Ben's also won 11 straight during a 26-7 season. Since a pair of losses to No. 9 Bethel, CSB has won 7-of-8 games..
The Bennies own a 21-5 overall record, and sit 12-4 in the MIAC, which is second in the league.
National Rankings - CSB ranked No. 21 in NFCA
CSB is ranked No. 21 in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll which was released on April 25. The Bennies, which were unranked in the first poll of the season, was ranked No. 14 for three straight weeks before moving to No. 13 on April 11. CSB was ranked No. 17 on April 18 and now sit at No. 21. CSB, directed by Head Coach Rachael Click, has been ranked every season since 2016 and its last ranking was No. 18 on April 29, 2022. This is the highest ranking by a Bennies' squad since being voted 13th on May 9, 2018 in the NFCA Poll. They were also No. 16 on April 14, 2021, and 17th in 2019. The NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll is selected by 10 NCAA Division III head coaches representing the 10 NCAA regions. Weekly polls continue through May 16. A final poll will be released on June 13 following completion of the national championship.
By the Numbers – In MIAC play
Spencer has hit .571 in conference play, which leads the MIAC. She has 28 hits in 49 at bats while driving in 18 runs. Not only does she lead in average, but she has the top slugging percentage at .878, on-base percentage at .656 and on-base plus slugging percentage at 1.534 in conference play. In addition, she leads in runs scored (18), hits, (28) an ranks second in RBI (15) and doubles (7). Also in MIAC play, first-year shortstop Kallie Finkbeiner ranks eighth in hitting in conference games at .413 with 19 hits in 46 at bats while Jordyn Swoboda is batting .354 with 17 hits and 15 runs. In addition, Harren is hitting .388 with four home runs and 15 RBI with a .776 slugging mark. Harren leads the MIAC with four home runs in league play with Swoboda third with three. In 16 league games, CSB is second in hitting at .346 with a league best 12 home runs and .524 slugging mark. CSB is second on OBP at .409.
As a team, CSB, is batting .346 and while holding opponents to a .214 mark. In the circle, Ellie Peterson is 7-1 and Elly Novak, 5-3, with a team total of 2.75 earned run average for second in the MIAC. With 100 strikeouts, CSB is second as is the .214 opponent batting average. CSB is the top fielding team in the MIAC at .983 with seven errors on 408 chances and 306 putouts.e
Overall Team Numbers -
As a team, CSB leads the MIAC with a .332 average and leads slugging at .484 leads at .401 in on-base percentage. CSB has 17 home runs and 344 total bases with 236 hits and 159 runs scored.
Records and top-10 program marks
In 2 1/2 seasons, senior pitcher Elly Novak has already set a number of season and career records. She ranks No. 1 in wins in a season with 17 and strikeouts in a season with 172. With 13 strikeouts in her last two outings, Novak has 424 strikeouts which is a career school mark. She and Erickson sit tied with 18 career shutouts for the career lead. Novak has the program's top strikeout per seven innings rate at 8.41. With six saves, Novak is tied for the all-time lead with Kris Gorman, 1993-96. Her 46 career wins is tied for third with Gorman at 46. In complete games, Novak is sixth with 41 and ranks sixth in inning pitched at 357.0.
With a career average (currently) of .421, Gabby Spencer is second all-time. Her mark of .513 is a season-best CSB. She ranks No. 1 in on-base percentage at .523 and second all-time in slugging at .969 (Lexi Alm, .737, 2011-14). Spencer is also seventh in runs scored with 113. She is third at CSB all-time in stolen bases with 61. With 13 career triples, Spencer ranks tied for second with Julie Groetsch, 1991-94; and Megan Toninato, 2015-18.
Jordyn Swoboda is second all-time with 20 career home runs and ranks tied for eighth with 86 RBI. Also in home runs,
Tori Harren is fourth with 14 and Spencer, fifth with 12.
