ST JOSEPH, Minn.-- The College of Saint Benedict softball team, which finished 26-8 a year ago and was second in the MIAC, will open up the 2024 season on the road in Georgia when they face five top-20 teams in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. 

CSB, which has eight ranked teams on their schedule, host their first home game against nationally ranked No. 4 Coe College on March 24 at the CSB Softball Field. On Friday, CSB is scheduled to open against No. 3 Berry College (Ga.)  at 6:00 p.m and faces No. 6 Moravian College at 8:00 p.m. On March 2, the Bennies faces Mary Hardin-Baylor before battling No. 1 Trine. On March 3, CSB will face No. 8 Christopher Newport and No. 12 Belhaven. Saint Benedict wraps up the trip to Georgia by facing Emory in single games on March 5 and 7 and a doubleheader against Piedmont on March 6.
 
Spring Break Schedule
 
NFCA Classic (Columbus, GA)
Mar. 1 - 6:00 p.m. - No. 3 Berry (10-0)
Mar. 1 - 8:00 p.m. - No. 6 Moravian University (0-0)
Mar. 2 - 1:30 p.m. - Mary Hardin-Baylor (2-1)
Mar. 2 - 3:30 p.m. - No. 1 Trine University (0-0)
Mar. 3 - 12:30 p.m. - No. 8 Christopher Newport (4-0)
Mar. 3 - 2:30 p.m. - No. 12  Belhaven University (Miss.) (8-0)
 
Non-Tournament Opponents
Mar 5/7- Emory University (4-2)
Mar 6 - Piedmont University, doubleheader  (3-5)

Team Stats-Ranked Top Five in MIAC
A year ago, Saint Benedict was ranked third in the conference in batting average .323. The Bennies were ranked first in home runs per game at 0.68 and recorded a total of 23 home runs.  CSB led the MIAC in with a .473 slugging percentage and were second in the following categories strikeout-walk ratio (3.89), earned run average (2.19), shutouts (13), triples per game (0.24), WHIP (0.98), and win-loss percentage (0.765).

CSB returns experience from 26-8 team
This season CSB returns a team full of experience and some talented newcomers off a team that CSB was nationally-ranked for most of the season, reaching as high as No. 13. The Bennies advanced to the MIAC Tournament Championship for the first time since 2017. The Bennies have recorded  26 or more wins in six straight seasons registered 20 wins or more for the past 10 campaigns.
 
The Bennies, directed by head coach Rachael Click, suffered a few key losses including two-time All-American and two-time MIAC Player of the Year Gabby Spencer, who had a career batting average of .412 and ranks second all-time at CSB with a .666 slugging mark.  The Bennies also lost Elly Novak, who ranks second all-time in wins with 49 (49-18) and has the program's seventh-best career earned run average of 1.54.  Outfielder Jordyn Swoboda graduated after recording the second most career home runs (24) in school history and ranking third in slugging percentage .637.
 
Sophomore Ellie Peterson was named All-MIAC and selected as a TUCCI/NFCA nominee for Freshman of the Year, while also becoming CSB's fourth conference Rookie of the Year. She joins Bryn Carlstrom (2021), Kim Lidstone (2013) and Ally Hjort (2018) as past MIAC honorees. Peterson finished with a 13-3 record in 16 starts with 11 complete games and two shutouts, striking out 80 in 92.1 innings. She had a 2.12 earned run average and allowed just .188 batting average to opponents. Olivia Wallace is also back in the circle after throwing 12 innings in seven appearances with a 4.67 earned run average.
 
Senior Tori Benson was All-MIAC after hitting .361 with a .629 slugging and .431 on-base percentage. She had eight steals and six home runs with 26 RBI. Sophomore Kallie Finkbeiner was All-MIAC first team after hitting .387 with two home runs and 12 RBI wile slugging .533 with an .447 OBP. She had a 1.000 field percentage with 38 assists and no errors. Sophomore Cat Smetana was honorable mention All-MIAC, and NFCA all-region after hitting .368 with two home runs and .579 slugging along with a .410 slugging mark. Senior catcher Bryn Carlstrom was honorable mention All-MIAC after hitting .313 with 11 RBI, .394 slugging and .364 on-base percentage with a .994 fielding mark with 27 assists and just one error. Also back will be Sammy Muetzel,  Makenna Runk, Bryn Ruhberg, Cadence Koste, Megan Erickson, Maddy Kubik, Addy Bowne, Olivia Van Hout and Olivia Tautges.

