WINONA, Minn. — The Gustavus softball team ended its season in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals Saturday, falling to No. 1-seeded Saint Mary's 3-1. The Gusties finish the season with a record of 23-19 overall, marking the second year in a row the team totaled more than 20 wins in a season.
Much like the pair of regular season games between the Gusties and the Cardinals, Saturday's semifinal started as a pure pitching duel between
Maizie Anderson and the Cardinals' Mikayla Steffes. The two underclassmen aces pitched three complete scoreless innings to start the game, allowing just one hit between the two.
A two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning proved to be the difference maker in the low-scoring affair. Saint Mary's led the bottom of the fourth off with a single to left field off Anderson. A passed ball advanced the runner to second for Heather Nordlund, who sent her fifth home run of the year over the right field fence.
The Gusties responded in the fifth, as their only scoring play started with a
Lauren Lambert single up the middle.
Greta Dahlen followed with a single of her own through the left side. A fielder's choice put
Izzy Reuvers on base, throwing pinch runner
Taylor Katzenmeyer out at third.
Macy McNally stepped up to the plate with two on and belted a single through the left side, scoring Dahlen.
Madi Mueller was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to load the bases, but the Gusties stranded three as Steffes struck
Olivia Guggenberger out swinging to end the inning.
Saint Mary's added another in the fifth on a bases loaded walk, but Anderson kept the damage at a minimum, getting a fly out to short to end the inning with three Cardinals still on base. Steffes sent the Gusties three up-three down in the top of the sixth, leaving any hopes at a GAC comeback to the seventh inning. Dahlen sent a one-out single to center to get on base, followed by a five-pitch walk to
Izzy Reuvers. McNally flied out to right field, bringing up
Madi Mueller and the top of the batting order. Mueller, in what turned out to be her final collegiate at-bat, lined out to short to leave the go-ahead runs on base and end the game in favor of the Cardinals.
Greta Dahlen accounted for two of the Gusties' four hits, going 2-for-3 with a run. Lambert and McNally chipped in the other two. Gustavus graduates two seniors in Reuvers and Mueller, who will be missed in both the field and at the plate. Reuvers finished her career starting all four of her final games at second, while Mueller, known for her impressive plays in center field, finished her career with 145 hits from the lead-off spot for the Gusties.
Saint Mary's advances to the MIAC Playoff Championship to be played later Saturday afternoon, with a chance at advancing to the NCAA Softball Tournament.
