Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 After going 1-3 on the first two days of its spring break trip, the St. Catherine University softball team hoped it could pick up another set of wins but that would come with the tall order of defeating No. 17-ranked Carthage College before facing Kalamazoo College. The Wildcats picked up a split, though, with a close 6-2 loss to Carthage before winning a thrilling 3-2 game over Kalamazoo in eigtht innings Wednesday in Clermont, Fla.
"Wednesday was definitely a turning point for this group," said Head Coach
Colleen Powers. "Our defense did not take care of the ball behind (Rachel) Thompson (St. Peter, Minn.) in game one against a tough team, but we were still one key hit away from changing that game.
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Lindsey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.) had a breakout performance in the circle in game 2, and our defense came together as well. Our senior class shined with the pressure on with clutch RBI's and hits from all three of them. Overall it was great softball. That feeling is what these players have been working so hard for."
In the opening game of the day, the Wildcats held Carthage scoreless through two innings before allowing four runs in the third. The Wildcats managed four hits and Thompson pitched her fourth complete game of the season on the mound.
The Wildcats finished the day in thrilling fashion with an eighth-inning victory for their second win in as many days and second of the season. The Wildcats and Hornets played five scoreless innings before the Wildcats allowed their opponent one run at the top of the sixth inning.
It appeared as though the Wildcats might fall to the Hornets as they couldn't respond in the sixth, but
Larrissa Karl (Buffalo Lake, Minn.) got things going with a single to start the bottom of the seventh. The senior class then stepped up as
Alyssa Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) picked up a single to send pinch runner
Alyssa Besch (Lakeville, Minn.) to second for the tying run.
Raven Baker (Minneapolis, Minn.) then came up with a huge RBI bunt to send Besch across to tie the game at 1-1 and force extra innings.
Kalamazoo again forced the Wildcats' hand in the eighth inning as it took a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
Lindsey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.) continued her impressive hitting as she singles to bring
Kaitlyn Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) to third and put the winning run on base.
Jessica Tyminski (Champlin, Minn.) then singled to bring
Kaitlyn Luedtke across and advance Klein to second.
Alyssa McKee (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) then proved her clutch abilities as she hit a the walk-off RBI double to bring Klein across for the Wildcats' third an final run to end the game.
Klein picked up her first win of the season allowing just one earned run on four hits in eight innings pitched. She was also the Wildcats' leading hitter in the game going 2-for-4 at the plate.
Kaitlyn Luedtke also picked up a clutch double for the Wildcats to add to the team's nine-hit game.
On the day, Klein led the team with three hits, while Baker picked up a hit in each game. The senior has successfully hit in five-straight games for a total of seven hits. She also claimed one of the Wildcats' runs in the loss to Carthage. Karl also picked up her first home run of the season in the fifth inning against Carthage.
The Wildcats will take one day off before returning to action Friday with games lined up against Concordia University (Mich.) and Calvin College at 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
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