ROCHESTER, Minn. – The No. 25-ranked Gustavus softball team continued its winning ways Saturday at the Rochester Regional Bubble with a 2-1 victory over the University of Dubuque, followed by a 6-4 extra-inning win over Buena Vista, improving to 4-0 on the season.
Gustavus 2, Dubuque 1 | BOX SCORE
After three scoreless innings, Dubuque got on the board first after a double, sacrifice, and an error. The Gusties answered in the fifth with a run on two hits and an error. Brooke Willemsen (Jr., Hamburg, Minn.) singled to left followed by a double to center off the bat of Emily Webb (Fy., Maple Lake, Minn.). Jessica Williams (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) then reached on an error, allowing Willemsen to cross home.
Gustavus scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the sixth. Nathalee Boissiere (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) doubled to left and Rachel Malo (Jr., Owatonna, Minn.) came in to pinch run. Malo then advanced on a groundout, and scored on an error two batters later.
The Gusties were limited to five hits with Boissiere leading the way, going 2-for-3. Jena Willis (Jr., Kalispell, Mt.) (1-2), Willemsen (1-3, R) and Webb (1-2) had the other three hits.
Hannah Heacox (Jr., Stillwater, Minn.) pitched a complete game, allowing one run (unearned) on three hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk. Heacox is now 3-0 on the season.
Gustavus 6, Buena Vista 4 (8 inn.) | BOX SCORE
Tied 3-3 after seven innings, Gustavus and Buena Vista headed to extra innings Saturday evening, but the Gusties exploded for three runs in the top of the eighth and held off a Beaver rally in the bottom half to claim a 6-4 victory in the first extra-inning game of the season.
After three scoreless innings, Buena Vista took the first lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. The two runs scored after a walk and an error led to an RBI double followed by a passed ball for the second score. The Gusties immediately responded in the top of the fifth with two runs on two hits and two errors. Kim Kurtzweg (So., Arlington, Minn.) doubled to center and scored on a single by Webb. After an error that allowed Webb to go first-to-third, another error gave Webb a free pass home for the second run to tie the game 2-2.
Gustavus then took a 3-2 lead in the sixth off a hit and an error. Williams reached on a fielder’s choice after an error, and then scored on a Kurtzweg single. The Beavers knotted the game back up in the bottom half on three hits. Neither team was able to plate a run in the seventh and the game was sent to extras.
The Black and Gold tacked on three runs in the eighth on a trio of hits. Willis doubled, while Kurtzweg and Ashley Beise (Fy., Loretto, Minn.) both singled in the frame. The Beavers scored once in the bottom half, but Heacox struck out the side for the win.
Webb (3-5, R, RBI) and Kurtzweg (3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI) led the Gusties at the plate with three hits apiece. Williams got the start on the rubber and went five innings. She allowed two runs on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Heacox tossed the final three innings to claim her fourth win on as many games. Heacox allowed one earned run on five hits with five Ks and one walk.
Gustavus has next week off before it flies to Arizona for the Tucson Invite on March 17-20.