After hitting .833, Gabby Spencer named MIAC Athlete of the Week April 10
After hitting .833 against St. Olaf and Augsburg, senior All-American Gabby Spencer of the No. 14 College of Saint Benedict has been named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Athlete of the Week on April 10. Spencer, a biology major from St. Paul, Minn., had a spectacular four-game series as No. 14 Bennies swept St. Olaf and Augsburg and sit at the top of the MIAC with a 4-0 record and 13-1 overall. Spencer, who was named All-Region, MIAC Player of the Year and MIAC All-Tourney in 2022, earned her third MIAC Athlete of the Week honor (Feb. 28, 2002, April 11, 2022; April 10, 2023) is the third CSB softball student-athlete honored by the MIAC this year after Tiffany Thompson and Elly Novak were recognized on March 13. In total, CSB has had 36 softball players recognized with weekly honors by the MIAC. After more than three weeks off, the 2022 first team NFCA All American hit .833 with 10 hits in 12 at bats, scoring eight runs with a double, triple, two home runs, nine RBI and 7-of-7 in stolen bases. She had a 1.583 slugging mark and .867 OBP. In 15 plate appearances she reached 13 times. In raising her batting average to .538 this year, Spencer has 19 hits in the past 30 at bats. She has five multi-hit games and four contests with multi-RBI. So far, she has eight extra base hits of the 21 total. Those extra base hits include four doubles, a triple and three home runs. Spencer, who has a team-best 16 RBI, has 10 steals in 12 attempts. She ranks third in the MIAC in average (.538), first in on-base pct (.667) and second in slugging (.923) and OPS (1.590).
Inside Look at Concordia
Chad Slyter became the sixth head coach in the history of Cobber softball in the summer of 2016. In 2021 Slyter led the Cobbers to their first MIAC playoff appearance in program history. Concordia went on to beat St. Benedict in the first round to record the first postseason win in program history. The 2021 Cobbers finished with 22 total victories which tied the program record for most wins in a single season.
This season, the Cobbers stand (5-24, 1-12 MIAC). The Cobbers have a ten-game losing streak and holds a 0-1 home record and a 1-7 away. On offense, they are hitting .242 for 12th in the league. They have eight home runs and a .315 slugging mark. The Cobbers have totaled 104 runs and 232 total bases. In the circle, Concordia is 12th with a 6.37 earned run average in 171.1 innings.
At the plate, Molly Wilde leads the Cobbers with 82 at bats, 24 hits and a .293 average and has a .537 slugging with 24 hits and 20 RBI. Kate Wensloff is hitting .286 with 18 hits and a .286 slugging while Kate Gulbranson has 16 hits 9 runs and a .258 batting average. In the circle, the Cobbers are led by Karissa Finnigan with a 3-9 record and 5.27 earned run average. Mallory Leitner is 1-8 with a 4.02 earned run average.
Series - CSB leads Cobbers 50-18 all-time
When Concordia and CSB meet on Friday, it will be the 69th and 70th meeting all-time with the Bennies holding a 50-18 edge. From April 11, 2015, to April 3, 2021, the Bennies held a 11 game win streak. CSB has a 24-6 record at home and 24-11 mark away with a. In the first matchup on March 28, 1987, CSB won, 6-5. However, the Bennies lost the last game, 0-2, on May 13, 2021 in St. Joseph, Minn.
Inside Look at St. Mary's
John Tschida, who first held the head coaching position at Saint Mary's from 1995 to 2000 — leading Saint Mary's to the school's first NCAA Division III national championship — before assuming the head coach duties at the University of St. Thomas for the next 21 years. He is now back at St. Mary's since June 1, 2021. He has a coaching record at St. Mary's of 223-64 and a 1,026-214 overall record. two-time National Coach of the Year, Tschida has been named the MIAC Coach of the Year 13 times and was voted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame in December 2016. His St. Thomas coaching staffs were named the Division III Midwest Regional Coaches of the Year by the NFCA three times in the last seven seasons.
This season, the Cardinals stand (16-14, 8-6 MIAC). The Cardinals have a one-game winning streak and hold a 4-6 home record and a 3-1 away. On offense, they are hitting .308 for fifth in the league. They have 13 home runs and a .433 slugging mark. The Cardinals have totaled 161 runs and 350 total bases. In the circle, St. Mary's is fifth with a 3.40 earned run average in 197.2 innings.
