CLERMONT, Fla. – The Gustavus softball team split a pair of games Tuesday during its spring break trip, losing to Augustana (Ill.) 4-3 before beating Manchester University 14-0 in five innings. The Gusties are now 4-8 overall with four games left in their spring trip.
Gustavus 3, Augustana 4 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties had the hot bats to start the game, taking a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. Greta Dahlen (Fy., West Des Moines, Iowa) scored on an error and Sierra Meyer (Sr., Waconia) had a bases-loaded walk to make the score 2-0 after the first. Kaylyn Leonard (Sr., Plymouth) knocked in the third run of the game in the second frame, scoring Kayla Herda (Fy., Farmington).
Augustana scored its first run in the third on a hit and an error. The Vikings then tied the game in the fourth after a two-run homer.
Augustana scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the seventh after a double, walk, and a single.
Piper Otto (So., Brooklyn Park) pitched the entire game, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.
Gustavus 14, Manchester 0 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties were in control from the opening pitch, scoring five runs in the first and four more in the second. Leonard had an RBI hit, followed by a two-run double by Kayla Ruud (Jr., Savage). Ruud later stole home and Kate Murray (Jr., Minnetonka) doubled home the fifth run of the first. In the second, Ruud had another two-run double, followed by a bases-load walk issued to Murray. Rachel Kawiecki (Fy., Richfield) then stole home and the Gusties led 9-0 after two.
Gustavus added three more runs in the third. For the third consecutive inning, Ruud had a two-run double followed by an RBI double off the bat of Kawiecki. The Gusties put the game well out of reach in the fifth with a two-run double by Murray.
Madelyn Mueller (So., North Mankato) (4-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 SB) and Ruud (4-4, 4 R, 6 RBI, 3 2B, SB) paced the offense, which collected 17 total hits. Chloe Smallfield (Fy., Papillion, Neb.) earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings. Maria Aberle (Fy., Chaska) an Amara Packey (Sr., Fridley) each pitched one scoreless inning.
Gustavus is off tomorrow before playing Luther and Grinnell on Thursday.