Photo courtesy of Natalie Arians, Assistant Director of the MIAC
Shoreview, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team found its bats stymied by St. Thomas starting pitcher Kendra Bowe in Friday’s second round MIAC Playoff game. The Tommies used a seven-run fourth inning to cruise to a 9-0 win in five innings over the Gusties, handing them their first loss of the tournament. With the win, St. Thomas improves to 2-0 in the tournament and will wait to take the winner of Saturday’s opening game between Gustavus and Saint Mary’s.
After a scoreless first inning, Gustavus threatened in the top of the second. With runners on first and second with two out, Bowe was able to bear down and get Shelby Nosan to ground out and put an end to the threat.
St. Thomas put two runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. Jenna Hoffman and Emily Gregory scored the two unearned runs for the Tommies, taking advantage of two Gustavus errors in the inning.
Disaster struck in the bottom of the fourth for the Gusties. After Gustavus got the lead-off batter to ground out, St. Thomas rallied to score seven runs on six hits while taking advantage of one Gustavus error. Erin Musset came up with a bases-clearing, three-run triple to cap off the scoring and give the Tommies a 9-0 advantage.
Sam Breneman led the Gusties with a 2-for-2 game at the plate. Jen Ulmen recorded Gustavus’ other hit in the game.
Gustie starter pitcher Sarah Rozell suffered her first loss to a conference opponent after allowing nine runs (zero earned runs) on nine hits in three and two-thirds innings. Rozell is now 16-3 on the season. Bowe improved to 21-0 with the win for the Tommies.
The Gustavus softball team will face Saint Mary’s in an elimination game on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. at the Rice Creek Fields in Shoreview.