At the plate, Riley Hall leads the Cardinals with 27 hits 33 runs and a .321 batting average and has .536 slugging. Abbie Stigler has 82 at bats, 25 hits and a .305 average and has .439 slugging. Naleya Bork is hitting .314 with 27 hits and a .535 slugging with 19 RBI. In the circle, the Cardinals are led by Sarah Kraus with a 6-7 record and 3.67 earned run average with 49 strikeouts. Bork is 5-6 with a 3.25 earned run average.
Series - CSB leads the Cardinals 40-33
When St. Mary's and CSB meet on Sunday, it will be the 74th and 75th meeting all-time with the Bennies coming out on top with a 40-33 lead. The Bennies currently hold an 11 game win streak against the Cardinals. CSB has a 26-14 record at home and 12-16 mark away with a. In the first matchup on May 3rd, 1986, CSB lost, 1-2. However, the Bennies have won the last 11 games, 14-6, on May 1st, 2022 in St. Joseph, Minn.
Bennies Season Breakdown
Peterson, Novak, Harren and Tautges lead Bennies to 10-2 and 7-0 wins to open season.
Led by the pitching of first-year
Ellie Peterson and hitting of junior Tori Harren, CSB took a 10-2 run-rule win over Husson University (0-1) in the opener. Then,
Elly Novak earned her 37th career win and the first of the year with a 7-0 shutout against Misericordia in game two.
Peterson records first career shutout as CSB Softball defeats No. 21 Rochester to earn split.
CSB scored its only run – the only score of the game – in the bottom of the fourth inning and defeated Rochester, 1-0 as first-year Ellie Peterson turned in a stellar effort in the circle. Peterson allowed just four hits while recording six strikeouts.
Megan Erickson singled to open the fourth inning and was replaced by pinch runner
Olivia Van Hout. With two out, pinch runner
Lexi Hanson scored on an error off a ground out by
Megan Rasmussen.
Late game magic lifts CSB Softball to wins over Illinois College & York
CSB rallied late to defeat York College, 12-4, in eight innings. The Bennies 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. In a 5-4 win over Illinois College on March 9,
Bryn Ruhberg had a walk-off double to take the 5-4 win. Ruhberg had two hits and her walk-off hit plated
Jordyn Swoboda. In the circle,
Elly Novak earned her second win in three decisions in one inning of work.
Novak dominates in circle to
lead CSB Softball to shutouts against Kenyon and Saint Joseph
Elly Novak did not allow a run and just five hits across 11 innings in winning twice against Kenyon, 10-0, and St. Joseph's College of Maine, 5-0. She had 18 strikeouts, including 13 against Saint Joseph College for the 11th time in her career with double-digits strikeouts. Individually, senior outfielder Gabby Spencer had three hits, including a home run. First-year Kallie Finkbeiner had her first-career home run with two hits and two RBI in the win over Kenyon College.
Tiffany Thompson had a pair of hits against St. Joseph. Fifth-year
Jordyn Swoboda had three RBI against St. Joseph while
Bryn Ruhberg had a pair of hits against Kenyon.
Stellar pitching and clutch hitting lead to wins over Belhaven and Rochester
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. 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.
Bennies sweep St. Olaf, 7-3, 3-2 in eight innings
All-American outfielder Gabby Spencer had six hits, including a walk-off single in game two, to lead the No. 14 College of Saint Benedict to a sweep of an MIAC doubleheader, 7-3, and 3-2, against St. Olaf (6-14, 0-2 MIAC) on Friday (April 7) at the CSB Softball Field. The Bennies, which extended their winning streak to nine games, successfully opened the home schedule with a pair of MIAC victories, including the dramatic 3-2 walk off win in game two as Spencer's run-scoring single brought home
Tiffany Thompson. The Bennies trailed in game two 2-1 in the seventh inning before first-year
Cat Smetana hit her first career home run to tie it. Then, Spencer had the walk-off single for the win. CSB also recorded a 7-3 win as Spencer had four hits, including a pair of home runs.
