ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team traveled to Saint Ben’s Saturday and came out with a series split. The Gusties took game one home in a 10-inning marathon by a score of 6-3 before losing on a walk-off hit in the seventh inning of game two.
“We pitched really well today with Aly [Freeman] (Jr., Omaha, Neb.) getting us started in game one,” said Head Coach Britt Stewart. “She was able to keep hitters off balance and our defense was also excellent behind her. It was nice adjustment to see our girls able to put those two skills together. Game one we were able to execute on timely hitting with Marissa [Marsolek] (So., Savage, Minn.) in the 10th and pull off a huge conference win. Game two we battled hard, played excellent defense, and Ashley [Neuenfeldt] (So., Bloomington, Minn.) pitched well. We just couldn’t execute in moving runners or hit well against their pitcher as she was able to keep us off balance. A sweep would have been nice but a split is a step in the right direction with our young team. We are looking forward to competing again tomorrow.”
Neuenfeldt started game one and ran into some trouble early allowing a pair of walks and hits in the first inning before she was relieved by Freeman with two outs. Freeman went the final 9.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs, five hits, and striking out four for the win.
At the plate the Gusties were able to scratch their first run across in the second inning when Xandra Zachman (Fy., Saint Peter, Minn.) doubled, was moved to third, then drove in by a Ashley Beise (Sr., Loretto, Minn.) sac fly.
The Gusties took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning when Neuenfeldt walked and was driven in by a Freeman’s fourth home run of the season. The Bennies answered scoring once in the fifth and then one more in the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
The game went scoreless until the 10th inning when Caitlin Kammerer (Jr., Watertown, Minn.) recorded an RBI single and then Marsolek notched a 2-RBI single later in the inning to put the Gusties up 6-3. After beaning a batter to start the inning, Freeman settled in and recorded a double play and then a strikeout to end the game.
Beise and Freeman both record two hits in the contest for th eGusties
Neuenfeldt put forth a great effort in game two allowing just one earned run, a two-out bloop single to walk-off the game for the Bennies in the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore allowed just four hits in the contest while striking out one batter.
The Gusties got their lone hit in the top of the seventh when Neuenfeldt started the inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was stranded their to end the threat.
The Gusties are back in action tomorrow when they play host to St. Thomas for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.