The Gustavus softball team extended its conference win streak to nine games by sweeping Carleton by the scores of 6-2 and 4-0 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in St. Peter. Kate Rentschler’s towering three-run home run in the sixth inning broke open a tight game in the opener and then Erin Truebenbach scattered four hits in six innings as the Gusties shut the Knights out in game two. Gustavus is now 18-6 overall and 11-1 in league play.
In the first game, Carleton scored twice in the top of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead, but the Gusties bounced back with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Gustie rally was the result of an RBI single by Kirsten Prunty and a two-run home run by Emily Wendorff. In the bottom of the sixth, with Gustavus clinging to a 3-2 lead, first year Kate Rentschler broke the game open with a three-run pinch hit home run to make the score 6-2. It was the first home run of Rentschler’s collegiate career. Callie Nelsen started on the mound for Gustavus and she allowed five hits and one earned run, while striking out six in four innings of work. Betsie Collins came in to pitch the final three innings allowing just one hit and struck out six. Wendorff and Prunty led the Gusties offensively with two hits each.
In the second game, Gustavus scored once in the second inning, twice in the fourth inning and once in the fifth to slip past the Knights. 4-0. Prunty and Wendorff provided the bulk of the offense again as Prunty was 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored and Wendorff was 2-for-3. The Gusties took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jesse Pelzel singled to right center to score MacKenzie Dalton and then in the fifth inning extended the lead to 3-0 when Jenna Johnson doubled to drive in Prunty and Dalton squeezed home Amy Lynch. In the bottom of the sixth, Lisa Klass doubled to open the inning and then Kate Rentschler doubled to drive her home to make the score 4-0. Erin Truebenbach turned in a strong performance on the mound as she limited Carleton to four hits and no runs, while striking out six in six innings of work. Betsie Collins came in and shut the Knights down in order in the seventh inning striking out two of the three batters she faced.
