The Gustavus softball team went a combined 1-3 in a pair of doubleheaders against non-conference opponents Loras College and UW-River Falls over the weekend. The Gusties split Loras on Friday night, falling 7-6 in game one and winning 9-1 in game two. UW-River Falls swept the Gusties on Saturday with 18-5 and 1-0 wins. Both doubleheaders took place at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minn. Gustauvs is currently 3-7 overall on the season.
In game one against Loras, the Gusties went down five runs (6-1) by the end of the first inning. The Duhawks knocked pitcher Kate Rentschler around for nine hits in the first three innings. Gustavus battled back to make it a two-run game (6-4) by the end of the sixth inning, scoring a run in the fourth and two in the sixth. Lisa Klass and Jenny Ewert started the top of the seventh with back-to-back singles to set the table. After a sacrifice bunt by Kirsten Prunty, Emily Wendorff and Kelly Meyers knocked in Klass and Ewert with consecutive singles, tying the game at 6-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Sara Palczynki walked to get a runner on base. She advanced to second on a passed ball, then scored the game-winning run after a pair of wild pitches.
Kate Rentschler went the complete game for Gustavus, allowing 11 hits and giving up seven runs, five of which were earned. Rentschler led the Gusties at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBI.
The Gusties turned the tables in game two, jumping out to a 7-1 lead by the end of the third inning. Three Gusties recorded a multiple-hit game including Ewert, Wendorff, and Brittany Brenke. Ewert went 3-for-3 with two runs, Wendorff went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a run, and Brenke went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs. Brenke scored in the bottom of the fifth on an error to put the eight-run rule into effect, giving Gustavus the victory. Rentschler got the win on the hill, going four innings, giving up one run on three hits.
Gustavus 9 def. Loras 1 (5 inn.)
UW-River falls used a pair of four-run innings in the third and the fourth to take a 10-3 lead on the Gusties in game one. Rentschler was wild to start the game, walking nine batters and giving up 10 runs (6 earned) on eight hits in four innings. The Falcons put the game out of reach with an eight-run sixth inning. The Gusties answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, yet were still within the eight-run rule. Ewert led the Gusties at the dish, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs.
UW-River Falls 18 def. Gustavus 5
After a barn-burner of a contest in game one, game two with UW-River Falls could not have been a lower-scoring affair. The lone run of the contest would come on a home run by Dana Book in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gustavus recorded a hit in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn’t find a way to bring the runner in to score.
Rentschler suffered the loss, giving up the lone run on just two hits in six innings. Sam Breneman led the Gusties by going 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
UW-River Falls 1 def. Gustavus 0
The Gustavus softball team will travel to St. Cloud, Minn. this weekend to take on Valley City State and UM-Morris on the campus of the University of St. Cloud. On March 5, the Gusties will take on Valley City State at 3:00 p.m. and UM-Morris at 5:00 p.m. They will close the weekend on Saturday, March 6, with a doubleheader against Valley City beginning at 7:00 p.m.