Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 After a disappointing Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) home opener against Bethel University Tuesday, the St. Catherine University softball team hoped it could rebound on the road against Hamline University a day later. Despite dropping game one 7-4, the Wildcats roared back with strong pitching and defense in game two for a 3-2 win and the series split on a warm afternoon Wednesday in St. Paul. 

The Wildcat offense was fueled by three-time All-MIAC selection Alyssa Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) who has been faily quiet offensively to this point in the 2014 season. Wednesday, Luedtke showed her skill and value to the Wildcat attack when she batted 5-for-7 with an RBI single in game one and her first double of the season in game two. The senior also scored three of the Wildcats' seven runs on the day.

In the opening game, the Pipers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the opening inning and held the Wildcats scoreless until the top of the third when Jessica Tyminski (Champlin, Minn.) hit a 2 RBI double to bring Luedtke and Raven Baker (Minneapolis, Minn.) home and give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. 

The lead increased for the Wildcats again in the top of the fourth when Linsdey Klein (Shoreview, Minn.) started the inning off with a double and Alyssa Besch (Lakeville, Minn.) on base. Baker then hit an RBI single to send pinch runner Caitlin DeWitt (Henderson, Minn.) and Besch home to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead. 

However, the Wildcats allowed the Pipers to claw back into the bottom of the inning and score four unanswered runs to take a 5-4 lead. The Pipers then added two more in the bottom of the fifth for their third MIAC win of the season. Luedtke, Tyminski, Klein and Baker each finished game one with two hits a piece.  

Game two started off in the Wildcats' favor when Luedtke started out the inning with a single before sister Kaitlyn Luedtke (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) put down a sacrifice bunt to put Luedtke in scoring position. Tyminski picked up an RBI to bring Luedtke home thanks to a Hamline fielding error, giving the Wildcats  1-0 lead early. 

Klein got the offense going in the second when she hit an RBI double to bring Kaitlyn Luedtke home for the second Wildcat run of the game. The 2-0 Wildcat lead didn't last long, though, as the Pipers picked up two runs on four hits in the bottom of the third to tie the game 2-2. 

Klein shutout the Pipers in the remainder of the game and sealed the win with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to bring Luedtke in for her second of the game and the deciding run. On the mound, Klein pitched her third complete game for her third win of the season as she allowed just two runs and four hits. The sophomore also struck out three Piper batters in the game and four on the day. 

Alyssa McKee (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) picked up two hits in the game two win, while Kaitlyn Luedtke was 2-for-3 in the victory and had three hits on the day. Tyminski finished the day with three hits and three RBI to extend her hitting streak to seven-straight games. She also leads the Wildcats this season with 20 hits and 30 total bases for a monster .536 slugging percentage. 

With the split, the Wildcats improve to 3-3 in the MIAC and 5-13 on the season. The Wildcats are scheduled to return to action Friday at St. Olaf College at 3:30 p.m. in Northfield, Minn., before a home doubleheader against Carleton College Saturday at 10 a.m. The Wildcats will also recognize parents and alumae between contests. 

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