ST. PAUL, MINN. – The St. Catherine University softball team had one of their busiest weeks of the season, playing four doubleheaders against top teams in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in just six days. The Wildcats went 6-2 during the week behind solid pitching from sophomore Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson). For her performances, Flugstad has been named Wildcat Athlete of the Week.
Flugstad has been nearly unhittable since suffering her first loss of the season at the hands of St. Olaf. The sophomore ace pitched three consecutive complete game shutouts, beginning with a 6-0 victory over reigning MIAC Regular Season Champion Bethel University on Sunday, April 10. After that first shut out win, Flugstad only got better. She helped St. Kate’s beat the University of St. Thomas 1-0 in the first game of their doubleheader by holding the Tommies to just six hits and their lowest run total of the season over seven innings of work.
Two days later, Flugstad was once again unflappable on the mound. She gave up just four hits while striking out seven in the Wildcats 8-0 win over Carleton College for her third consecutive complete game shutout. Then, against Augsburg, Flugstad threw a one-hitter before being relieved in the top of the fourth inning.
Flugstad lost her bid for a no hitter in the sixth inning against Hamline but walked away from Meredith Field with a 3-1 victory. In five appearances from April 10 through April 17, Flugstad pitched 28.3 consecutive shutout innings, which is not only the longest shutout streak of her career but the longest in program history according to available records. She posted a 5-0 record, with 22 strikeouts and just one run, which was unearned, in her five appearances.
Flugstad and the Wildcats will return to action against on Wednesday when they head to St. Peter, Minnesota to face Gustavus Adolphus College at 3:30 p.m.
