WINONA Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College softball team battled the No. 4 nationally ranked Saint Mary's University Cardinals on the road Saturday in a conference doubleheader. The Gusties dropped both games to the Cardinals, falling 6-3 and 4-3 to move to 11-11 overall and 4-2 in the MIAC.
Game One
Paige Gritzmaker gave Gustavus a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, driving in Caitlin Olaffson from second with an RBI single to left.
Saint Mary's responded with four runs in the bottom of the second to go up 4-1. The Cardinals added a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 6-1 lead going into the sixth.
In the top of the sixth frame,
Madison Westover blasted a two-run home run to left to cut Saint Mary's lead to 6-3.
The Cardinals retired the next five Gustie batters to take game one of the doubleheader.
Game Two
Saint Mary's scored once in the third and twice in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead over Gustavus in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Gusties broke through in the fifth inning to tie the game. Each of the first three batters reached base safely to load the bases for
Lauren Lambert, who drove in the first run of the game for Gustavus with an RBI single to left.
With the bases still loaded and no outs, the Cardinals made a pitching change as Gritzmaker stepped to the plate. The sophomore continued her tremendous week at the plate in the big moment, shooting the ball into the outfield down the left field line to drive in two with an RBI double to tie the game at 3-3. Saint Mary's then got the next two batters to pop out before
Carly Olson drew a walk to load the bases again. This time the Cardinals were able to escape the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Saint Mary's doubled to right to lead off the inning, moved into scoring position on a groundout, and then scored on a flyout due to an error to retake the lead up 4-3. The Cardinals got the final three Gustavus batters 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to secure the narrow win over the Gusties.
Up Next
Gustavus will return home to Saint Peter to take on Macalester on Sunday, April 12 in a MIAC doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. at the Gusties' softball field.
