Shortstop Shelby Nosan attempts to catch a Tommie stealing. (Photo courtesy of Morgan Stock - Sport Pix)
St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team dropped a pair of close games to conference leader St. Thomas on Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Softball Field. The 20th-ranked Tommies took game one by the final score of 5-3 before shutting out the Gusties 3-0 in game two. With today’s results, Gustavus drops to 13-11 overall and 7-3 in the MIAC, while St. Thomas improves to 23-5 overall and 11-1 in league play.
Game 1 – St. Thomas 5, Gustavus 3
After taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Gusties could not hang on, as the Tommies came back to score two runs in the top of the sixth and another in the top of the seventh to steal a 5-3 victory in game one.
St. Thomas threatened early, but could not capitalize in the top of the first. The Tommies loaded the bases with nobody out thanks to a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch, but first-year pitcher Hannah Heacox (Stillwater, Minn.) worked herself out of the jam by getting a pair of pop flies and a ground ball to hold St. Thomas scoreless.
Gustavus responded to the threat with a threat of its own, scoring a run in the bottom half of the inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Shelby Nosan (Sr., Baudette, Minn.) led off the inning by reaching on an error by the Tommie defense. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt, Nosan came around to score on a double to the base of the fence in left field by Nathalee Boissiere (So., Plymouth, Minn.), giving her team the early lead.
The Tommie women responded with a run to tie the game in the top of the second inning. A single and a walk put two runners on first and second with one out before Bianca Peterson slapped an RBI single to center field that scored Brooke Selisker from second. The run tied the game at one apiece, which is where it would stay until St. Thomas added another run in the top of the fourth.
Peterson came through again in the fourth. This time, it was a two-out double to left that scored Jenna Hoffman from second and gave the Tommies a 2-1 lead.
Gustavus came back to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth and regain a 3-2 advantage. The inning opened much like the first, with an error by the St. Thomas defense that allowed Shelby Nosan to reach.
After Nosan advanced to third on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt, Shelby scored on a strange turn of events. St. Thomas shortstop Jenna Hoffman fielded a ground ball and attempted to get Nosan out at home. The throw was in time and the tag was applied, but obstruction was called, allowing the run to count and tie the game.
Three batters later, Carly Klass (Jr., Richfield, Minn.) singled through the left side to score pinch runner Ali Hoffman (Fy., New Prague, Minn.) from second and take a 2-1 lead.
However, the Gusties could not hang on, as the Tommies came back to score two runs in the top of the sixth and one more in the top of the seventh to capture the 5-3 win. In the sixth inning, an error by the Gustavus defense allowed both runs to score, while an RBI double by Brooke Selisker gave St. Thomas an insurance run in the two-run win.
For the Gusties, Carly Klass and Nathalee Boissiere each recorded a pair of hits and an RBI. Klass went 2 for 3 with a double, while Boissiere was 2 for 2 with a double and a pair of walks. For St. Thomas, Bianca Peterson went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI, while Brooke Selisker went 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
In the circle, Hannah Heacox suffered the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits, striking out seven, and walking seven in seven innings of work. Kendra Bowe was awarded the win following a three-run, six-hit performance in a complete game effort.
Game 2 – St. Thomas 3, Gustavus 0
The St. Thomas defense was stout in game two on its way to capturing a 3-0 win to secure the sweep. Each team threatened in the first inning. The Tommies could not take advantage of a runner in scoring position with only one out, while the Gusties faced runners on first and second with one out, but Shelby Nosan was caught trying to steal third to end the inning.
The Tommie women threatened again in the second inning, leaving two stranded before capitalizing on a Gustavus error in left field in the top of the third. The error allowed Jenna Hoffman to score from second to take an early 1-0 lead.
St. Thomas tacked on another run in the top of the fourth when Brooke Selisker knocked an RBI single up the middle to score Danielle Wigen. Wigen was a pinch runner for Genny Duffy, who had reached on another Gustavus error.
The Gusties had an opportunity in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second with two outs, but could not get the big hit and left both runners stranded.
The Tommies took advantage of Gustavus’s inability to put one across and added another insurance run in the top of the sixth. Duffy led off the inning by reaching on an error once again. The Gusties proceeded to record two more outs, but an RBI single to right field by Megan DuPuis provided St. Thomas with the run and the 3-0 lead.
Gustavus threatened in bottom of the sixth, as three singles loaded the bases with only one out. However, the big hit avoided the Gusties again as they could not put one across and left all three base runners stranded. From there, the Tommies were able to hang on for the three-run win.
Carly Klass was the lone Gustie to record multiple hits in the game with a 2 for 3 effort. Brooke Selisker led the way for the Tommies in game two going 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Sarah Rozell (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) suffered the loss in a complete game. Rozell gave up three runs, but did not give up a single earned run and spread out eight hits, while striking out four. Katie Jo Delisle earned the win with a five-hit shutout.
Gustavus will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Moorhead, Minn., to take on Concordia College. Tomorrow’s doubleheader is set for a 1:00 p.m., first pitch.