Notables
-The Saints are now 5-14 all-time against Gustavus Adolphus
-The 7-5 win marks O'Byrne's first win of the year
-Borgeson went 3-for-4 from the plate in game two with four RBIs
-Kohl struck out eight batters in her five and two-thirds innings of work
ST. PETER, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica softball team butted heads with Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponent Gustavus Adolphus College Friday afternoon in a doubleheader. The Saints split with the Gusties, losing the first game by a score of 8-0 and winning in exciting fashion in the second by a score of 7-5.
Game 1: CSS 0, Gustavus 8 (F/5)
The Saints struggled from the plate in the first of two games Friday afternoon, accumulating just three hits in their five innings of action. After a scoreless first inning of pitching, Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) started to struggle in the second as Rachel Malo of Gustavus hit a two-run single to score the first runs of the game.
The Saints looked like they were going to have a second inning of their own, as Mizera lead off the inning with a double. Toni Bishop (Roseville, Minn./Roseville HS) followed Mizera's double with a single to right center to put runners on the corners with no one out. Pitcher Hannah Heacox and the rest of the Gusties got out of the inning, however, without the Saints putting a dent on the scoreboard.
Malo struck again in the fourth inning with yet another two-run single to further advance the Gustavus lead over the Saints. A solo homerun would also be hit in the fourth, making the score 5-0 in favor of the Gusties after four innings of play.
The Gusties piled across three more runs in the fifth inning, with none other than Rachel Malo singling in another run to add to her great day at the plate. Aly Freeman hit a double to center field, scoring Jena Willis and providing more run support for the home team. The 8-0 score would be enough to call the game after five innings of play, leaving the Saints with a lot of work to do if they were to turn it around in the second half of the doubleheader.
Game 2: CSS 7, Gustavus 5
Turning it around is exactly what they did. Despite not scoring until the fourth inning, the Saints managed to clean up their pitching and defensive play to keep them in the game. Gustavus struck first off the bat of Willis, who doubled home a run to get things going for the Gusties.
The scoring would seize until the fourth inning after the one-run first, which is when the Saints gained their first bit of momentum on the day. Hannah Borgeson (Woodville, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville HS) started the scoring for the Saints with a RBI-double to right center that would score Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS). Bishop followed up the Borgeson RBI with a single through the left side of the diamond, scoring her teammate to give the Saints a 2-1 lead.
Vanessa Kohl (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) kept rolling through the Gustavus lineup for the next two innings, allowing zero runs to help the Saints maintain their 2-1 lead. Things started to get out of hand in the bottom of the sixth for Kohl and company, however, as Gustavus regained control of the game thanks to a four-run inning. The Saints, who had just held a lead with two innings remaining, suddenly found themselves down three runs with one inning left.
One inning is all they would need. With the bases loaded and two outs, it was up to Borgeson to help the Saints get back in the game. Borgeson, who is no stranger to coming through in the clutch in intense situations, provided yet again for the Saints with a three-RBI double to tie the game at 5-5. Marjaana Dailey (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) then decided to join in on the fun, hitting a double of her own to score Borgeson and give the Saints the lead. The score would be extended to 7-5 after a Bishop double scored Dailey.
Jena O'Byrne (Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville HS), who had come in to relief Kohl in the sixth inning, came out strong and forced two outs to start the bottom of the seventh. An error would allow Gustavus' Ashley Beise to reach first with two down. She was followed up with back-to-back singles to load the bases with two outs in the last chance effort for the Gusties. An interference call would be made at shortstop, however, and the Saints squeaked out a much needed win to go even on the day.
O'Byrne, who pitched phenomenally in relief for CSS, earned her first win of the season. Kohl struck out eight batters and walked four in her five and two-thirds innings on the mound. Borgeson led the way offensively for the Saints, going 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs. Bremer and Bishop also turned around their game one performance as they both went 2-for-4 in the batter's box.
Up Next
The Saints hope to pick up right where they left off as they travel to Mankato, Minnesota for a Saturday afternoon matchup with the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings. The matchup is set to be a doubleheader yet again, making it four games in two days for the Saints. Game one will start at 1 p.m.
