Notables
-14 runs were scored in the seventh inning alone
-Howe breaks single-season records for hits, average and slugging percentage
-Aislind Dail (Sumner, Wash./Sumner HS) reached base safely in the final 23 games of the season
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica softball team put up seven runs in the seventh inning on Friday, but the rally came up short in an 11-8 loss to Bethany Lutheran College to eliminate the Saints from the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament.
How it Happened
The Vikings (21-16) took advantage of a CSS error in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Saints then stranded a runner at third in the bottom frame.
Bethany plated a run in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. After St. Scholastica stranded a runner at third in the fourth, the Vikings took advantage of another CSS error to make it 3-0 in the top of the fifth. The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the fifth on an
Olivia Howe (Scandia, Minn./Forest Lake HS) RBI double to make it 3-1.
However, Bethany got that run back with a two-out RBI in the sixth to make it a three-run margin again at 4-1.
The Vikings then opened up the contest with a seven-run top of the seventh to make it 11-1. However, St. Scholastica did not go down without a fight in the bottom of the seventh. The first six batters reached base in the inning with a RBI double from
Kari Breuer (White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake HS), a two-run single by Howe and a three-run home run by
Toni Bishop (Roseville, Minn./Roseville HS) to make it 11-7 with nobody out. After two outs,
Josie Fourre (Albany, Minn./Albany HS) had a RBI single to make it 11-8. The Saints eventually put the tying run at the plate, but a ground out ended the rally as the Vikings hung on for the 11-8 victory.
Howe Breaks Single-Season Records
Olivia Howe (Scandia, Minn./Forest Lake HS) went 3-for-3 with three RBIs on the day. She finishes the season with 66 hits, breaking the previous record of 64 set by Kristi Erickson in 2004. She also finishes with the highest single-season batting average in program history at .545, breaking Laura Heise's record of .518 set in 2005. She also finishes with the highest slugging percentage in a season at .950, breaking Erica Kozacek's record of .932 in 2007. Finally, Howe finishes with 56 RBIs, which ties the single-season program record with Bonnie Kowalczyk (2012).
End of Season
The Saints finish with an overall record of 32-8 and will say goodbye to five seniors in
Nicole Anders (Port Angeles, Wash./Sequim HS),
Toni Bishop (Roseville, Minn./Roseville HS),
Josie Fourre (Albany, Minn./Albany HS),
Alex Wurzer (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS) and
Kacie Bjerk (Roseau, Minn./Roseau HS).
It was the program's first 30-win season under Head Coach
Rilee Dawson and the eighth overall. The Saints will now prepare for their transition to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) next season.
For future information on the St. Scholastica softball program; keep checking csssaints.com.
