The Gustavus softball team defeated Carleton 12-2 and 8-1 in Northfield on Saturday afternoon to improve to 14-2 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC. The Gusties were led by Rachael Click (So., Rochester, Minn.) who went 5-for-6 at the plate with four runs scored and six RBI. She also hit a two-run home run in game one. Joyce DeWitz (Sr., Good Thunder, Minn.) was the winning pitcher in both games.
In game one, Gustavus scored six runs in the first inning, three in the fourth, and three in the sixth to claim the 12-2 victory in six innings. Rachael Click sparked the six run first inning with a two-run home run. Abby Bernstein (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) hit her second home run of the season right after Click to give the Gusties a 4-0 lead. Erin Ge (Jr., Shorewood, Minn.) closed out the scoring in the first inning when she drove in two runs with a single. Click and Ge keyed the Gusties again in the fourth inning when Click drove in two runs with a single and Ge drove in Click with a double giving Gustavus a 9-0 lead. In the sixth inning, the Gusties scored three more times with Rachael Click recording her sixth RBI of the game with a single that scored Jessie Gabbert (So., Rochester, Minn.). The game was stopped after six innings due to the 8-run rule giving the Gusties a 12-2 victory. Joyce DeWitz was the winning pitcher. She threw three innings allowing three hits and no runs. Betsie Collins (Fy., Waseca, Minn.) pitched the final three innings allowing two runs (one earned) and scattering three hits.
In game two, Gustavus once again jumped out to an early lead scoring four times in the top of the first inning. Emily Klein (So., Red Wing, Minn.) and Tina Strauss (Sr., Red Wing, Minn.) each drove in two runs. The Gusties extended their lead to 6-0 in the top of the sixth inning when Click drove in Julie Mahre (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) with a single and Abby Bernstein drove in Click with a double. Gustavus closed out its scoring with two more runs in the seventh inning when Jenna Johnson (Fy., Shoreview, Minn.) hit a solo home run and Kelsey Droogsma (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) scored on a Carleton error. Joyce DeWitz pitched five and two-thirds innings allowing just two hits and no runs. Callie Nelsen (Fy., Willmar, Minn.) pitched the final inning and one-third allowing three hits and one run.
Gustavus hit three home runs on the day which pushed its season total to 19 tying the school record for home runs in a season. The Gusties have hit their 19 home runs in 16 games, while last season the squad hit 19 in 40 games. Rachael Click leads the way with six, followed by Julie Mahre with five. Seven different players have hit at least one home run.
The Gusties will now return home run to face St. Olaf on Monday afternoon at 4 pm.