SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team will travel to Northfield, Minn. on Wednesday afternoon for a doubleheader with St. Olaf with game one starting at 3:30 p.m. The Gusties enter the two contests with an 11-7 overall record and 2-2 mark in MIAC play while the Oles are 12-6 overall with a 2-0 record in conference play.
The Series
Wednesday’s meetings will be the 87th and 88th all-time meetings between the two teams with Gustavus currently holding a 59-26-1 advantage. The last time the two teams met, on April 24, 2018, the Oles bested the Gusties 1-0.
Scouting the Oles
St. Olaf is most recently coming off a series sweep of Saint Mary’s on Sunday to open their MIAC season. Through 18 games this season the Oles are hitting .290 as a team while holding opponents to a mere .167. Julie Graf has been a huge reason for the Oles success, making 12 starts on the mound and appearing in 16 games. Graf has held opponents to a .121 batting average, has a 1.20 ERA and has struck out 148 batters in 76.0 innings. Offensively, the Oles boast five batters with an average of .310 or above this season with Abby Grismer leading the team at .404. Emily Carr and Hannah Matthies have been two of the main sources of power in the St. Olaf lineup combining for 20 doubles and 26 RBI’s.
Scouting the Gusties
Gustavus is most recently coming off a series split with Concordia on Sunday. Through 18 games this season the Gusties are hitting .303 as a team while holding opponents to a .251 average. Ashley Neuenfeldt is a huge contributor to both numbers as she leads the team with a .426 batting average as a hitter and holds opponents to a .220 average while she is on the mound. Aly Freeman is the teams big bat this season as 12 of her 22 hits have gone for extra bases. Her average of .386 is second on the team while her slugging percentage of .702 leads the team. Caitlin Kammerer has also been a steady force in the No. 2 spot of the lineup for the Black and Gold, hitting .364 with a team-leading three triples and 17 runs scored.