The Gustavus softball team split an important MIAC doubleheader with Hamline on Thursday afternoon in St. Peter. The Gusties won game one 3-2, but then lost game two 2-0. Gustavus is now 22-14 overall and 16-4 in the MIAC.
All five runs scored in the first game were scored in the first inning. Hamline started by scoring twice in the top of the first. The Pipers scratched out their two runs on one hit. Amanda Gage and Rachael Young scored for Hamline. Gustavus countered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Audrey Lenoch tied the score at 2-2 when she doubled home Julie Mahre and Whitney Bartolo. Meghan Powers tripled to left center scoring Lenoch with what turned out to be the winning run. The rest of the game turned out to be a pitcher’s duel between the Gusties Joyce DeWitz and the Pipers’ Whitney Strid. DeWitz scattered three hits, while striking out three and walking two. Strid allowed seven hits, while walking none and striking out two. Mahre and Powers recorded two hits each for Gustavus.
The second game would turn out just like the first as all of the scoring would take place in the first inning. Unfortunately for Gustavus, it would be the Pipers that would score twice in the top half of the inning and shut the Gusties down the rest of the way. The big play of the game would turn out to be a two-out single by pitcher Niki Seal that scored Amanda Gage and Rachael Young. Julie Mahre opened the bottom of the first with a triple, however the Gusties could not push Mahre across the plate. That would turn out to be the best scoring opportunity in the game for Gustavus. Nikki Seal pitched all seven innings for Hamline allowing four hits and striking out three batters. Janie Hanson suffered the loss for Gustavus. She allowed four hits and two runs in two innings. Joyce DeWitz pitched the final five innings for Gustavus. She allowed just one hit, while walking three and striking out five.
Gustavus will close out regular season MIAC play on Saturday in St. Paul against the College of St. Catherine. The Gusties can clinch the third seed in the MIAC Tournament with at least a split against the Wildcats.