ST PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team traveled to Macalester on Tuesday afternoon and split a pair of contests, losing game one 2-1 before taking game two 6-4. With the results the Gusties move to 14-16 overall and 5-11 in the MIAC.
Game one started as a pitchers duel with the game going scoreless the first four innings. Aly Freeman (Jr., Omaha, Neb.) was the pitcher responsible as she held Macalester to just two hits through the first four frames. In the fifth the Gusties were able to take the lead when Ashley Neuenfeldt (So., Bloomington, Minn.) walked, then a bunt single by Sydney Swenson (Fy., Chaska, Minn.) followed by a Scot error plated the lone Gustavus run of the contest to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth Macalester used four hits to score a pair of runs and take the lead. The Black and Gold would draw a walk in the seventh inning but could not muster a run and fell 2-1.
The Scots outhit the Gusties in the contest 6-4 with Kenzie Skuza (Fy., Princeton, Minn.), Emily Carlson (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.), and Ashley Beise (Sr., Loretto, Minn.) recording the other three hits for Gustavus. Freeman pitched all six innings for the Blacka and Gold in the loss, allowing two earned runs, and striking out two.
In game two the Gusties were able to build a big lead early, and push back late to take down Macalester. Gustavus was able to take the lead right away in the first thanks to a Skuza RBI single that plated Swenson. They were then able to add two more in the third thanks to a Skuza double after hits from Beise and Neuenfeldt. The Black and Gold added one more run in the fourth with a Beise RBI double to push their lead to 4-0. In the bottom of the fourth inning Macalester brought in one run before they scored three more in the sixth to even the game at at four. In the top of the seventh Gustavus responded with two runs after an RBI single from Caitlin Kammerer (Jr., Watertown, Minn.) and a sac fly from Marissa Marsolek (So., Savage, Minn.). Amara Packey (Fy., Fridley, Minn.) then relieved Neuenfeldt for the final inning and allowed no runs to record the save.
Neuenfeldt got the win on the mound in the game, pitching six innings and allowing four runs.
In game two the Gusties were able to rattle off 13 hits, which is one off their season high. They were led by Skuza with three, while Kammerer, Carlson, and Beise each had two.
The Gusties will next be in action on Friday when they host Hamline for a 3:30 p.m. contest.