After an unusually long winter, the St. Catherine University softball team was able to fit 10 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) games into its schedule last week and came out on top five times – including twice against Gustavus Adolphus College for the first time since 2002 – thanks in large part to solid pitching from Lindsey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.). For her unbelievable week on the mound, Klein has been named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week.
The first-year pitched six complete games for the Wildcats this week and picked up four wins and a save in the process. Her most impressive outing came Sunday against the Gusties where she threw back-to-back 2-0, 7-0 shutouts to help the Wildcats earn a sweep of their opponent for the first time in program history. Against the Gusties, she allowed just seven hits total and struck out 14 Gustavus batters. Klein was also the first pitcher to hold the Gusties scoreless all season.
She opened the week with a loss to No. 15 University of St. Thomas on Monday night in Rosemount, Minn., but she managed to allow the Tommies just eight hits and struck out seven batters. Three of her strikeouts came against the reigning MIAC Player-of-the-Year Kimmy Hassel.
Wednesday, Klein earned her first win of the week against the College of Saint Benedict in a 7-4 victory in game one where she allowed just five Blazer hits. She then came in for two innings of relief and left the Blazers hitless for a game two win to complete the Wildcat sweep. The following day, Klein helped the Wildcats split with Saint Mary's University as she threw all seven innings of game two and allowed just five hits and struck out five Cardinal batters.
Klein finished the week with a 1.83 earned run average (ERA) and 38 strikeouts in 46.0 innings pitched. Her 1.89 ERA in MIAC games is sixth-best among all conference pitchers and the best by a pitcher other than a Gustie or Tommie. Her 2.69 ERA overall is the seventh-best in the MIAC. She is tied for fourth-most MIAC wins this season with five and has helped the Wildcats pick up four wins against three of the top-five teams in the MIAC standings.
Klein and the Wildcats return to action Tuesday at Macalester College to complete game one of the doubleheader that began Friday, April 5. The Scots lead the Wildcats 9-4 after 4.5 innings complete. Game one will begin at 5 p.m. with game two scheduled to start immediately following.