Led by Peterson's no-hitter and Novak's shutout, Bennies sweep Augsburg
Dominating pitching from Ellie Peterson, including a five-inning no hitter, and
Elly Novak plus the hitting of
Gabby Spencer and
Kallie Finkbeiner CSB softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Augsburg (15-9, (1-5 MIAC), 6-0, and 10-0, on Saturday, April 8 at the CSB Softball Field. Aside from throwing two shutouts, how dominating was the CSB pitching staff on Saturday? Novak (14) and Peterson (7) combined for 21 strikeouts and walked just two batters today. In four games, they combined for 31 strikeouts and allowed 16 total hits. In the 10-0 win in game two, Peterson tossed her first five-inning no-hitter of her career. It was the first- five-inning no hitter by a CSB pitcher since Novak also did it against Augsburg on April 21, 2021, in a 15-0 win. In addition, CSB had shutouts in both games of a doubleheader against a MIAC team for the first time since April 28, 2021 (St. Mary's, 3-0, 1-0).
CSB splits with Gustavus on April 10
Tori Harren homered, Gabby Spencer had three hits and Ellie Peterson tossed a four-hit complete game as CSB recorded a 7-2 decision in game two and earned a split of a doubleheader against Gustavus Adolphus (8-12, 1-3 MIAC) on Tuesday (April 11). In the opener, Gustavus took an early lead before recording a 6-3 win and ended an 11-game winning streak by the Bennies. Then in game two, CSB bounced back by opening a 7-0 lead and picked up a 7-2 win as Peterson won her seventh straight decision with four-hit complete game. In the doubleheader,
Gabby Spencer had four hits in seven at bats with two RBI while
Jordyn Swoboda and
Tori Harren both had three hits in seven at bats. Harren led CSB with four RBI. Overall, CSB had 20 hits and 10 runs with a .443 slugging and .388 OBP. They also recorded six of eight stolen bases.
CSB falls twice to No. 11 Bethel
Despite a combined seven hits from first-year players Kallie Finkbeiner and
Cat Smetana, the No. 13 College of Saint Benedict (14-4, 5-3 MIAC) dropped a pair of games to No. 11 Bethel (17-3, 6-0 MIAC) in MIAC action at the CSB Softball Field. The Bennies took a 13-1 loss in game one and lost a heartbreaker in game two, 2-1.
With the setbacks, CSB drops to 5-3 in league play and tied for fourth place. Bethel remains in first place at 6-0. In the doubleheader, Cat Smetana had four hits in six at bats with two RBI, including a home run. In the circle in game two,
Elly Novak allowed eight hits with seven strikeouts but suffered a 2-1 setback.
Bennies sweeps Carleton, 12-1, 6-1
Against Carleton, the Bennies were led by senior All-American outfielder Gabby Spencer with four hits in five at bats as she pushed her season average to .517. Spencer, who had a pair of doubles and a stolen base, pushed her on-base percentage to .632 on the season. With a pair of multi-hit games, she has a team-high eight on the season. First-year shortstop
Kallie Finkbeiner, who is now batting .500 with a .543 on-base percentage, supplied three hits in six at bats against Carleton. She extended her hitting streak to eight games. Junior infielder
Tori Harren added three hits and three RBI while junior catcher
Bryn Carlstrom also had three hits. Harren now has 14 RBI and a .322 average while Carlstrom is now hitting .254.
With a 2nd no-hitter by Peterson and power hitting, CSB sweeps Macalester
Dominant pitching from Elly Novak and
Ellie Peterson, who threw her second career five-inning no-hitter, along with explosive offense led the No. 17 College of Saint Benedict (18-4, 9-3 MIAC) to a sweep of a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader over Macalester (11-17, 3-9 MAIC), 5-0, 10-0, on Wednesday (April 19). Led by senior
Hannah Sundem, CSB hit .434 as a team today with 15 runs on 23 hits and a .516 on-base percentage. Sundem, who is hitting .615 on the season in four starts, had her best performance of the year with five hits in six at bats with three runs and and RBI. She had a pair of doubles.
Tori Harren had four hits in six at bats with her fourth home run and three RBI. First-year
Kallie Finkbeiner, who is hitting .500 in 2023, had four hits in eight at bats with three RBI while
Maddie Brey had three hits in six at bats with two RBI. The Bennies are now hitting .326 as a team with a .460 slugging percentage and .397 on-base base percentage. CSB has 13 home runs and 36 doubles.
CSB splits with Hamline
CSB 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. 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. 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.
