ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. — The St. Scholastica softball team split a high-scoring doubleheader at Crown on Wednesday, falling in a back-and-forth opener before responding with a decisive win in game two.
The Saints dropped the first game 14–13 in a game that featured multiple momentum swings and a combined 27 runs. St. Scholastica erased an early deficit with a four-run fourth inning to tie the game, then later battled back from down 8–4 with four runs in the sixth to even things at 8–8. Crown answered with a five-run bottom half of the inning, aided by a pair of Saints errors, to regain control.
St. Scholastica mounted one final push in the seventh, scoring five runs to tie the game at 13–13, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Anna Azure (Brooklyn Park, MN/Osseo HS) and additional run-producing at-bats throughout the lineup. However, Crown delivered a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
The Saints totaled 13 hits and drew eight walks in the opener. Katelyn Hackman (Oakdale, MN/Tartan HS) led the way with three hits and three runs scored, while Azure drove in two runs and scored twice. Aleah Shogren (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji HS) also contributed three RBIs at the plate.
St. Scholastica responded in the second game with one of its most complete performances of the season, rolling to an 11–1 victory in six innings. The Saints pounded out 17 hits and scored in five different innings, including a six-run sixth to put the game away.
Victoria Nelson (Lake Elmo, MN/Mahtomedi HS) paced the offense with a perfect 4-for-4 game, scoring three times and adding an RBI. Lindsey Ewer (Hermantown, MN/Hermantown HS) added three hits and drove in three runs, while Sami Ernst (Forest Lake, MN./Forest Lake HS) and Adie Potratz (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji HS) each collected multiple hits.
In the circle, Shogren delivered a strong outing, allowing just one run on five hits over six innings to earn the win.
With the split, the Saints move to 6-14 overall and will continue MIAC play with a doubleheader at Augsburg on Saturday afternoon.
