ST JOSEPH, Minn. -- On a 19-2 run, the College of Saint Benedict Softball team (21-13, 14-2 MIAC) will host the College of Saint Scholastica (7-25, 4-14 MIAC) on Saturday, April 27 at 2/4 p.m., at the CSB Softball Field.
 
The game was originally scheduled to be held in Duluth, Minn., but a site reversal was put in place due to heavy rain forecast in the area. CSS, which will honor it seniors in a pre-game ceremony, will serve as the home team. Due to the weather this weekend, the MIAC doubleheader with Gustavus Adolphus on Sunday in Saint Peter, Minn., has moved to Tuesday, April 30 at 3:30/5:30 p.m. 

With six games to play in the regular season, CSB sits in first place at 14-2. The Bennies, which stand 21-13 overall, are two games in front of Bethel (23-7) and Gustavus (18-16) at 12-4. After St. Ben's plays St. Scholastica, they travel to Gustavus on Tuesday and then return home to host Bethel in the final regular season MIAC doubleheader on May 4 at 1/3 p.m., at the CSB Softball Field.
 
Saint Benedict faced early schedule among best in DIII and now on 19-2 run
The Bennies faced one of the toughest schedules in NCAA DIII with eight games of the first 14 played against teams ranked in the NFCA NCAA DIII top-25. 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 on March 7 when 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 then No. 24 Central College on 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 11th 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 played 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.

Since defeating No. 24 Central College in 11 innings, CSB has won 18-of-20games, including 14-of-16 in MIAC games. CSB has defeated St. Olaf, 8-3 and 7-2 on April 3; UW-Stout, 10-2 and 2-1 on April 4; Augsburg, 9-0, and 9-0 on April 6; and Concordia 12-1 and 10-1 on April 9; The Bennies dropped a 7-2 decision against St. Catherine University and defeated the Wildcats 9-0 in game two on April 13. On April 14, CSB swept Macalester College by scores of 15-5, 18-2 by scoring 33 runs on 31 hits. Then, CSB split a doubleheader with Saint Mary's on April 20 at home. CSB had a walk-off 6-5 win in the opener and fell, 6-4, in game two. The Bennies swept UW-Eau Claire on Sunday, April 21 by scores of 7-4 and 13-7. Then, CSB extended its run to six games with a MIAC doubleheader sweep of Carleton, 14-2 and 11-1.
 
About the Saints
Kallee Wilkins, who is in her first year at Saint Scholastica, has led the team to a 4-14 MIAC record and 7-25 overall. CSS recorded a home sweep over Concordia College (6-0, 5-4) on April 24 after losing twice to Macalester, 11-10 and 9-1 on April 21. The Bennies have won six straight games, including four straight in MIAC play and lead the conference with a 14-2 record.  Aislind Dail leads the team in hitting at .375 with four home runs and 21 RBI. Emma Bolin is batting .357. In the circle, Ashley Matejka (3-11, 3.91 ERA, 6 CG) and Haley Rosenthal (3-9, 4.05 ERA, 9 CG) leads CSS. As a team they have a 4.68 ERA and are hitting .237.
 
Series Notes
In the all-time series, CSB owns a 5-2 advantage, including a 9-1 victory in the last match-up on April 25, 2023. CSB has won five straight in the series since April 3, 2016. The Bennies sit 3-1 on their home field and 2-1 in away games while owning a 4-0 MIAC mark with the Saints. 
 
Inside look at the Bennies
Directed by 11th-year head coach Rachael Click, Saint Benedict has won 20 or more games 11 straight (full) years. The Bennies are hitting. 326 for third in the MIAC with a .861 OPS as a team. Saint Benedict has 316 hits, including a MIAC-leading 25 home runs, 61 doubles and six triples. Reigning MIAC and Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week Olivia Tautges, who has a 21-game hitting streak, leads the offense with a .418 batting average and a 1.334 OPS. Tautges, who has 12 multi-hit and 12 multi-RBI games, has a league-high 12 home runs and 38 RBI. She has set the CSB school single season record for home runs. Junior pitcher/outfielder Addy Bowne is hitting .395 with junior outfielder Maddy Kubik batting .370 and contributing 13 RBI with 30 hits. Sophomore infielder Bryn Ruhberg is hitting .366 with an .893 OPS.  Junior outfielder Megan Erickson has five home runs, 31 RBI (2nd, MIAC) and a .340 average while leading CSB with 10 doubles. Sophomore Cat Smetana is hitting .355 with 39 hits while senior Tori Benson has six home runs (21 in her career for 3rd all-time at CSB) and a .301 average. In total, CSB has nine players hitting over .300. In the circle, sophomore Ellie Peterson (11-4), sophomore Olivia Wallace (4-7) and Addy Bowne (6-2) have a combined 56 appearances and 34 starts with a 3.97 earned run average. Peterson has a 3.65 ERA and has won 11 straight decisions since March 30.
 
By the Numbers
Since March 30, the Bennies have hit .377 in that stretch, led by Tautges with a .543 average, 1.086 slugging mark and .595 on-base percentage. A sophomore centerfielder, Tautges has slugged 10 home runs with 33 RBI in that stretch. Along the way, she set CSB's single season home run mark and now has 12. Addy Bowne has a .425 average and Sammy Muetzel hit .414. Erickson slugged five home runs and contributed 30 RBI in that stretch. In the circle since March 30, Peterson has gone 11-0 with a 1.65 earned run average. Wallace is 3-1 and 1.89 earned run average and Bowne, 5-1 also during that stretch of success.