Last spring, CSB was recognized as the top fielding team by NCAA DIII with a .987 mark. A total of 401 teams were ranked including East Texas Baptist (39-7), which finished second at .985 (19 errors) with Southern Maine (20-21) sitting third at .980 (25 errors). CSB had 891 chances and committed just 12 errors or 14 fewer than the next closest team in the MIAC (Bethel, 26). CSB had 663 putouts and 216 assists while turning seven double plays. Individually, 15 players on the roster had 1.000 fielding marks
 
Click Begins 11th season in St. Joseph
The College of Saint Benedict will be directed by head coach Rachael Click who will begin her 11th season. Click posts an overall record of 271-137 which includes two appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament in both 2018 and 2019 before the season was shortened due to COVID-19.
 
NFCA Leadoff Classic Opponents
 
#6 Morvian (0-0) -  Morvian is directed by Josh Baltz who begins his second season. A season ago,  Holly Walter led the Greyhounds with a .389 batting average. In the circle, Sarah DeStefano recorded a 16-4 record with a 2.08 ERA. MU is a member of the Landmark Conference.
 
#3 Berry (Ga.) (10-0) - Led by head coach Jessica Strong, Berry has opened the season ranked No. 3 in DIII with 10 straight wins.  Most recently, the Vikings defeated Wartburg, 13-6, and 3-1 on Feb. 26 in Mount Berry, Ga. Paige Bennett leads the team in hitting with a .615 batting average and 1.077 slugging mark while Morgan Frye is hitting .469 with two home runs and 11 RBI and a .813 slugging.  In the circle, Ava Fout is 4-0 with a 2.00 earned run average and Danielle Sudick is 3-0 with a 1.75 earned run average.  Berry is a member of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA).
 
Mary Hardin-Baylor (2-1) - Mary Hardin-Baylor is directed by head coach Melissa Mojica, who begins her fourth season. Bailey Frenzel leads the Crusaders with a .571 batting average. In the circle, Eileigh Whyte has a 1-0 record with a 1.50 ERA.  The Crusaders compete in the American Southwest Conference.
 
#1 Trine University (0-0) - Trine is directed by head coach Donnie Danklefsen, who begins his 20th season. A season ago, Karley Trine led the Thunder with a .346 batting average. Leading the pitching staff is Alexis Michon who recorded a 13-1 record with a 1.53 ERA a year ago. The Thunder is the preseason favorite to wins its fifth straight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Conference. 
 
#8 Christopher Newport (4-0) - Christopher Newport is directed by head coach Keith Parr who begins his 21st season. The Captains, who are ranked No. 8 in DIII, have a pair of wins over Ferrum College, 6-0, 7-1 and Averett University, 5-0, 9-5. Candace Slaw leads the Captains with a .647 batting average. In the circle, Jamie Martin has a 2-0 record with 21 strikeouts. Christopher Newport is a member of the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference.
 
#12 Belhaven University (Miss.) (8-0) - Belhaven is directed by head coach Kevin Griffin, who begins his 15th season. The Blazers, who have opened 8-0 and earned a No. 12 ranking in DIII, is led by Katie Jo Richardson, who leads the Blazers with a .450 batting average. In the circle, Kennedy Carruth has put together a 4-0 record with a 0.29 ERA.  BU competes in the USA South Athletic Conference (USAS).
 
Spring Break Regular Season Opponents
 
Piedmont University (3-5) -  Piedmont University is directed by head coach Terry Martin who begins his 26th season.  Piedmont University, which is 3-5 on the season, is led by Jordyn Green, who leads the Lions with a .615 batting average. The pitching staff is led by Riley Ford with a 2-1 record and a 2.72 ERA. Piedmont is a member of the Collegiate Conference of the South.

Emory University (4-2) -  Emory University, which has opened 4-2, is directed by head coach India Chiles, who begins her first season. Ellie Zerr leads the Eagles with a .500 batting average. In the circle, Lexi Bach has a 1-0 record with a 2.62 ERA. The Eagles compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA).