The Gustavus softball team earned a doubleheader split with Hamline in St. Paul on Thursday, winning game one 10-1 and losing game two 9-6. The Gusties scored in each inning en route to a five-inning game one victory. Hamline, which scored eight runs in the first three innings, held off a late Gustavus rally for a win in game two for the series split.
Paige Hays hit her first collegiate home run in the top of the second inning with two outs after Dani Cattrysse ripped a two-out double to give Gustavus a 3-1 lead. With the bases loaded in the third inning, Leigh Weber added to the Gustie margin by delivering a two-RBI single, driving in Rachael Click and Andrea Brown. Gustavus scored another run later in the inning after a Piper error.
Callie Nelsen took after with the 6-1 lead as she allowed only two baserunners in remaining Piper at-bats. Nelsen scattered four hits and allowed one earned run for her eighth win of the season. Rachael Click and Dani Cattrysse each went 2-for-3 from the plate as Click scored three runs and Cattrysse hit two doubles.
The Gustavus offense remained hot in game two as Julie Mahre led off the game with a solo home run. Coach Jeff Annis’ squad added another run when Emily Wendorff drove in Emily Klein with a single to right field. Hamline’s Ashley Anderberg capped off a five-run Hamline rally with a three-run home run after Sophie Davidson started the offense with a triple. The Pipers extended their lead to 7-2 in the second inning when Davidson hit a two-run home run off of Erin Truebenbach.
The Gusties gradually cut the deficit to 8-6 with four runs in the next four innings, but Davidson hit her second home run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring the margin back to three runs. Gustavus had numerous opportunities during the game to score runs, but were unable to get the key hits as 10 runners were stranded on base, including two in the top of the seventh inning.
Truebenbach suffered her first loss of the season as she gave up seven runs on six hits in two innings of work. Betsie Collins pitched four innings of relief and allowed two runs on five hits, while striking out seven batters. Emily Klein went a perfect 4-for-4 offensively with two RBI, two runs, and two doubles. Leigh Weber also went 3-for-3 from the plate, driving in one run.
Gustavus, which fell to 18-6 overall and 8-4 in the MIAC, will host doubleheaders against Saint Benedict on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Carleton on Sunday at 1 p.m.