MANKATO, Minn. — The Gustavus softball team suffered a non-conference doubleheader sweep at the hands of Bethany Lutheran on Wednesday night. The Gusties lost game one 5-2 before being shutout in the second game, 2-0. The Gusties, still yet to play a conference game, drop to 4-6 overall heading into their annual spring trip in Florida on March 25.
Gustavus 2, Bethany Lutheran 5
After two early runs for both teams, the Gusties and Vikings played deadlocked at 2-2 for the majority of the game. A two-run fifth inning propelled Bethany past the Gusties to take the first of the doubleheader.
BLC got on the board first, scoring on a single to left in the first inning.
The Gusties responded in the second, tacking on what turned out to be the team's only two runs of the day.
Kayla Herda started the scoring play, sending a single up the middle to advance
Carly Nelson, who walked on the second at-bat of the inning. An
Olivia Guggenberger single to right field scored
Taylor Katzenmeyer, who ran for Nelson. A single off the bat of
Madi Mueller sent home Herda to give the Gusties their only lead of the day.
Bethany scored another in the bottom of the second to tie the game at two runs apiece. The Vikings added the final runs of game one in the bottom of the fifth, getting an RBI single and double off five hits in the inning.
The Gusties totaled five hits, led by Mueller who went 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI.
Carly Olson, Herda, and Guggenberger totaled the other three Gustie hits.
Maizie Anderson suffered the complete game loss, allowing three earned runs off eight hits.
Gustavus 0, Bethany Lutheran 2
Both teams' bats went silent in game two, as the two pitchers stole the spotlight, allowing a combined seven hits in the game. Single runs in the second and third were enough to seal the deal for the Vikings, who completed the sweep with a 2-0 win.
Neither team managed a hit until the bottom of the second, when Bethany led off with a single. A wild pitch, walk, stolen base, and fielder's choice eventually led to the first BLC run of the game – the eventual game-winner.
The Gusties managed two of their four hits in the subsequent inning, as Guggenberger and Mueller each posted a single. A line out to second left both players on base.
Bethany added the final run of the game in the third inning, scoring on a fielder's choice.
The Gusties, with bases loaded in the top of the seventh, had a chance to steal the game away, but couldn't close things out, leaving two on base to end the game in favor of the Vikings.
Ava Hamsund allowed two runs off only three hits in her second loss of the season, striking out five batters in the game. Bethany's Kayla Senne held Gustavus to four total hits in game two. Mueller, Olafsson, Olson, and Guggenberger led the team at the plate with one apiece.
The Gusties are off for the next 12 days, next heading to Clermont, Fla. from March 25-28. The team will face Kalamazoo College at 11:15 AM (CST) to start the spring trip.