CSB sweeps St. Scholastica
With strong outings in the circle matched with a strong performance at the plate, CSB extended its winning streak to three games after a sweep of a MIAC doubleheader against St. Scholastica (12-14, 2-8 MIAC), 4-3 and 9-1, on Tuesday (April 25). In the opener,
Jordyn Swoboda hit the go-ahead home run with two outs in the fifth inning and senior
Elly Novak (10-4) won her 10
th game with her ninth complete game in the 4-3 decision. In game two, CSB won 9-1 in a run-rule shortened game as the reigning MIAC Pitcher of the Week
Ellie Peterson was dominant in the circle with her 11
th win and ninth complete game while the Bennies broke open a 2-1 game with four runs in the fourth inning. On the day, CSB was led offensively by
Gabby Spencer with three hits in five at bats, a stolen base, RBI and two runs scored.
Bryn Carlstrom also had three hits and two runs scored while Swoboda supplied two hits, two RBI and her 20
th career home run in the opener. She ranks second all-time at CSB in home runs.In the circle Peterson and Novak had a combined 2.15 earned run average with two complete games, 13 strikeouts and held St. Scholastica to a .200 batting average.
Individual Stats – Spencer, Novak lead way for Bennies
Gabby Spencer ranks first in the league in hitting at .513 and sits second in slugging percentage at .789. She leads the MIAC in on-base percentage at .630 and her 1.419 OPS is first in the league. Spencer leads CSB with 22 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
Tori Harren is hitting .368 with a 1.080 OPS and leads the team with five home runs, including four in MIAC games, and has 20 RBI.
Jordyn Swoboda is hitting .338 and leads the team with 23 RBI and .398 OBP. She has four home runs, including three in league play.
Senior pitcher Elly Novak of Montgomery, Minn., earned her third MIAC honor on March 13 after behind recognized on March 22, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022. CSB's career strikeout leader, Novak is third in the league with a 2.26 earned run average and has a 10-4 record with nine complete games. Novak's 94 strikeouts sits second in the MIAC.
Ellie Peterson a first-year pitcher from St. Anthony Village, Minn., has a 11-1 record, and has thrown a pair of five winning no-hitters against Augsburg and Macalester. Peterson has a 1.97 earned run average for second in the MIAC with nine complete games. She has 66 strikeouts and sits fourth in the MIAC .
Rachael Click leading CSB Softball for 11th year
Under Click's guidance, CSB has won 20 or more games in 10 of her 11 seasons, and all 10 of the full seasons she has coached. In addition, the Bennies have earned three NCAA DIII appearances, including in 2018, 2019 and 2022 when CSB finished 2-2. This season, the Bennies have earned a No. 21 ranking in DIII after opening 21-5 overall with a 12-4 MIAC mark for first place in the conference. CSB has been ranked as high as 13th this season by the NFCA. Overall, the Bennies have a 4-6 NCAA Tourney record with Click at the helm. A year ago, the 11th-year head coach directed the Bennies to a 30-10 record and third in the MIAC at 15-5. CSB earned an NCAA Tourney bid and hosted the tournament for the first time – finishing runner-up. Prior to the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the team finished 27-15 overall and earned a second straight at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2019. In 2018, the team set the school record for wins in a season with a 36-10 overall record and earned the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 1994. CSB finished 27-13 overall in 2017 and went 16-6 in the MIAC and tied for third. Click finished 22-18 in both 2015 and 2016. In 2014, Click guided CSB to its best season in 10 years with a 28-11 overall record. She is 266-134 overall in her 10 seasons and 137-69 in MIAC play. Click came to CSB from Jacksonville University where she served as an assistant coach for the Dolphins for two seasons. Prior to coaching at JU, she was an assistant at Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the 2010 season. A 2009 Gustavus Adolphus College graduate with a degree in elementary education, Click earned Cum Laude Honors in addition to her decorated softball career. A four-year star for the Gusties, Click was named MIAC Rookie of the Year in 2006 and received all-conference honors in all four seasons. A team captain during her senior season, she was named MIAC Player of the Year and earned All-America honors and a spot on the NCAA Championship All- Tournament team. In the 2009 season, Click led the Gusties to a MIAC title and an NCAA Regional Championship, finishing a game shy of the national championship.
