CLERMONT, Fla. – The Gustavus softball team ended its trip to Florida with a 7-0 loss to No. 10 Tufts and a 3-2 win over Trinity. With the loss and win, the Gusties move to 5-10 overall
Both teams stayed locked into a scoreless first half of the game. In the fourth inning, the No. 10 Jumbos scored a two run home run to get on the board before adding on two more home runs in a 5-0 lead.
The Gusties were able to step up with a double play in the fifth inning and limited Tufts to one hit before the Jumbos extended their lead with two more runs.
Kenzie Skuza (Sr., Princeton) and Kate Murray (Jr., Minnetonka) each recorded a hit while Piper Otto (So., Brooklyn Park) received the loss in her two 3.2 innings pitched.
Additionally, the Gusties came out on top of a 3-2 win against Trinity College (Conn.)
The Bantams put up a strong start against Gustavus plating two runs in the third and fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth. Kayla Ruud (Jr., Savage) answered for the Black and Gold with an RBI single to score Kayla Herda (Fy., Farmington).
Kaylyn Leonard (Sr., Plymouth) also tacked on an RBI single to reset the score, bringing in Greta Dahlen (Fy., West Des Moines, Iowa).
A final RBI single from Rachel Kawiecki (Fy., Richfield) would be the game winning hit bringing Ruud home for the third and final Gustie run.
Ruud proved to bring the firepower in the Gustie lineup going 3-for-4. The Gustavus pitching staff of Otto, Chloe Smallfield (Fy., Papillion, Neb.), and Payton Belt (So., Indianola, Iowa) put in a collective effort to keep Trinity at bay allowing eight hits, two runs, and struck out two batters in seven innings.
The Gusties are next in action when they travel to Minneapolis to face Augsburg in a conference opening double header on April 2nd.