Bartow, FL - The Saints softball team continued their Spring Games tour in Florida with a doubleheader that consisted of games vs Earlham College that resulted in a big 11-0 victory and the second against Carthage College, which ended in a 8-6 win for the Saints.
Game One: CSS 11, Earlham College 0
The Saints started their day against the Quakers of Earlham College, as there was a rain delay, which ultimately switched the order of the games.
The Saints started their day very strong by tallying three runs in the first inning. Callie Casura (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School) connected on a single to right field early on, moving Payton Lang (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS) to third base. Recognizing an opportunity, Casura stole second, and the Quakers followed with a throwing error, allowing Lang to score and putting the Saints on the board with a 1-0 lead.
The Saints capitalized on a series of throwing errors by the catcher in the first inning. Lauren Laviano (Maplewood, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) advanced to second base after the first throwing error and was soon moved to third. Casura scored on the throwing error, putting the Saints ahead 2-0. Lindsey Ewer (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown High School) reached first and advanced to second on another throwing error, allowing Laviano to score, pushing the lead to 3-0.
The Saints dominated the second inning. It all started with a fielding error by Earlham's shortstop, which allowed Lilly Hart (Proctor, MN/Proctor High School) to reach first base. In the next play, Sami Ernst (Forest Lake, MN./Forest Lake HS) hit a triple to right field, allowing Hart to score, making it 4-0.
The Saints were eager to extend their lead with the bases now loaded. Casura hit a sacrifice fly to right field, which advanced Lang to second base, Emma Bolin (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Millennium HS) to third, and Enrst across home base, making the tally 5-0.
With one out and players on second and third, the Saints were looking to capitalize on the scoring opportunity and extend their lead. Laviano was up to bat, hoping to deliver a timely hit that would bring both runners home. She hit a ground out to shortstop, which helped advance Lang to third and Bolin to home plate, making the score 6-0.
Ewer had a big hit to left field, making it to second base, while Lang made her way home to secure the score of 7-0. Ewer capitalized on the opportunity and stole third base, putting herself just one step away from adding another run for the Saints.
Anna Azure (Brooklyn Park, MN/Osseo High School) connected for a single up the middle of the field, driving in Ewer to score and pushing the lead to 8-0. The final play of this dominant inning came when Madi Glienke (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo Sheyenne HS) hit a double to right field, sending in Azure to score to extend the lead to 9-0.
The third inning got off to a slow start but picked up toward the end when Casura singled, bringing in both Bolin and Ernst while advancing Lang to second, bringing the overall tally to 11-0.
The Saints dominated defensively, shutting down the Quakers for the remainder of the game sealing their victory.
Game Two: CSS 8, Carthage College 6
The second game of the day started off slow for the Saints, as the Firebirds of Carthage College tallied the first run of the game in the first inning by a triple to center field, which advanced a runner on third to make it 0-1.
The Saints tallied a hit to center field from Victoria Nelson (Lake Elmo, Minn./Mahtomedi High School) in the second inning, but a double play from the Firebirds shut down their chance of getting a run. The Firebirds continued their pressure, by registering two runs off a single out to the pitcher to make it 0-3.
The Firebirds didn't hold back in the third, and after an unsuccessful inning from the Saints, they increased their lead to 0-5 after a double through the left side as they kept on tallying points. They didn't stop there, with their runner on third base stealing home, making it 0-6.
With a win not looking in their favor, the Saints stepped up in the fourth inning. Jadyn Lind (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS) singled to center field, which advanced Samantha Paniagua (Corona, Calif./Centennial HS) to second and brought Casura home for their first run of the game. Megan Bussey (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) then followed with a single to center field again, which brought Paniagua home to make the score 2-6, as the tide of the game shifted.
An unsuccessful fourth inning from the Firebirds and work to do in the fifth, the Saints stepped up again. Nelson reached on a fielder's choice, driving in a run as Lang scored an unearned run to make it 3-6; meanwhile, Paniagua advanced to second, but Casura was thrown out at third on a play from the shortstop to the third baseman.
The Saints increased their momentum significantly with a huge sixth inning. Bolin singled to right field, advancing Ernst and Bussey home for a score of 4-6. Lang then singled to center field, advancing Bolin to third while Ernst scored a run, making it 5-6. To complete the comeback, Casura singled to right field which gave Bolin the chance to make it home, which she did. The score after the sixth inning was tied 6-6.
With the seventh and final inning coming up, the Firebirds could not handle the momentum from the Saints. Bolin singled to left field, allowing Aryn Blumenthal (Linwood, Minn./Forest Lake HS) and Bussey to cross home, taking the lead with a huge 8-6 win over the Firebirds of Carthage College.
Up Next - The Saints (4-4, 0-0) will continue Wednesday, March 12 at 9 a.m. with a double header against Hood College (MD) and Nichols College (MA).
