Jenna Johnson celebrates with Coach Annis after hitting a home run in the first game.
Emily Klein, shown here on second base, set a school record with seven RBI in the second game.
Betsie Collins gets set to fire a pitch in game one.
Third baseman Andrea Brown throws a runner out at first base.
The Gustavus softball team extended its winning streak to six games with a convincing sweep over Augsburg on Saturday afternoon in St. Peter by the scores of 11-0 and 13-3. Both games were halted after five innings due to the 8-run rule. Emily Klein was the hitting star for the Gusties as she was 5-for-6 in the two games with six runs scored and eight RBI. Klein was 3-for-4 in the second game as she drove in a school record seven runs with two home runs, and a triple. Gustavus improved to 15-3 overall and 4-0 in the MIAC, while Augsburg dropped to 2-20 overall and 0-4 in the MIAC.
Gustavus jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two innings in game one and then broke the game open with seven runs in the fourth inning. Rachael Click’s bases-loaded triple and Jenna Johnson’s solo home run sparked the seven-run outburst in the fourth. Betsie Collins threw all five innings for the Gusties allowing two hits, striking out eight and walking two. Collins improved to 5-2 on the season with a 1.40 earned run average. Emily Klein led the Gusties at the plate as she was 2-for-2 including a double and three runs scored.
In game two, Emily Klein got the Gusties off to a fast start as she hit the second pitch of the game out of the park (approximately 235 feet) for a 1-0 Gustavus lead. Jenny Ewert followed with a triple to right field and then Rachael Click drove Ewert home with a sacrifice fly to give the Gusties a 2-0 lead. Emily Klein stepped to the plate in the second inning with runners on first and second base with two outs and hit another towering home run to left field to give Gustavus a 5-0 lead. The Gusties were leading 9-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Emily Klein put the finishing touches on her record-breaking day as she drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple to right centerfield. Klein’s seven RBI in the second game set a new school record, breaking the old mark of five, which was held by five different players. Gustavus led 13-1 through four innings, but Augsburg countered with two runs in the top of the fifth and the Gusties claimed the 13-3 victory in five innings. Callie Nelsen pitched all five innings for Gustavus allowing three runs on six hits, while striking out four and walking one. Nelsen improved to 5-0 on the season with an earned run average of 1.81. Several hitters joined Klein on the hit parade as Jenny Ewert was 2-for-3 with a pair of triples, and Kelly Myers and Lisa Klass each went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
Notes:
Gustavus has now won 11 of its last 12 games and the Gusties have out-scored their opponents 74-24 during that stretch.
Emily Klein extended her current hitting streak to 18 games with hits in each game against Augsburg. Klein, who is currently hitting .500 with 30 hits in 60-at-bats, has hit safely in each of the 18 games that Gustavus has played this season.
The Gusties have hit 13 triples in 18 games this season. In comparison, last year’s team hit six triples in 38 games. The school record for triples in a season by a team is 26 set in 2006. Audrey Lenoch holds the individual school record for triples in a season with eight. Emily Klein has hit four this season, while Rachael Click has three, Jenny Ewert has two.
Gustavus is currently hitting .390 as a team, which is tied for fourth in all of Division III. The Gusties have pounded out 191 hits in 490 at-bats. The team has also shown the ability to hit for power as it is currently posting a .537 slugging percentage. The Gusties have hit 39 doubles, 13 triples, and 12 home runs.