SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College softball team battled the Bethel University Royals on Saturday in a conference doubleheader for their regular season finale. The Gusties split with the Royals, falling 4-1 in game one but rebounding to win a 6-0 shutout in game two to move to 20-18 overall and 13-9 in the MIAC.
The win in the second game secured the No. 4 seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs next week for the Gusties, setting up an opening round game at home next Thursday.
Game One
Bethel jumped out to a quick lead in the opening game, scoring one earned run and then capitalizing on a Gustavus error to score three more unearned runs in the top of the first.
Madison Westover put the Gusties on the board in the fourth inning, blasting a solo shot high up and over the wall in left field on the first pitch of the at-bat to lead off the inning.
The Royals held Gustavus scoreless the rest of the way to take game one 4-1.
Game Two
In the second game of the series, both teams held each other hitless until the Gusties offense caught fire in the fourth inning to score all six of their runs.
Following a leadoff single by
Lauren Lambert,
Paige Gritzmaker kicked off Gustavus' scoring frenzy with a two-run home run to left, putting the Gusties up 2-0.
Three batters later,
Breck Carlson drove in the third run of the inning with an RBI single to left center, driving in
Macy McNally from second.
The Royals changed pitchers and then got the first out of the inning, but in the next at-bat
Katelyn Kasper drove in
Macy Lembke from second for the fourth run of the inning.
Bethel managed to then get the second out, but then
Caitlin Olafsson capped off the six-run inning with an RBI double to the right centerfield wall, scoring
Breck Carlson and
Taylor Katzenmeyer and giving the Gusties a 6-0 lead.
That one big inning was more than enough for Gustavus to win the game as
Maizie Anderson shut out the Royals, allowing just one hit while striking out four through seven scoreless innings.
Up Next
Gustavus will battle the St. Catherine Wildcats at home in Saint Peter this Thursday, May 7 at 4:30 p.m. on the opening day of the MIAC Playoffs.
