NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Behind a big day at the plate from Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) and Cat Smetana (Lake Elmo, Minn.), along with a complete-game effort from Ellie Peterson (St. Anthony Village, Minn.), the College of Saint Benedict softball team (17-9, 7-1 MIAC) extended its winning streak to six games with a Sunday sweep (9-2, 11-6) of Carleton (10-14, 0-8 MIAC).

With its third straight MIAC sweep, Saint Benedict improved to 17-9 overall and 7-1 in conference play, good for third place behind Macalester (16-9, 7-0 MIAC) and Saint Mary's (22-2, 8-0 MIAC). The Bennies return to action April 15 with a road doubleheader at Augsburg (3:30/5:30 p.m.).

Tautges continued her dominant stretch, going 5-for-9 with six RBI, a triple, a double and two runs scored in the twin bill. Smetana hit .375 with three hits and three RBI, while Mary Schmidt (Shoreview, Minn.) added two hits and three RBI.

During the Bennies' stretch of seven wins in eight games, Tautges has hit .548 with a 1.097 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage (1.697 OPS). She has totaled four home runs in that span and now has 12 on the season — leading the MIAC and ranking second nationally — with 17 hits in 31 at-bats. She has scored 11 runs with two doubles and a triple, and set a CSB school record with her 31st career home run earlier this week against Concordia.

Peterson improved to 8-5 with her fifth straight win, moving to 48 career victories — one shy of tying for second all-time — while also reaching 300 career strikeouts. Over four appearances this week, Peterson went 4-0 with four complete games, a 1.25 ERA and just five earned runs allowed with 16 strikeouts in 28 innings.

Game 1 – Saint Benedict 9, Carleton 2

Behind another dominant outing from Peterson and strong hitting from Tautges and Smetana, the Bennies opened  the doubleheader with a 9-2 win.

Peterson (8-5) tossed a five-hit complete game, allowing two runs while striking out one to earn her fifth consecutive victory.

Leading 2-1, Saint Benedict broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning before adding another run in the seventh frame.

Tautges recorded two hits — both doubles — and drove in three runs, while Smetana finished with two hits and an RBI. Alyssa Downhour (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Sammy Muetzel (Woodbury, Minn.) each doubled and scored, and Schmidt added an RBI.

Game 2 – Saint Benedict 11, Carleton 6

Tautges stayed hot in the nightcap with two hits and three RBI, while Schmidt added two hits and two RBI to lead the Bennies to an 11-6 win and complete the sweep.

Saint Benedict scored four runs in the first inning and added another in the third for a 5-2 lead, but Carleton answered with four runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 advantage.

In the sixth, Bryn Ruhberg (Lino Lakes, Minn.) drew a lead-off walk and was replaced by pinch runner Adison Border (Blaine, Minn.), who stole second and later scored on an RBI single by Tautges to tie the game. Smetana followed with a two-run double to give the Bennies an 8-6 lead.

Muetzel added an RBI single in the seventh, and Tautges capped her big day with a two-run triple — her third hit of the game — to extend the lead to 11-6. Downhour and Ruhberg also drove in runs.

In the circle, Olivia Wallace (Maple Grove, Minn.) started and worked 4 2/3 innings before Kaitlyn Pink (Delano, Minn.) entered in the fifth and closed the game for her fifth win. Pink, who allowed three hits and had two strikeouts, is now 5-2 on the season.