Notables
-Rydlund finished the day 4-for-6, two RBIs, two runs scored
-The Saints have scored more than three runs just once this season
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica softball team had another .500 day at the Rebel Spring Games on Saturday.
CSS 3, Skidmore 1
The Saints opened the day with a 3-1 victory over Skidmore College (N.Y.).
CSS loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but came away scoreless. The scoring didn't come until the bottom of the fifth.
Jena O'Byrne (Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville HS) was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning.
Olivia Bretting (Ashland, Wis. /Ashland HS ) followed with a single. After a groundout,
Cindi Rydlund (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) tripled to score both Bretting and
Karissa Ratcliff (North Branch, Minn./North Branch HS), who pinch ran for O'Byrne. Rydlund also scored on the play after a throwing error, giving the Saints a 3-0 lead.
The Thoroughbreds (4-7) got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to make it 3-1.
Vanessa Kohl (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) then induced three fly outs in the seventh to preserve the 3-1 St. Scholastica victory.
Kohl struck out six and scattered three hits to earn her second victory of the season. O'Byrne was 2-for-2 at the plate as the Saints finished with seven hits.
William Paterson 5, CSS 3
The Saints were hoping to sweep a day for the first time on the spring trip, but in a back-and-forth affair fell to William Paterson University (N.J.) 5-3 to end the day.
The story of game was runners left on base. The Saints left two on base in the top of the first and the Pioneers stranded the bases loaded in the bottom frame.
Dakota Underwood (Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage HS) led off the second inning with a double. A sacrifice moved her to third and she eventually scored on a Bretting infield hit to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers responded in the bottom frame with a one out triple and then a two-out double to take a 2-1 lead.
CSS recorded two straight singles to open the third inning.
Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) then scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. Later in the inning with two outs, Underwood ripped a double that plated Rydlund to give the Saints the lead back at 3-2.
After the Saints got out of jams in the third and fourth innings, they were not so fortunate in the fifth. The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out. A strikeout by
Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) meant the Saints were one out away from getting out of another jam. However, the Pioneers took advantage this time with a two-out double, scoring two and giving William Paterson the lead at 4-3.
St. Scholastica advanced a runner to third in the sixth with one out, but again came away with nothing. The Pioneers added insurance in the bottom frame with a leadoff home run extending the lead to 5-3.
Heading to the seventh, the Saints put their first three batters on to load the bases with no outs. Unfortunately, the ball never left the infield with the next three batters as a foul out, strikeout and groundout ended the game in the Pioneers' favor 5-3.
Mizera picked up the loss for the Saints, striking out four. Andee Lupica earned the win in relief, pitching five scoreless innings.
Rydlund was 3-for-4 to pace the St. Scholastica offense. CSS finished with 11 hits, but left 10 runners on base. Nicole Fryer was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Pioneers (6-6). William Paterson also stranded 10 runners on base.
Up Next
The Saints (5-9) finish play at the Rebel Spring Games tomorrow when they face Loras College (Iowa) and Washington & Jefferson College (Pa.)
