NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team hit the road to face off against #22 ranked St. Olaf and took a 13-0 loss and a 3-2 loss in extra innings on Monday. The team now sits at 10-16 overall and 5-13 in the conference.
“We went neck and neck with the top team in the conference in game 2,” said Head Coach Coley Ries “I was so proud of how we battled after a rough loss in game one. Piper threw her best game of the year. Regardless of the outcome that was a a highlight game for us and showed our team we can battle with the best of them.”
The Gusties made a strong impact in the top of the first inning and used fielding errors made by the Oles to get runners on base. Gustavus was able to bring three up and three down keeping the game scoreless before entering the second frame.
St. Olaf put up the first run in the bottom of the second and had an explosive twelve runs in the third. The Gusties were unable to respond and suffered the 13-0 loss in five innings with zero hits. Three Gustavus pitchers saw time on the mound; Payton Belt (Indianola, Iowa), Amara Packey Jr., Fridley), and Isabel Reuvers (Fy., Medford).
Gustavus heated up its bats and played lock-down defense for game two. Standout rookie pitcher Piper Otto went toe-to-toe against conference leader Sr. Julie Graf and threw three shutout innings against before St. Olaf was able to score off of a single.
A hard-hit double to left center from Ashley Neunfeldt scored Madelyn Mueller and Reuvers for a 2-0 Gustie lead in the top of the fifth. The Oles tied it up in the sixth and both teams battled it out to send the game into extras. Despite Gustie efforts against the top team in the conference, St. Olaf tacked on a final run for the 3-2 finish.
Otto faced 38 batters in eight innings pitched and allowed nine hits.
The Gusties are back in action when they host Hamline for a doubleheader on Wednesday.