COLUMBUS, Ga. – After splitting a pair of doubleheaders last weekend, the (RV) College of Saint Benedict softball team (2-2) will compete at the NFCA DIII Leadoff Classic from Feb. 28-March 2 at the South Commons Complex in Columbus, Ga.

St. Benedict opens the classic by facing Spalding (Ken.) at 9 a.m., and Linfield at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. At the classic, the Bennies will face three teams ranked in the top-25 of the NFCA poll. Last weekend, CSB split games with UW-Stout (8-3 win; 5-4 loss) and UW-Eau Claire (7-6 walk off win; 6-3 extra inning loss) on Feb. 22-23 at the Husky Dome.

Schedule – Team Breakdown.
Feb. 28 - CSB vs. Spalding (Ken.) – 9 a.m. (CST)   
As the classic open, CSB and Spalding will be meet for the first time. Spalding, which is coached by Art Williams, has not played this year. Williams is in his 15^th season and led his team to a 28-15 record a year ago. Spalding have been selected to finish second in the SLIAC Conference this year. Grayce Marcum leads the team after hitting .390 a year ago with eight home runs and 45 RBI.

Feb. 28 -- CSB vs No. 2 Linfield – 11:30 a.m. (CST)
The Bennies will face Linfield, which is ranked No. 2 in the most recent NFCA national DIII poll, for a second time in school history. On March 7, 2020, Linfield, then ranked No. 3 in DIII, took a 4-3 win in Tucson, Ariz. Linfield is directed by head coach Jackson Vaughan, who has a career mark of 849-199-2, including 523-88 in the Northwest Conference. Before facing St. Benedict, Linfield will face Trine at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Linfield is led by Kaili Saathoff, who hit .479 with a 1.243 OPS and 43 RBI a year ago, and Brynn Nelson, who hit .477 with a 1.419 OPS and 15 RBI last year.

March 1 – CSB vs. No. 22 Redlands – 9 a.m. CST)
In the all-time series, CSB trails No. 22 ranked Redlands, 2-0, but has not played since 3-2 and 4-0 setbacks on March 8, 1993, in Redlands, Calif. Redlands (5-2) is coming off a three-game sweep of Occidental College on Feb. 21 (9-1) and Feb. 22 (13-5, 8-1). Head Coach Jose Ortega has led the program since 2018. A year ago, they finished 33-14 and 15-6 in the SCIAC and advanced to the NCAA DIII Tournament. Leila Jackson is hitting .500 with a 1.168 OPS and eight RBI while Brooklyn Bard is hitting .467 with a 1.213 OPS. Five different pitchers have victories this season.

March 1 – CSB vs. Alma College - 11:30 a.m. (CST)
Alma leads the all-time series with CSB, 3-0, including a 13-3 win on Feb. 28, 2006. During a three-game series that weekend in 2006, they also had 1-0 and 8-0 wins over CSB in Fort Meyers, Fla. So far this season, Alma College is 0-4 with losses to Piedmont U (11-10, 7-3) and No. 15 Berry (7-4, 3-2). They will face No. 1 East Texas Baptist and UW-Eau Claire on Feb. 28 as well as Wartburg College on March 1 before playing CSB. Head coach Denny Griffin will lead the softball program for the 42^nd year. He has a 1,016-418-career record and ranks third among active DIII coaches. Alma College is led by Peyton Fether, who has a .429 batting average and .858 OPS; while Reneigh Sandmann is hitting .400 with an .871 OPS.

March 2 – CSB cs Pacific Lutheran – 12:30 p.m. (CST)
Pacific Lutheran will open the season on Feb. 28 against Pfeiffer and St. John Fisher on Feb. 28 before games against LeTourneau and Piedmont on March 1 and then CSB on March 2. Pacific Lutheran defeated the Bennies, 9-2, on March 22, 2000, in the only meeting between the schools. The Lutes are directed by head coach Traci Barrett, who was named to the head post in 2019. A year ago, the Lutes finished 24-19 with an 18-10 conference mark. The Lutes are led offensively by junior outfielder Paola Garcia, who hit .321 with a .942 OPS and seven home runs and 37 RBI a year ago.

March 2 – CSB vs. No. 18 Pfeiffer – 2:30 p.m.
The Bennies will face the No. 18-ranked Falcons for the first time in program history. Pfeiffer (2-0) opened the season with 5-1 and 9-2 wins over Ferrum in Misenheimer, N.C. Before facing CSB on March 2, they will play Pacific Lutheran and No. 22 Redlands on Feb. 28; No. 5 Belhaven and Wartburg on March 1; and LeTourneau on March 2. Head coach Monte Sherrill is in is ninth season of lead the program. So far, the team is led on offense by Gracie Griffin, who is hitting .571 with a 1.142 OPS and Alyssa Broaddus, who is hitting .500 with a 1.262 OPS.
 
Inside Look at CSB –
The Bennies opened the season 2-2 and now own 820 wins (based on available records) including 509 conference wins. In 2025, CSB welcomed back seven starters, including third-team All-American and MIAC Offensive Player of the Year Olivia Tautges, as well as MIAC Pitcher of the Year Ellie Peterson from a 2024 team that won its first MIAC title (shared title with two other teams) since 1994. Additionally, the Bennies advanced to the NCAA Regional where they reached the championship game.
 
Through four games, St. Ben's, directed by 13-year head coach Rachael Click, are led in hitting by Megan Erickson and Cat Smetana with .467 batting averages. Erickson, who has a team-best seven RBI, has a 1.300 OPS and was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. She has 12 total bases and an .800 slugging percentage. Smetana has a 1.033 OPS and, like Erickson, has seven hits and four runs. Sammy Muetzel is hitting .333 while third team All-All-American and reigning MIAC Offensive Player of the Year Olivia Tautges has a .438 slugging mark and three RBI. As a team, CSB is outhitting its opponents, .297-to-.287. CSB owns a .729 team OPS and .390 slugging mark with a .339 on-base percentage. The Bennies have 22 scored runs with 35 hits, including four doubles, two triples and a home run.

In the circle, junior Ellie Peterson has a 2-0 record with two complete games, a 4.50 earned run average and five strikeouts in 14 innings. First-year Anna Corbid is 0-1 with a 3.50 earned run average and four strikeouts in eight innings. Olivia Wallace is 0-1 with a 5.00 earned run average and four strikeouts in seven innings. As a team, CSB has a 4.34 earned run average and 13 strikeouts in 29 innings.