LEESBURG, Fla. – On the second day of its spring break trip Monday, the Gustavus softball teams dropped a pair of games. The Gusties lost to Kalamazoo 5-3 before falling to Bowdoin 16-14, dropping to 3-7 overall.
Gustavus 3, Kalamazoo 5 | BOX SCORE
Kalamazoo scored singled runs in both the first and second innings to take an early 2-0 lead before the Gusties answered with three runs in the fourth to take a 3-2 advantage. Kenzie Skuza (Sr., Princeton) plated the first run with an RBI double and then scored on an error. Madelyn Mueller (So., North Mankato) then hit an RBI single for the third run.
The Hornets tied the score in the fifth on three hits and an error and then took a 4-3 lead in the sixth off two hits an another error. Kalamazoo added an insurance run in the seventh and held on for the win.
Piper Otto (So., Brooklyn Park) suffered the complete game loss after allowing four earned runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts. Mueller (2-4, RBI) and Rachel Kawiecki (Fy., Richfield) (2-3, R) led at the plate.
Gustavus 14, Bowdoin 16 | BOX SCORE
Gustavus took the first lead with a run in the opening frame as Payton Belt (So., Indianola, Iowa) hit an RBI single, but Bowdoin answered with five runs in the bottom half off six hits. The Gusties got a run back in the third as Belt hit another RBI single, and in the fourth the Gusties cut the lead to 5-3 as Kayla Ruud (Jr., Savage) reached on an error and later stole home.
The Bears tacked on four more runs in the fourth after an RBI single and three-run double, but the Gusties answered right away in the fifth with seven runs, taking a 10-9 lead. Chloe Smallfield (Fy., Papillion, Neb.), Kate Murray (Jr., Minnetonka), Kayla Herda (Fy., Farmington), and Greta Dahlen (Fy., West Des Moines, Iowa) all had RBIs in the inning.
Bowdoin was quick to respond with four runs in the bottom half on three hits and an error. The Bears added three insurance runs in the sixth, which proved to be the difference since the Gusties fought back with four runs in the seventh, making it a 16-14 game, but were unable to complete the comeback.
Smallfield took the loss in the circle after allowing five runs in the first. Belt pithed three innings of relief and Amara Packey (Sr., Fridley) finished out the final two frames. Belt (3-4, R, 2 RBI) and Murray (3-4, 2 R, RBI, SB) led at the plate. The Gusties collected 12 stolen bases during the game, led by five from Mueller.
Gustavus takes on Augustana and Manchester tomorrow morning.