ST. PAUL, MINN. – It was a dramatic first day for the St. Catherine University softball team at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) postseason tournament. The Wildcats earned a thrilling 4-2 victory over Gustavus Adolphus College in the first round of the conference tournament for their first MIAC playoff win in program history.

St. Kate's was just five days from its last meeting with the Gusties, when Gustavus clinched the two spot in the tournament after sweeping the Wildcats in the final doubleheader in the regular season. As the three seed, St. Kate's was itching to avenge those losses Friday evening, and in the top of the first, it looked like they had a legitimate chance to take the lead. Shortstop Robyn Rohr (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North) opened the game with a leadoff double to left center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by designated player Brittney Frenette (Columbia Heights, Minn. / Irondale). With Rohr on third and three-hole hitter Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) up at the plate, the Wildcats looked like they were going to take an early lead. Unfortunately, Macziewski grounded out and Rohr was called out at home on the double play, squandering St. Kate's first scoring threat.

Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) got the start for the Wildcats and sent the Gusties down in order in the bottom of the first. St. Kate's threatened again in the top of the second, as Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthen, Minn. / Anoka) and Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) were both hit by a pitch to open the inning. Unfortunately, Lindenfelser and Sis would not advance past first and second base as Gustavus starter Hannah Heacox was able to send the next three Wildcat batters down in order.

Flugstad, backed by her defense, sent the Gusties down in order in the bottom of the inning, but St. Kate's was unable to score again in the third. With score knotted at zero after the first three innings of play, both teams were itching to cross the plate first. Fortunately, it was the Wildcats who scored first.

After Flugstad sent the Gustavus seven, eight, and nine batter down in order in the third, Macziewski came to the plate in the top of the fourth to spark the scoring spree. The third baseman hit a single up the left side and advanced to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Lindenfelser. Macziewski then took third on a wild pitch and Sis was walked to put runners on the corners with just one out.

Things went crazy after that. Macziewski scored on a throwing error by the catcher, making it 1-0 Wildcats with Sis standing on second base. Sis scored on an RBI single up the middle by catcher Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz.  / Williams Field), and Galvez scored one batter later when left fielder Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) hit a double out to left field.

St. Kate's wasn't satisfied with a 3-0 lead, though. Donielle Kurvers (Monticello, Minn. / Monticello) and Rohr hit back-to-back infield singles, scoring Hinderaker and ending the fourth with a 4-0 lead over the second seeded Gusties.

Gustavus cut into the Wildcats lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth and again in the fifth. St. Kate's clung to its 4-2 lead through the six inning and were one out away from its first win in MIAC playoff history.

The Gusties, though, weren't ready to go down without a fight. With a runner on and two outs, Gustavus still had a chance to tie the game with its four hitter at the plate. It looked like the Gusties had done just that, as Nathalee Boissiere hit a high fly ball deep to center field. Lindenfelser, though, made the dramatic grab at the fence, robbing Boissiere of a clutch home run and clinching St. Kate's 4-2 victory.

Thanks to Lindenfelser's dramatic catch, the Wildcats will head to the winners bracket to face No. 1 seed St. Thomas at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. The winner of that game will advance directly to the championship game on Sunday, while the loser will face the winner of game four. All games will take place at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

For more information, be sure to check out the MIAC Softball Playoff page.