LOS ANGELES – The Gustavus Adolphus College softball team battled the Occidental College Tigers in a doubleheader on Thursday in the final two games of their spring break trip to California. The Gusties rallied to win both games, sweeping the Tigers with 4-3 and 4-2 wins to improve to 7-7 overall this season.
Game One
The Gusties scored in back-to-back innings to go up 2-0.
Caitlin Olafsson drove in
Olivia Guggenberger from third in the third inning and
Taylor Katzenmeyer hit an RBI single down the left field line in the fourth to score
Kiah Helget.
Occidental responded in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk and then a two-run single one batter later to take a 3-2 lead.
In the sixth,
Paige Gritzmaker was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a
Madison Westover double. With runners on second and third, Katzenmeyer singled up the middle on a full count to tie the game at 3-3.In the next at-bat, the Gusties took a 4-3 lead as pinch-runner
Breck Carlson scored on a fielders choice.
Hailey Petzel closed out the game in the circle, earning the 4-3 win by pitching 3.2 shutout innings in relief, allowing just two hits while striking out three.
Game Two
The first three batters of game two reached as the Gusties loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. A double-play halted Gustavus' momentum, but Olafsson scored to put the Gusties up 1-0.
The Tigers responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, driving in one with a single up the middle and scoring another on a bases-loaded wild pitch to go up 2-1.
Gustavus rallied in the fourth, starting just as the rally in the sixth inning of game one did with Gritzmaker being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The Gusties managed to load the bases and, with two outs, Olafsson hammered a bases-clearing double to left center to drive in three runs and give Gustavus a 4-2 lead with one swing of the bat.
Ava Hamsund took care of the rest from the circle, finishing a complete-game performance to earn the win. The junior allowed just two runs and three hits in seven innings of work, striking out eight along the way.
Up Next
Gustavus will fly home to Minnesota where they will prepare for their home opener on Wednesday, April 1 in a doubleheader against the Carleton College Knights beginning at 3:30 p.m.
