SAINT PETER, Minn. — Both the Gustavus and Saint Mary’s softball teams entered into Sunday’s doubleheader with an identical conference record of 7-5 and a six-game win streak. And, thanks to a MIAC split, both teams left the field with a foiled win streak and a still identical conference record. The Gusties won game one 7-4 before falling 9-4 at the hands of the Cardinals in game two.
Gustavus 7, Saint Mary’s 4 | BOX SCORE
As she has done all season, Madi Mueller (Jr., North Mankato) led off for the Gusties, and made the first pitch off Cardinal pitcher Kraus count, belting a single up the middle to get on base. Mueller stole second and advanced to third on a single from Kayla Herda (So., Farmington) to bring up Caitlin Olafsson (Fy., Woodbury). Olafsson picked up an RBI on a sac fly to left field, scoring Mueller for an early 1-0 lead for the Gusties.
SMU responded, stealing the lead from the Gusties with an RBI single and a sac fly for a 2-1 advantage in the second. The Cardinals held that lead until the bottom of the fourth, when the Gustie bats came alive for four runs. Kate Murray (Sr., Chanhassen) sent a single to right center to get on base with one out, followed by Mueller who was hit by a pitch to advance Murray into scoring position. An RBI single from Herda sent Murray home to even the score at 2-2. From there, the Cardinal defense struggled to field the Gustie advances, as Gustavus scored three runs on Saint Mary’s errors to end the inning with a 5-2 lead.
The Gusties added two more insurance runs in the sixth, as Mueller drove an RBI double to right to score Murray, who reached on another Cardinal error. Olafsson sent home the final run of the day, scoring Mueller on a groundout to third.
In an effort to keep things interesting, the Cardinals turned up the heat at the last minute, tallying two runs in the top of the seventh, and loading the bases two separate times for relief pitcher Maizie Anderson (Fy., Rosemount). A nice grab by Olafsson ended the inning, dishing the final out to Murray at second.
Piper Otto (Jr., Brooklyn Park) got the start and the win for the Gusties, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. The duo of Mueller and Herda were back at it again in game one, as Mueller went 2-for-2 with three runs and an RBI and Herda 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Gustavus 4, Saint Mary’s 9 | BOX SCORE
It seemed the Gusties emerged with the momentum in game two, despite the Cardinals’ flare for the dramatic to end the first matchup. Herda singled up the middle to get on base and advanced to second thanks to a two-out rally led by Carly Nelson (Fy., Lake Crystal). The Gusties posted four singles in a row off the bats of Nelson, Shelby Ringwelski (So., Forest Lake), Lauren Lambert (Fy., Woodbury), and Greta Dahlen (So., West Des Moines, Iowa) to take a 3-0 lead heading into the second.
The Cardinals responded with a big second inning, getting four runs of their own to take the lead. Saint Mary’s scored on a wild pitch, a fielder’s choice, a passed ball, and a sac fly to take the lead, and the Cardinals never looked back.
SMU added two more off three hits in the third, and a solo run in the fourth, scoring on another passed ball. The Cardinals sealed their eventual final two runs in the top of the sixth, as a double off the hot bat of Ali French sent two runs home.
The Gusties managed to get one more in the bottom of the seventh, as a groundout from Lambert scored Olafsson, who walked to start the inning.
Marah Hulke (Fy., Courtland) suffered the loss on the mound, pitching three innings and allowing six runs on six hits. Anderson, in four innings of relief, allowed three runs on three hits. At the plate, Nelson, Ringwelski, Lambert, and Dahlen each picked up two of the Gusties’ 10 hits in game two, with Lambert leading the way with two RBI.
The Gusties, now 15-15 overall and 8-6 in conference play, head to St. Catherine Thursday for a MIAC doubleheader.