SAINT PETER, Minn. — Wednesday's doubleheader between the Gusties and the Bennies was a tale of two stories, as game one highlighted stellar pitching performances on both sides, and game two featured a combined 21 hits from two of the MIAC's top teams. Conference-leading Saint Benedict earned the victory in game one, 2-0, but were met with the Gustie bats in the rematch, as the home team prevailed 9-7. With just one series left to play in the regular season, the Gusties are 20-18 overall and 14-6 in the MIAC.
Gustavus 0, Saint Benedict 2
Two runs in the fifth inning were enough for the Bennies to claim their 16th conference win of the season, as Bennie pitcher Ellie Peterson held the Gusties to just two hits, striking out eight batters in the process. Peterson and
Maizie Anderson dueled in the circles, exchanging six scoreless innings.
The two aces worked like clockwork, posting a number of three-up three-down innings. The Gusties got their first hit of the game off the bat of
Lauren Lambert, who belted a two-out single to left field, but was left on base after a Peterson strikeout.
Caitlin Olafsson accounted for the other Gustie hit, singling to center field, but Peterson once again struck the Gusties out to silence the threat.
Saint Benedict led the fifth inning off with a single down the left field line, and advanced their runner on a sacrifice bunt and a single to second. A perfectly laid bunt scored the eventual game-winner, while an RBI single scored the second of two.
Maizie Anderson's seven-game conference win streak came to an end against the Bennies, earning the complete game loss, allowing two earned runs off six hits and striking out two batters.
Gustavus 9, Saint Benedict 7
The Gustie bats came back alive in game two, scoring runs in every inning but the sixth to pick up the crucial MIAC split.
Kayla Herda set the tone early, blasting a double to right center in the first inning to score
Madi Mueller, who walked to get on base. After a hit-by-pitch and another walk, the bases were juiced for
Lauren Lambert, who picked up her team-leading 30th walk of the season to score the second Gustie run. A fielder's choice brought home
Caitlin Olafsson to bring the lead to 3-0 after one inning of play.
The Bennies scratched one across in the second, scoring off an RBI single to right center. The Gusties, unfazed, responded with two more runs of their own, as Herda picked up another RBI, this time a single up the middle to score Mueller, who led the inning off with a single of her own. A
Carly Olson single down the left field line tallied the fifth Gustie run of the day.
The Bennies scored two in the third to cut the lead to 5-3, as a single to right resulted in both runs.
Greta Dahlen shined in the bottom of the third, sending a stand-up double to right center, advancing to third on a wild pitch, and scoring on an error by the Bennie catcher for a 6-3 advantage. Herda added her third hit of the game, a single to right field, to score
Macy McNally and end the inning up four.
A solo homer to right center was all the Bennies could muster in the fourth, while a sacrifice fly from McNally added another for the Black & Gold. CSB added two in the fifth off a double to left center, while the Gusties tacked on their final run of the day in the bottom of the inning off an Olson RBI double. Saint Benedict scored one more in the sixth off an RBI single, but it wasn't enough to catch the Gusties, who picked up their 20th win of the season in the split.
Herda went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, while
Greta Dahlen added a trio of hits of her own. Mueller and Olson chipped in a pair of hits to account for the remainder of the team's 10.
Ava Hamsund earned the win in the circle, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing four earned runs off nine hits. Meanwhile, Anderson wasn't done for the day after game one, picking up her first career save, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing one run, and striking out two batters to preserve the Gustie lead.
The Gusties currently sit in fourth place in the conference, trailing Bethel, Saint Benedict, and Saint Mary's, and have clinched a spot in the MIAC Playoffs. With one regular season series remaining, a sweep could help the team clinch home-field advantage.
