Notables
-CSS is now 61-7 in the all-time series vs. Martin Luther, dropping only one game since 1999
-Kohl pitched a complete-game shutout, striking out five and only allowing one hit in game two
-Borgeson and Mizera each homered for the first time on the season
-Bremer went a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate on the day with three RBIs
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica softball team came into Saturday's doubleheader matchup against Martin Luther College riding a seven-game winning streak, hoping to extend it to nine at Kenwood Field before Easter Sunday. It did just that, defeating the Knights in game one by a score of 9-0 and again in game two by a score of 8-0.
Game 1: CSS 9, MLC 0 (F/5)
Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) was given the nod for game one Saturday afternoon, starting her 14th game of the season as the Saints hosted a Martin Luther team who were riding a three-game conference winning streak. Mizera held the Knights in check, however, pitching three scoreless innings, while accumulating six strikeouts and only allowing one hit in the process.
Offensively, the Saints got things rolling early thanks to a
Toni Bishop (Roseville, Minn./Roseville HS) single in the bottom of the first inning that scored
Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) to make the score 1-0.
The Saints did most of their damage in the third inning of both games, specifically in game one as they strung together an eight-run bottom of the third. Bishop and
Maggie Schley (Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) started the inning off with back-to-back hits, which put two on base for Mizera. Mizera took the first pitch she saw and smashed it over the left field fence, recording her first home run of the season as she added three runs to the Saints lead.
Next, the bottom of the CSS lineup loaded the bases for leadoff batter
Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS), who singled to left field to score
Jena O'Byrne (Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville HS) and put the Saints up 5-0.
Olivia Bretting (Ashland, Wis. /Ashland HS ) than hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing
Dakota Underwood (Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage HS) to tag from third base to make it 6-0 in favor of St. Scholastica. The final blow of the inning came off the bat of
Hannah Borgeson (Woodville, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville HS), who hit a three-run homer of her own to match Mizera's earlier that inning. It marked the first home run of the year for Borgeson and the ninth run of the game for the Saints.
The Saints then called
Heidi Shelton (Duluth, Minn./Proctor HS (St. Cloud Tech and CC)) to the mound to close out the final two innings, and she did just that by allowing only one hit in her two scoreless innings of pitching. Despite Borgeson and Mizera each hitting three-run home runs, it was Bremer who had the most efficient performance at the plate by going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs.
Game 2: CSS 8, MLC 0 (F/5)
Game two went similar to that of game one, only this time it was
Vanessa Kohl (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) pitching the one-hit performance on the mound instead of Mizera. Kohl, who only allowed one hit on the day, also struck out five Martin Luther batters on her way to a complete-game shutout.
Borgeson started the Saints scoring in the bottom of the first with a double to left field that scored Bremer to make the game 1-0 early on. Later in the inning, Mizera approached the batter's box with the bases loaded. One strike later Mizera sent a liner to left field that scored Borgeson to put the Saints up 2-0 after one inning of play.
Bremer singled yet again in the bottom of the second, sending a 1-0 pitch past the shortstop and into the outfield to score teammate
Cindi Rydlund (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) and make the score 3-0. Kohl did her job in the top of the third, sending the Knights down in order.
The bottom of the third is where the Saints struck the hardest. Mizera tallied the first RBI of the inning with a groundout to second that scored Bishop and advanced Schley to third. Next, O'Byrne sent a pitch to the right-field fence that allowed her to slide into third base safely for a RBI triple. Moments later, a wild pitch would be thrown that allowed O'Byrne to score from third to make the game 6-0. Rydlund then smashed a triple of her own, following in O'Byrne's footsteps as she reached third base with two outs. Bremer than closed out the inning with a single to left, scoring Rydlund and making the game 7-0 after three innings of play.
The fourth inning was rather quick, as both Kohl of CSS and Morgan Palubicki of Martin Luther pitched 1-2-3 innings to keep the score at 7-0 heading into the fifth. Kohl threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth, setting up her teammates with a chance to end the game early in the bottom of the inning thanks to the eight-run rule after five innings of play.
They did just that.
Marjaana Dailey (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) doubled to start the inning, Kohl came in to pinch-run, and Rydlund knocked her in with a walk-off single to left field to give the Saints the 8-0 victory and the sweep over conference foe Martin Luther College. Bremer yet again went 3-for-3, recording two RBIs in the win.
Up Next
The Saints (17-11, 10-0 UMAC) will have two days off before hosting yet another doubleheader at Kenwood Field, this time taking on the visiting Royals from Bethel University. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 3:30 p.m.
