ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- After a break since March 2, the College of Saint Benedict softball team (4-6) will travel to Wartburg College (3-7) for a nonconference doubleheader on Saturday, March 22. The games will be held at Lynes Field in Waverly, Iowa, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Originally, the doubleheader was scheduled to take place at the CSB Softball Complex, but due to a forecast of cold weather and precipitation, the games were moved to Waverly.
The Bennies have opened the season with a 4-6 record. At the SCSU Husky Dome, they split two doubleheaders, going 2-2 on Feb. 22-23. CSB defeated UW-Stout 8-3, but lost 5-4 in the second game. Against UW-Eau Claire, the Bennies secured a walk-off 7-6 victory on a two-run home run by Megan Erickson, before falling 6-3 in the second game. At the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., CSB finished 2-4 from Feb. 28-March 2. (click here for results/schedule)
The Bennies, celebrating their 50th year as a program in 2025, now boast 822 wins and 509 conference victories.
Wartburg Softball Overview
Wartburg, led by 10th-year head coach Jamie Mueller, has made four NCAA Tournament appearances since 2018. The Knights opened the 2025 season by going 1-5 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic before bouncing back with a doubleheader sweep of Agnes Scott College on March 6. Wartburg's offense is led by Addy Well, who is hitting .417 with a 1.167 OPS and six RBIs. Jenna Wiebenga is hitting .400 with a 1.420 OPS, including three home runs and six RBIs. In the circle, Hannah Luellen has a 1-4 record with a 5.80 ERA and 11 strikeouts.
Series History
CSB trails Wartburg in the all-time series, 7-2. The last time the two teams met, CSB earned a 5-3 victory on May 17, 2024. In their first-ever matchup, the Bennies fell 7-2 on May 5, 1994.
Inside Look: St. Benedict Softball
Under 13th-year head coach Rachel Click, the Bennies are 4-6 to start the season. After going 2-4 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Click earned her 300th career win in a 5-1 victory over Spalding. Last season, Click guided CSB to its first MIAC title (shared with two other teams) since 1994, leading the team to an NCAA DIII Regional appearance and advancing to the regional title game.
Following the NFCA Leadoff Classic, junior infielder Cat Smetana was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week after hitting .500 with 11 hits in 22 at-bats, driving in eight runs. Junior Olivia Wallace was named MIAC Pitcher of the Week after posting a 2-0 record with a 1.54 ERA. Smetana's recognition marked the 23rd time in CSB history a player earned Player of the Week honors, while Wallace's accolade is the 20th time a Bennie pitcher earned that recognition.
On the season, Smetana is batting .514 with a 1.160 OPS, totaling 19 hits, 11 RBIs, and 23 total bases. She has a career average of .388, tying for eighth all-time at CSB, and ranks ninth with a career .428 on-base percentage. Third-team All-American Olivia Tautges has 12 hits, including two home runs and six extra-base hits. Tautges has moved into third place all-time at CSB with 18 career home runs and is tied for first all-time with a .737 slugging percentage. Junior Cadence Koste is hitting .333 with a .357 on-base percentage.
Other key contributors include senior Megan Erickson, who has one home run and nine RBIs, and junior Bryn Ruhberg, who is batting .292. As a team, CSB is hitting .294 with a .385 slugging percentage and a .333 on-base percentage. The Bennies have tallied 17 extra-base hits and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts, with junior Olivia Van Hout leading the team with five stolen bases in seven attempts.
In the circle, the Bennies have a team ERA of 4.77 with 38 strikeouts. Wallace leads the team with a 2-1 record and a 2.71 ERA, while Ellie Peterson has a 2-3 record with 19 strikeouts.
