WINONA, Minn. – The Gustavus softball team traveled to Winona on Saturday for a MIAC doubleheader and came out with a split. The Cardinals bested the Gusties 5-4 in game one before the Gusties came back from being down 5-0 to take game two 7-5. With the results the Gusties move to 10-6 overall.
In game one the Gusties were able to strike first scoring in the top of the second when Sydney Swenson (Fy., Chaska, Minn.) drove in Xandra Zachman (Fy., Saint Peter, Minn.) to put the Black and Gold on top early. The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the fourth when they took advantage of a Gustie error to notch two runs. Saint Mary’s then committed two errors in the top of the fifth to gift a run back to the Gusties and even the game at two before the Cardinals scratched out a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. The Gusties rallied in the top of the seventh getting a two-run home run out of Ashley Neuenfeldt (So., Bloomington, Minn.) to pull the game within one and a two out double by Aly Freeman (Jr., Omaha, Neb.) put the winning run in scoring position but a fly out ended the game.
In the contest, Neuenfeldt started on the mound and went three and a third innings without allowing an earned run. Freeman finished the game and recorded the loss going two and two thirds innings and allowing two earned runs. Freeman led all Gusties in the contest with two hits.
The Cardinals were able to keep the momentum rolling into game two, as they tallied five runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. The Gusties answered though, as Kenzie Skuza (Fy., Princeton, Minn.) blasted a home run in the top of the second inning to put Gustavus on the board. The Black and Gold got two more runs in the third when Sweson and Caitlin Kammerer (Jr., Watertown, Minn.) singled, Neuenfeldt hit a sac fly, and then Carly Onraet (Sr., Deer River, Minn.) singled to bring the score to 5-3. Gustavus continued the hot hitting in the fourth when Swenson and Neuenfeldt singled followed by a Freeman home run to give Gustavus a 6-5 lead. The Gusties got one more run in the fifth when Skuza singled and Grace Viland (Fy., Faribault, Minn.) pinch ran for her and eventually scored on a Kaylyn Leonard (Fy., Plymouth, Minn.) groundout.
In game two the Gusties tallied 12 hits and got two hits apiece from Swenson, Neuenfeldt, Freeman, Zachman, and Skuza. Neuenfeldt pitched the entire game and picked up the win, allowing just two earned runs while striking out three.
The Gusties will be in action tomorrow as they host Concordia at Hollingsworth Field for a doubleheader with the first contest at 1 p.m.