MANKATO, Minn. – The St. Scholastica softball team concluded the Bethany Lutheran Invitational this afternoon in another day of doubleheaders against Buena Vista University and the host college Bethany Lutheran College. The Saints picked up a victory in their first contest by a score of 3-2.
Game One: CSS: 3, Buena Vista University: 2
Lindsey Ewer (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown High School) got off to a good start on the mound in the top of the first inning, as she retired the Beavers in order.
Emma Bolin (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Millennium HS) recorded a leadoff walk, then later stole second to put herself in scoring position. With two outs in the inning, Lauren Laviano (Maplewood, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) drove in Bolin on an RBI single to give the Saints an early 1-0 lead.
After Ewer kept the Beavers scoreless in their half of the second inning, Bolin drove in Madi Glienke (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo Sheyenne HS), who reached base on a Beavers error, to expand the Saints lead to 2-0.
The Saints had a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the bottom of the third inning, as Payton Lang (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS), Jadyn Lind (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS), and Ashley Matejka (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS (Wartburg College)) all got on base, but the Saints would strand all three, still leading 2-0 after three innings.
Ewer continued her success through the middle stages of the contests, as through five innings, the Beavers were still looking for their first run.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Beavers were able to crack the scoreboard for the first time, bringing two runners across on two hits, as the game was now tied at 2-2 entering the bottom of the seventh.
Bolin began the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff single, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Lang to move Bolin to second base. After Katelyn Hackman (Oakdale, MN/Tartan High School) reached base after being hit by a pitch, Matejka would bring across Bolin for the winning run, as the Saints captured a 3-2 victory over the Beavers.
Game Two: Bethany Lutheran 12, CSS: 3
Matejka was handed the start for the second game on the day, and she was able to get off to a hot start, striking out the first batter she faced en route to a scoreless first inning.
The Saints picked up a pair of hits in their half of the first inning from Bolin and Hackman, but were unable to bring across any runs.
Matejka was able to finish off the top of the second in style, as the Saints defense turned a 5-4-3 double play to silence the Viking offense.
The Vikings were able to break the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning, as five runs came across on six hits, with the Vikings capturing a 5-0 lead.
Bolin and Hackman both singled in the bottom of the third inning to put a pair of runners on for the Saints with one out. Moments later, Laviano drove in a run on an RBI single, followed by a two-RBI single from Samantha Paniagua (Corona, Calif./Centennial HS) cut the Saints deficit to 5-3 after the third.
Bethany Lutheran added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning on a two-RBI double, making the score 7-3.
After the Saints were retired in order in the bottom of the fifth, the Vikings offense came alive for five runs in the top of the sixth, picking up enough runs to close out the contest with a 12-3 victory over CSS in today's second game.
Up Next
The Saints (1-3, 0-0) will be back in action on Sunday, March 9, where they will take part in The Spring Games held in Bartow, Florida. CSS will play a doubleheader on day one, taking on Kean University (NJ) and Beloit College (WI) with action starting at 10:30 a.m.
