Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 After a tough outing this weekend in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play, this week wasn't going to start off any easier for the St. Catherine University softball team as it was scheduled to face one of the league's top squads in Gustavus Adolphus College. And despite a string of hits late in the second game, the Wildcats couldn't find a way to bring runners home in suffering 6-0, 2-0 shutout losses Tuesday afternoon at St. Kate's in St. Paul. 

In the opener, the Gusties opened the game with a quick run and one more in eachthe third and fourth innings to give the Wildcats room to come back. Unfortunately, the Gusties' first-year pitcher Hannah Heacox was nearly untouchable as she allowed just two singles in the game from lefty-hitters Raven Baker (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Kaitlyn Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.). The Gusties added three runs in the top of the seventh off two RBI doubles to push their lead to the 6-0 final score. Lindsey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.) pitched a complete game on the mound striking out nine Gustie hitters. 

The Wildcats out hit the Gusties 8-5 in the second game, but couldn't manage to get anything on the board despite solid play in the field and on the mound. Rachael Thompson (St. Peter, Minn.) picked up another complete game and allowed just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. The sophmore also went 2-for-3 at the plate for her first multi-hit game of the season.

After being down 2-0 after four-and-half innings, the Wildcats finally got going in the bottom of the fifth inning and appeared they might cut the Gusties' lead in half. With two outs, Alyssa Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) picked up her second hit of the day with a single down the left field line before Jessica Tyminski (Champlin, Minn.) picked up a single to send Alyssa Luedtke to second. Klein then picked up her second hit of the game to send Luedtke to third before she was thrown out at home on a long throw from center field. 

Heacox then returned to the mound for the Wildcats in the final two innings to pick up her first collegiate save to preserve a Jessica Williams win. Alyssa McKee (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) also picked up a hit in the second game for the Wildcats. 

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 7-21 on the season and 5-11 in MIAC play. The Wildcats are scheduled to face Concordia College Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in St. Paul. 

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