INDIANOLA, Iowa – Resilience defined the day for the No. 19 College of Saint Benedict softball team as the Bennies battled through adversity Friday to advance to the NCAA Division III Regional Championship game for the second time in three seasons.
After suffering a tough 12-6 loss to No. 10 Simpson earlier in the day, Saint Benedict regrouped and responded with a 4-0 elimination-game victory over Central College to improve to 35-10 overall and earn another shot at the regional title Saturday.
CSB head coach
Rachael Click praised her team's ability to stay focused through a long, tough day.
"I was so proud of them. They persevered and they came away with the win," Click said. "They played the game between the lines and took care of business and came away with the win. I am so proud of them. They had a lot of challenges today and they handled them amazingly. It was a tough first game and they were able to reset and refocus and bring the energy on a hot day," Click added.
"They were gritty all day today and as their coach I was so proud of their effort. They so deserve to play tomorrow," said Click, whose team won its 10th NCAA tournament game.
The Bennies now face Simpson (36-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday. A Saint Benedict win would force a second championship game at 1:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division III Super Regional.
Senior pitcher
Ellie Peterson (St. Anthony Village, Minn.) delivered another historic performance in the win over Central. Peterson earned her school-record 18th victory of the season, surpassing the previous mark of 17 set by Elly Novak in 2021.
"It feels great — I couldn't do it without the offense and defense," Peterson said. "It was really cool that Elly (Novak) sent me a message (before the game). So, to me, it was just about throwing strikes and staying calm. I didn't want today to be the last day of playing softball."
Peterson also extended her program records in career wins (58) and complete games (55). Her shutout against Central was the fifth of the season and the 14th of her career, ranking third in program history.
Offensively, sophomore
Lauren Freeberg (Rogers, Minn.) sparked the Bennies throughout the day. Freeberg finished with five hits in eight at-bats and drove in five runs across the two games, including a home run against Simpson and three hits against Central. Through regional play, she is hitting .636 with seven hits and seven RBI.
"It has been really fun to be in the spot I am and knowing I am going to drive in my teammates — I do it for them," Freeberg said. "I just think one thing in my mind — go get it. This (senior group) has been all great — amazing leaders. The energy they bring is super helpful."
Senior catcher
Bryn Ruhberg (Lino Lakes, Minn.) added three hits on the day, while sophomore
Lily Treml (Shakopee, Minn.) and senior
Cat Smetana (Lake Elmo, Minn.) each recorded two RBI.
As the Bennies prepare for Saturday's championship matchup, Click said the team is embracing every moment together.
"It is like what Ellie said — these regionals are memorable and super exciting we have another opportunity to play softball with this group," Click said. "It is a very, very special team so I am grateful they get to play another day and I get to watch."
No. 19 Saint Benedict 4, Central 0
Freeberg collected three hits and two RBI, while Peterson tossed a complete-game shutout to send the Bennies into Saturday's regional championship game.
Peterson scattered five hits, walked three and struck out two in recording her fifth shutout of the season.
The game remained scoreless through six innings before Saint Benedict broke through in the seventh inning. The Bennies capitalized on a pair of defensive miscues and used a two-run single from Freeberg to build a 4-0 advantage.
Central threatened in the bottom of the inning by loading the bases with one out, but Peterson closed the door to secure the victory.
No. 10 Simpson 12, No. 19 Saint Benedict 6
Freeberg hit a three-run home run and finished with two hits, but Simpson rallied late to hand the Bennies a 12-6 loss earlier Friday.
Saint Benedict appeared in control after scoring five runs in the fifth inning to build a 6-1 lead. Smetana delivered a two-run single during the rally, while Freeberg followed with a three-run homer.
Smetana finished with two hits, while
Olivia Van Hout (Mahtomedi, Minn.) added a hit and scored a run.
Peterson held Simpson to one run through six innings, allowing just five hits. However, the Storm erupted for 11 runs in the seventh inning, including nine unearned runs, as three CSB errors proved costly.
