ST. PAUL, MINN. – It was one of the busiest weeks of the season for the St. Catherine University softball team with four doubleheaders in six days. In their fourth and final doubleheader of the week, the Wildcats rose for the occasion, beating Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) foe Hamline University 3-1 in game one before falling 3-2 in the final inning of the second game.

The first game was a pitchers dual through the first five innings of play as neither Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) nor Hamline starter Casey Anderson were willing to let the opposition cross the plate. Flugstad only allowed one Piper batter to reach first base in the first five innings of work, and that was a full count walk in the bottom of the second inning.

St. Kate's offense made their first threat in the top of second inning, when centerfielder Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthen, Minn. / Anoka) hit a leadoff single to right-center. Two batters later, Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field) hit a single to right fielder, and the Wildcats were poised to have runners on first and third with only one out. However, Lindenfelser was called out at third on the relay throw from right fielder, ending St. Kate's rally.

While the offense struggled in the third and fourth innings, Flugstad dominated the defensive side of the ball game. She sent the Hamline batters down in order in both innings, giving her team the chance to strike first on the offensive side of the ball.

The Wildcats finally broke through in the fifth. St. Kate's scored three runs off back-to-back doubles by Donielle Kurvers (Monticello, Minn. / Monticello) and Robyn Rohr (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North) followed by three straight singles from Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson), Lindenfelser, and Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo).

The Wildcats held their 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning when Hamline threatened. The Pipers loaded the bases with no outs but only scored one run on a sacrifice fly. St. Kate's ended the rally when Macziewski made a phenomenal catch at third base and doubled up the runner at first base.

Flugstad earned her eleventh win of the season behind a complete game one-hitter. She pitched 28 consecutive shutout innings before surrendering Hamline's one run in the bottom of the seventh inning. 

After the 3-1 win, St. Kate's was itching to complete the sweep with a victory in game two. The Wildcats took the first lead of the ball game in the top of the fifth, when pinch runner Megan Miller (Green Isle, Minn. / Norwood Young America) scored from second on an RBI double by Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount). However, Hamline answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game at one with two innings left to play.

The Wildcats, though, pieced together a rally to retake the lead in the top of the sixth. Rohr singled up the middle, then advanced to third on a groundout by Brittney Frenette (Columbia Heights, Minn. / Irondale). With their best scoring chance at third, Flugstad pinch hit for Macziewski and hit a single down the right field line, scoring Rohr from third.  

Lindenfelser held Hamline scoreless in the sixth and returned to the mound with a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh. She got the first batter of the seventh to ground out to the third baseman, then got to strike out to bring the Pipers nine hitter to the plate with two outs.

Lindenfelser seemed to have wrapped up the game when Delaney Kohner hit a ground ball to the shortstop. However, a throwing error put the right fielder on first base, and Hamline mounted a two-out rally to come back and beat St. Kate's 3-2 in the final inning.

Lindenfelser took the loss for the Wildcats in the complete game effort, dropping her record to 10-3 on the year. She gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of play.

With the loss, St. Kate's is now 23-4 overall and 10-4 in MIAC play. They will get a much deserved three days off before they take on Gustavus Adolphus College next Wednesday in St. Peter, Minnesota.