It was deja vu all over again as the Gustavus softball team won its first game of a MIAC doubleheader on Thursday 6-2 over Hamline and then had the second game suspended due to darkness with the score tied 7-7. This past Tuesday, the Gusties defeated St. Kate’s 5-3 in the first game and then had the second game suspended due to darkness with the score tied 6-6. Both suspended games will need to be completed at a later date with play picking up where it left off.
In the first game of the day, the Gusties jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Dani Cattrysse ripped a bases loaded single to right center field scoring Lisa Klass from third and Emily Wendorff from second. Gustavus would break the game open in the bottom of the fourth scoring four times to extend its lead to 6-0. Jenny Ewert drove in two of the four runs with a one out double and then Cattrysse picked up her second clutch hit of the day with a two-out single driving in two more runs giving her a total of 4 RBI in the game. The Pipers would bounce back in the top of the fifth scoring two runs on a two-out bases loaded single by Laura Randall. The Gusties would shut the Pipers down the rest of the way and claim the 6-2 victory. Kate Rentschler was the winning pitcher for Gustavus improving to 8-6 on the season. Rentschler scattered seven hits in seven innings allowing two earned runs while striking out four and walking five.
In the second game, the Gusties took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run by Emily Wendorff. Hamline bounced right back and tied the score at 2-2 on a two-run double by Kara Poirier. Gustavus scored three times in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run double by Jen Ulmen and a single by Kelly Myers that scored Ulmen. The Pipers battled back again scoring three times in the top of the fifth to tie the score at 5-5. Jackie Brigl drove in two runs with a double and Lauren Turitto scored the tying run on a successful squeeze bunt by Kara Poirier. The see-saw battle continued in the sixth when Hamline took a 6-5 lead when Brigl stroked a clutch two-out single that scored Randall from second base. With light becoming an issue in the bottom of the sixth, Gustavus rallied to take a 7-6 lead when Jenny Ewert doubled to right center field scoring Christina Riester and then Dani Cattrysse singled to score Ewert with the go-ahead run. Officials conferred after six innings and decided to continue in the fading light. Hamline used the opportunity to tie the score at 7-7 on a RBI double by Erin Farley. The officials decided to suspend the game due to darkness after the top half of the seventh inning. The game will be completed at a later date, however nothing has been scheduled at this time.