COLUMBUS, Ga. — The College of Saint Benedict softball team opened play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Friday (March 7) by splitting a pair of games, falling, 5-3, to Pacific Lutheran before bouncing back with a 9-6 win over Pomona-Pitzer.

The Bennies move to 3-3 on the season as they begin a six-game weekend schedule at the national event.

Saint Ben's offense was paced by senior shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.), who collected four hits in nine at-bats with two runs scored on the day and is now hitting .571. Sophomore Lily Treml (Shakopee, Minn.) added three hits in seven at-bats with two RBI and is now batting .474 this season.

Junior Olivia Laudenbach (St. Cloud, Minn.) finished with two hits, two runs scored and three RBI, giving her a team-best nine RBI while also batting .571. Senior Bryn Ruhberg (Lino Lakes, Minn.) contributed three hits and two RBI.

In the circle, first-year Kaitlyn Pink (Delano, Minn.) led the Bennies with a strong showing, allowing no runs on six hits with four strikeouts across 7 2/3 innings during the day. She now holds a team-best 1.91 ERA.

Pacific Lutheran 5, Saint Benedict 3
Saint Ben's opened the NFCA Classic with a 5-3 setback to Pacific Lutheran (1-0).

The Lutes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and extended the advantage to 5-1 with three runs in the fourth. The Bennies mounted a late rally in the seventh inning, scoring twice, but the comeback attempt fell short.

Senior Ellie Peterson (St. Anthony Village, Minn.) took the loss in the circle and is now 1-2 on the season. Peterson worked four innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out two and throwing 75 pitches.

Pink provided three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits and striking out three.

Treml led the Bennies offensively with two hits, including an RBI double, and also scored a run. Tautges added a hit and an RBI while Ruhberg chipped in a hit and RBI. Senior Sammy Muetzel (Woodbury, Minn.) scored two of Saint Ben's three runs.

Saint Benedict 9, Pomona-Pitzer 6
The Bennies responded in their second game of the day with a 9-6 victory over Pomona-Pitzer (2-7) in a high-scoring contest.

Tautges paced the offense with three hits and two runs scored, while Laudenbach added two hits and three RBI.

Pink (1-1) earned her first collegiate victory in the circle, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing four hits. Senior Olivia Wallace (Maple Grove, Minn.) started and worked 1 1/3 innings, while sophomore Anna Corbid (Stillwater, Minn.) contributed one inning in the circle.

Saint Ben's built an early cushion, scoring five runs in the first inning and adding two more in the second. The Bennies later tacked on single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

Four Bennies finished with at least two hits. Along with Tautges and Laudenbach, senior Cat Smetana (Lake Elmo, Minn.) recorded two hits and scored twice, while Ruhberg added two hits and an RBI. Treml had a hit and an RBI, and both Maddy Orth (Lakeville, Minn.) and Muetzel drove in runs.

Saint Ben's continues play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday with games against No. 14 Huntingdon College at 2 p.m. (CST) and Spalding at 4:30 p.m. The Bennies conclude the tournament on Sunday against Cortland at 8 a.m. (CST) and Mount Union at 10 a.m. (CST).