The Gustavus softball team opened up its MIAC season with a doubleheader sweep over Bethel on Wednesday afternoon in Arden Hills, Minn. Gustavus defeated the Royals 10-4 in game one, and 3-1 in game two. Betsie Collins got the win in game one, as Erin Truebenbach pitched a complete game for the win in game two. Lisa Klass had a good day at the plate, as she went 5-for-7 with a double and four runs. Gustavus is now 7-5 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC, while Bethel drops to 8-10 overall and 0-2 in the MIAC.
In game one, Gustavus jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, as the Gusties scored five runs on four hits in the first inning, and three runs on three hits in the second. Lisa Klass led off the game with a double and was driven in by Kirsten Prunty one batter later for the opening run of the game. Klass was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs, while Prunty was 1-for-2 with one run and three RBIs. Emily Wendorff also had a good day at the dish, going 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs.
Bethel got three runs on five hits in the bottom of the third, and one run on one hit in the fifth. Collins pitched all seven innings, giving up 11 hits, four earned runs, and striking out 10. Bethel’s Nea Harkness suffered the loss in game one, as she gave up seven earned runs on 14 hits. Collins improved her season record to 2-4, while Harkness drops to 0-5.
In game two, the Gusties got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning when an Andrea Brown single to right-center scored Wendorff, giving Gustavus a 1-0 lead. The Gusties kept the bats rolling in the fifth inning as well, scoring two runs on three hits. The lone Bethel run would come in the sixth, on an RBI double by Rebecca Akerson, making the score 3-1 after six complete. Klass had another good game at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run.
Truebenbach got all three outs on 1-3 groundouts to close the game. She pitched a complete game, giving up one earned run on five hits, and struck out three. The losing pitcher was Akerson, who went all seven innings, giving up one earned run on nine hits. Truebenbach improves to 2-0 on the season, while Akerson is now 5-2.
Top Gustavus hitters on the day also included Jenny Ewert and Andrea Brown. Ewert was 5-for-8 with three runs, while Brown was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Gustavus committed no errors on the day, and did not strike out once in game one.
The Gustavus softball team will take on UW-La Crosse in a doubleheader on Thursday, April 1st, at 3:00pm in La Crosse, Wisc.