ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- The College of Saint Benedict softball team (3-11, 0-0 MIAC) will play a series of MIAC and nonconference doubleheaders this week, including the home MIAC opener against St. Olaf College (9-7, 0-0 MIAC) at 3:30/5:30 p.m., on Wednesday, April 3 at the CSB Softball Complex.

After the league doubleheader, CSB will host Wisconsin-Stout (13-7) on Thursday, April 4, in a nonconference doubleheader at 3:30/5:30 p.m. Then, CSB travels to Augsburg (15-3, 0-0 MIAC) for a league doubleheader at 1/3 p.m., on Saturday, April 6 before traveling to UW-Eau Claire for a nonconference doubleheader on Sunday, April 7 at 1/3 p.m.

Saint Benedict opens season with top-five schedule
The Bennies have faced one of the toughest schedules in NCAA DIII with eight games of 14 played against teams ranked in the NFCA NCAA DIII top 25. Among its three wins, CSB had a walk-off 11-9 win over then No. 12 Belhaven as Olivia Tautges hit a dramatic three-run, game-winning home run. The Bennies recorded a 5-4 win over Emory University of March 7 as Olivia Wallace recorded her first win of her career. In addition, CSB had a come-from-behind 6-3 extra innings (11 innings)  victory over Central College on Saturday, March 30 as Sammy Muetzel had a sacrifice fly to give CSB a 4-3 lead before Maddy Kubik's two-run single pushed the lead to 6-3 in the decisive 11^th inning. Against Central College, CSB had a career-best pitching performance from Ellie Peterson, who worked 11 innings, had six strikeouts, and allowed just one earned run. CSB now has two wins over top-25 opponents this season. 

Against Coe College on March 23, the Bennies dropped 5-4 and 4-1 decisions at the Husky Dome as the snowstorm that hit the area prevented games from being play at the CSB Softball Field. On March 29, CSB dropped 7-1 and 6-5 decisions to Wartburg (12-9) before splitting a pair of games with No. 24 Central College (13-6) falling, 8-1, before winning 6-3 in extra innings in game two on March 30.

Inside Look at the Bennies
Directed by 12th-year head coach Rachael Click (274 career wins), Saint Benedict has opened 3-11. The Bennies are led by sophomore Bryn Ruhberg, who is hitting .387 with an .873 OPS along with an on-base percentage of .486. Sophomore Maddy Kubik has a .371 average and .771 OPS while sophomore Cat Smetana is hitting .304 with a .776 OPS and team-highs in hits with 14 and RBI with eight. As a team, CSB is hitting .231 and own a .587 OPS. They have been successful on 14-of-15 stolen base attempts with Olivia Van Hout, successful on 7-of-7 attempts.

In her career, senior Bryn Carlstrom, who plays several positions on the infield, including catcher and shortstop, has a .318 batting average with 110 hits, including 26 doubles, and 65 RBI in 113 games. Senior infielder Tori Benson, who is hitting .296 in 112 games (110 starts), ranks fourth all-time at CSB in home runs with 15. With 71 RBI, she is 12^th in school history while Carlstrom ranks 16^th with her 65.

In the circle, CSB is led by junior Addy Bowne with a 5.25 earned run average and a 1-1 record in 18 2/3 innings across eight appearances. She has eight strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP. Sophomore Olivia Wallace is 1-6 with a team-best four complete games. She has 20 strikeouts in 33.2 innings and a 6.03 earned run average. Sophomore Ellie Peterson (1-4) has a team-best 25 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. With a career-best 11 inning performance in a 6-3 win over No. 24 Central College, she lowered her earned run average to 6.52 with a 1.99 WHIP. She has one complete game this season and nine in her career with 87 strikeouts in 106.2 career innings with an overall record of 10-6 and 3.87 earned run average.

Notes on St. Olaf
Kayla Hattig is in her eighth season as head coach of the Oles, accumulating a 163-98 record, including 9-7 this year. St. Olaf has not played in the league to this point. As a result, the Bennies and Oles will open league play on Wednesday. In its most recent action, they defeated Covenant College, 10-3 and 6-4. Through 15 games, Shreya Ashok has a team-high .451 batting with a .981 OPS. Rylee Medora is batting .423 with a 1.115 OPS and Hannah Peschel has a .367 average, .936 OPS and a team-high 13 RBI. St. Olaf is hitting .330 as a team and has a 3.49 earned run average in the circle. Roxanne Ring owns a 4-3 record and 2.37 earned run average while Jenna Peschel has a 3.23 earned run average and 1-2 record in seven appearances.

Series Notes – CSB leads, 50-27
In the all-time series, Saint Benedict has a 50-27 lead, including an 8-1 win on May 13, 2023. The Bennies have won three straight games in the series with a 24-14 record at home and 24-12 mark on the road. CSB, which lost the first-ever matchup on May 2, 1986, is 48-26 in conference play. Twice the two teams have played in Arden Hills, Minn., with CSB and St. Olaf each winning a game.

Notes on UW-Stout
UW-Stout is led by second-year head coach Chris Iliopoulous, who is in his sixth season overall with the program. The Blue Devils are led by Donna D'Addabbo, who is hitting .377 with a .994 OPS and 12 RBI. Stephanie Kuhn is hitting .375 with a .932 OPS with 24 hits and 17 RBI. In the circle, the Blue Devils, which have a 2.80 earned run average and 1.28 WHIP, is led by Mackenzie Wolterstorff with a 7-3 record and 1.81 earned run average. Anna Blanford is 5-3 with a 2.81 earned run average. UW-Stout was won two straight games to move to 13-7 over the team. Against MIAC teams, the Blue Devils have wins over St. Scholastica, 5-1; Gustavus, 1-0; and a 5-3 setback to Hamline.
  
Series Notes – CSB leads, 7-2
In the 10^th game of the series, the Bennies hold a 7-2 lead but lost the last matchup, 6-5 on March 21, 2021. In the first match-up, CSB lost, 12-5, on April 4, 1996. On March 21, 2021, the Bennies won the opener of the series, 13-4 in six innings, which was the end of a seven-game winning streak.

Season Review (Click on link below for recap and box score)
March 2 - Mary Hardin Baylor 5 Saint Benedict 1
March 2 - No. 1 Trine 6 Saint Benedict 0
March 3 - No. 8 Christopher Newport 10 Saint Benedict 6
March 3 -- Saint Benedict 11 No. 12 Belhaven 9
March 4 - No. 3 Berry 6 Saint Benedict 3 (G1)
March 4 - No. 3 Berry 4 Saint Benedict 3 (G2)
March 7 - Emory 10 Saint Benedict 10 (G1)
March 7 - Saint Benedict 5 Emory 4 (G2)
March 23 – Coe College 5 Saint Benedict 4
March 23 – Coe College 4 Saint Benedict 1
March 29 – Wartburg 7 Saint Benedict 1
March 29 - Wartburg 6 St. Benedict 5
March 30 – No. 24 Central College 8 Saint Benedict 1
March 30 – Saint Benedict 6 No. 24 Central College 3