ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The College of Saint Benedict softball team (10-8, 0-0 MIAC) will host Bethel (5-13, 0-0 MIAC) in the MIAC opener, with the league doubleheader set for 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., at the CSB Softball Field.

The Bennies, directed by 14th-year head coach Rachael Click, have opened the season at 10-8 in nonconference play.

Season Recap: Bennies Build 10-8 Start
Saint Benedict opened the season by splitting doubleheaders against UW-Stout (L, 5-2; W, 4-3) and UW-Eau Claire (W, 12-0; L, 12-11 in eight innings), then went 4-2 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Bennies earned wins over Pomona-Pitzer (9-6), Spalding (21-3), Cortland (8-0) and Mount Union (5-4), with losses to Pacific Lutheran (5-3) and No. 9 Huntingdon (8-4).

On their Oregon trip, CSB posted a 2-4 mark, sweeping George Fox (11-3, 6-3) before falling to Lewis & Clark (1-0, 2-1) and No. 8 Linfield (4-1, 9-2). Back at home, the Bennies opened with a 9-0 and 2-1 sweep, highlighted by three hits and five RBI from Lauren Freeberg (Rogers, Minn.).

Tautges Powering the Offense
Senior shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) has been one of the most productive hitters in Division III and a two-time MIAC Player of the Week this season (five career honors). She is batting .491 — first in the MIAC — and leads the conference in OPS (1.610), on-base percentage (.592) and runs scored (24). Her 1.018 slugging percentage ranks 11th in Division III and second in the MIAC. Tautges is also second in the MIAC in RBI (19) and hits (28), while her eight home runs are tied for first in the conference and rank third nationally. In 112 career games, Tautges has 27 home runs (second in program history), 95 RBI (sixth), a .739 slugging percentage (first all-time at CSB) and a .462 on-base percentage (fifth all-time at CSB).

Depth Throughout the Lineup
The Bennies have received consistent production up and down the order.

Olivia Van Hout (Mahtomedi, Minn.) is hitting .372 with a .413 on-base percentage and is 6-for-6 on stolen bases, bringing her career total to 58. Lily Treml (Shakopee, Minn.) carries a .351 average with a .963 OPS, including a .491 slugging percentage and .472 on-base mark, and is tied with Tautges for the MIAC lead with 14 walks.

Cat Smetana (Lake Elmo, Minn.) is batting .321 with seven RBI and has accumulated 141 career hits, owning a .360 average across 122 games.

Strength in the Circle
Senior Ellie Peterson continues to lead the pitching staff and was recently named MIAC Pitcher of the Week after recording her 12th career shutout in a 9-0 win over Bethany Lutheran. She allowed just three hits and struck out five on 57 pitches over five innings.

A three-time All-MIAC selection, Peterson ranks among the program leaders with 44 career wins (fifth), 12 shutouts (fourth), 42 complete games (seventh) and 410 innings pitched (fifth). Her 68 career starts are tied for the most in program history. She enters Wednesday at 4-5 with a 3.08 ERA and six complete games in eight starts.

Kaitlyn Pink (Delano, Minn.) leads the staff with a 2.37 ERA across eight appearances, going 2-1 with a save and 15 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. Olivia Wallace (Maple Grove, Minn.) is 4-2 with a 3.98 ERA and three complete games, and owns a 20-17 career record with 19 complete games in 64 appearances.

By the Numbers
Through 16 games, Saint Benedict is hitting .293 as a team, ranking sixth in the MIAC. The Bennies are tied for fifth in on-base percentage (.384), fourth in slugging percentage (.432), and their 12 home runs lead the conference and rank 25th in NCAA Division III.

Scouting Bethel
Bethel (5-13, 0-0 MIAC), led by 13th-year head coach Penny Foore, enters the MIAC opener after sweeping UW-River Falls (6-5, 11-5) to snap a six-game losing streak.

Sidney Bartels leads the Royals with a .436 batting average and 10 RBI. Camryn Thurow is hitting .371, while Abby Otterness adds a .345 average. In the circle, Brianna Tix is 3-4 with a 4.57 ERA, while Mary Hajduk owns a 2.67 ERA across five appearances.

Series Snapshot
Saint Benedict holds a 34-32 advantage in the all-time series, including a 4-3, 8-0 sweep on May 3, 2025. The Bennies are 17-15 at home and 17-14 on the road in the series, which dates back to an 8-0 CSB win on March 29, 1994.