SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team will travel to No. 21 Saint Benedict on Saturday for a doubleheader with the first contest beginning at 1 p.m before hosting No. 6 St. Thomas for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Gusties enter the contests 11-9 overall and 2-4 in the MIAC while the Bennies are 15-6 overall and 3-2 in the MIAC and the Tommies are 15-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
Saturday: Live Stats/Watch Live
Sunday: Live Stats | Watch Live
The Series vs. Saint Ben’s
Saturday’s contests will mark the 72nd and 73rd all-time meetings between the two teams with the Gusties currently holding a 43-27-1 advantage. The last time the two teams met was on April 11, 2018 with the Bennies taking the contest 8-2.
The Series vs. St. Thomas
Sunday’s games will mark the 98th and 99th all-time meeting between the Tommies and Gusties with St. Thomas currently holding a 69-28 advantage. The last time the two teams met on April, 12, 2018, the Tommies came out with a 12-6 win.
Scouting the Bennies
Saint Benedict is most recently coming off a series split with No. 6 St. Thomas on Wednesday. Through 21 games this season the Bennies are hitting .333 as a team while holding opponents to a batting average of .228. Reigning MIAC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year Ally Hjort is responsible for over half of the Bennies wins on the mound as she is a perfect 8-0. The sophomore has thrown 52.2 innings, boasts an ERA of 1.73, and has struck out 47 batters. Offensively, Kate Deming has been the leader, starting in all 21 games, batting .446, hitting a MIAC leading six triples and scoring a team-high 24 runs. Claire Boatman has also been a consistent part of the top of the Bennie lineup, hitting .356, scoring 15 runs, and driving in 10 RBI’s.
Scouting the Tommies
St. Thomas is most recently coming off a series split with No. 21 Saint Benedict on Wednesday. Through 18 games this season the Tommies are hitting .329 while opponents are hitting just .209 against the Tommie pitching staff. Melissa Barry, who was on the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Player of the Year Watch List, and Chase Shortly have been key in the Tommie offense this year. Shortly is batting .508, has 12 doubles, and is second in the MIAC with 30 RBI’s. Barry is hitting .500, has scored a team-high 22 runs, stolen 10 bases, and has struck out just one time in 62 at-bats. Elis Barnes has also been a steady force at the top of the lineup for the Tommies, batting .403 with nine doubles, two triples, and a home run. On the mound, Megan Baniecke and Kierstin Anderson-Glass have done a bulk of the work combining for 88 innings and just 16 earned runs allowed. Defensively, the Tommies are atop the MIAC and second in the nation with an impressive fielding percentage of .978.
Scouting the Gusties
Gustavus is most recently coming off a pair of losses to St. Olaf on Wednesday. Through 20 games this season the Gusties are hitting .291 as a team while holding opponents to a batting average of .253. The Gusties have been led at the plate by Ashley Neuenfeldt who has recorded a batting average of .412, amassed 28 hits, and driven in 18 RBI’s, which all are team-highs. Aly Freeman has been a force in the cleanup spot of the Gustie lineup, producing a team-high 10 doubles and three home runs to post a slugging percentage of .656. On the mound, Neuenfeldt and Freeman have done a bulk of the work, throwing a combined 122.2 innings with both holding ERA’s below 3.20. Defense has been a weakness for the Black and Gold thus far this season as they are second to last in the MIAC in fielding percentage with a .930.