The St. Catherine University softball team kicked off the 2015 season Sunday with two solid performances and contributions from it new-look roster. The Wildcats hoped to continue that success in a set of non-conference dome games against Loras College. Thanks to solid pitching in game one and big bats in game two, the Wildcats pulled off a series sweep against the Duhawks by scores of 1-0 and 6-5 Friday afternoon at the Augsburg College dome in Minneapolis.
In the opener, first-year
Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthen, Minn./Anoka) was the star for the Wildcats both on the mound and at the plate. The reigning
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Pitcher-of-the-Week threw her second complete game in row and shutout the Duhawks giving up just one hit that didn't come until the top of the sixth inning. She also struck out 13 batters – one more than her win just five days previously that had been the most for a Wildcat pitcher since 2009.
Lindenfelser also led the Wildcats in offensive production going 2-for-3 at the plate. She also scored the lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Wildcats' their second win of the season.
The Wildcats outhit the Duhawks 3-0 through five innings, but couldn't find a way to break down the Duhawk defense. Finally, things got going in the sixth when
Michaela Bruns (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) hit a shot through the left side to get a runner on base.
Jessi Tyminski (Champlin, Minn./Totino Grace) then hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Bruns. Lindenfelser then collected her second hit and advanced to second before Bruns was thrown out at third. Then, on an
Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo) at bat, Lindenfelser scored on a throwing error to score the lone run.
In game two, the teams went through two-and-a-half scoreless innings before the Duhawks got going in the bottom of the third taking a 1-0 lead. However, the Wildcats' responded in a big way when they scored four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.
Claire Woebke (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) started off the inning with a single up the middle and then came across the plate on a RBI double from Bruns. Then, Bruns and pinch runner
Hailey Kuhl (Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing) crossed the plate when Sis hit her first collegiate homer to give the Wildcats the lead.
The Wildcats held the Duhawks scoreless in the forth and then added to their lead in the top of the fifth when
Robyn Rohr (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) smacked her first collegiate home run to give the Wildcats a 5-1 lead. Lindenfelser then added to the Wildcat lead in the sixth when she hit a RBI single to bring Bruns across the plate for the second time in as many innings.
With a 6-1 lead, the Wildcats appeared to be in control and en route to a victory. However, the Duhawks got the bats going in the bottom of the seventh and collected four runs on three hits to make an attempt at a comeback. Thankfully for the Wildcats, their opponent came up just short allowing the Wildcats to improve to 3-1 early in the season.
Bruns and Sis both finished game two 2-for-3 at the plate, while Rohr and Woebke were 2-for-4 with one run scored each. Sis tallied a team-high three RBI on her home run.
Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) also picked up a hit in each game, while
Donielle Kurvers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) had a hit in the opener to help add to the Wildcats' total 16 hits on the day.
Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) picked up her first collegiate win on the mound for the Wildcats in game two allowing just one earned run on three Duhawk hits in 5.1 innings pitched. She also struck out eight Duhawk batters.
The Wildcats will return to action Saturday for their MIAC opener against Augsburg. The first game is slated for 12:30 p.m. in Minneapolis.
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