MANKATO, Minn. – The St. Scholastica softball team opened its season south of the metro in Mankato in the Bethany Lutheran Invitational. The Saints faced the Eagles from Wisconsin-La Crosse and Nebraska Wesleyan University. CSS fell in both of their opening games on Saturday, falling to the Eagles by a score of 10-2 and the Prairie Wolves by a score of 8-0.
Game One: Wisconsin-La Crosse: 10, CSS: 2
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in their half of the first inning, scoring a run on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead over CSS.
A one-out single from Payton Lang (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS) and a walk from Madi Glienke (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo Sheyenne HS) gave the Saints a chance to respond in the early moments of the top of the second inning. After Lang and Glienke moved up on a double steal, Lang was able to score on a passed ball and Glienke would come across on a bases loaded walk, as the Saints led 2-1 after an inning and a half of play.
An RBI triple from the Eagles in their half of the inning tied things up at 2-2 after two innings.
Ashley Matejka (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS (Wartburg College)) was able to set aside the Eagles in the bottom of the third inning, striking out a pair, as the game remained at 2-2.
The Eagles were able to add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on five hits, breaking the tie game and taking a 5-2 lead over the Saints.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Eagles were able to bring across five more runs in the inning, logging six hits in the inning, as the Eagles came away with a 10-2 victory after five innings.
Game Two: Nebraska Wesleyan: 8, CSS: 0
Emma Bolin (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Millennium HS) and Jadyn Lind (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS) both recorded base hits in the top of the first inning, but the Saints would stand a pair of runners with the game remaining scoreless.
The Prairie Wolves were able to bring across the first runs of the contest, scoring two runs in the inning to take an early lead over the Saints.
Aleah Shogren (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji High School) was given the start in the second game, and she was able to retire the Prairie Wolves in the bottom of the second inning with ease.
A pair of hits for the Saints in the top of the third from Bolin and Katelyn Hackman (Oakdale, MN/Tartan High School) gave the Saints an opportunity to get back into the contest, but it would be for not, as the Saints came up empty handed, still trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning.
Nebraska Wesleyan added to their total in the bottom of the third inning, bringing in two more runs on two hits, expanding their lead to 4-0.
After the Saints were retired in the top of the fourth inning, Nebraska Wesleyan responded with a four-run fourth inning to make the score 8-0.
CSS was unable to bring across a run in the top of the fifth inning, as the Prairie Wolves took the second game of the doubleheader by a score of 8-0.
Up Next
The Saints (0-2, 0-0) will be back in action on Sunday, where they will play another doubleheader against Buena Vista University and Bethany Lutheran College.
