CLERMONT, FLA. – The St. Catherine University softball team could not have asked for a better start to its spring break trip in Clermont, Florida. The Wildcats earned two huge wins over Fontbonne University and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in nail-biting fashion, but wins weren't the only things St. Kate's celebrated Sunday morning. In the Wildcats 1-0 win over UW-Whitewater, junior ace Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) broke the program record for career wins by earning her 39^th win as a Wildcat.

Before Flugstad had a chance to pitch game two, though, St. Kate's needed to win its opening game of the day versus Fontbonne. Although the visitors entered the game with an 0-2 record, the Griffins gave the Wildcats all they could handle in the 9 a.m. game. In fact, Fontbonne scored the first run of the game in the second inning, as the Griffins managed four hits off sophomore pitcher Hannah Johnson (Milaca, Minn. / Milaca) to take a 1-0 lead.

St. Kate's, though, had the perfect answer in the bottom of the same inning, as the team managed to even the score at 1-1. Jenna George (Ellsworth, Wis. / Ellsworth) drew a leadoff walk but was out at second on a fielder's choice by Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field). Even though George was out, Galvez was still on base for the Wildcats, and managed to score from first on a RBI single from first baseman Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo).

Unfortunately, the Griffins weren't done scoring, despite Johnson's best attempts to keep the hitters at bay. Fontbonne managed to take a 3-1 lead over St. Kate's in the fourth, but once again the Wildcats were able to answer with two runs of their own in the bottom of the same inning. However, when the Griffins took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth, St. Kate's powerful hitters didn't have an answer. The Wildcats were held scoreless in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings and were down to their final three outs in the seventh down 5-3. However, George and Galvez delivered back-to-back clutch hits to secure the 6-5 win for St. Kate's in the bottom of the inning.

The second game against the Warhawks belonged to Flugstad, who dazzled on the mound to earn her first shutout of the season. The junior gave up just four hits and struck out six in seven innings of play, making her record-setting 39^th career win one to remember.

Flugstad received support from the Wildcat offense early in the game as Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) scored the first run of the game in the first inning to give St. Kate's a 1-0 lead. The sophomore outfielder led off the game with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Claire Woebke (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson). After Amber Montero (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) popped out to the pitcher, George delievered another clutch hit, scoring Hinderaker from second to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

That one run lead proved to be enough for Flugstad, who blanked the Warhawks hitters and kept them guessing for the rest of the game. In seven innings of work, the junior struck out six and allowed only five UW-Whitewater batters to reach base and closed out the game with a perfect 1-2-3 inning to secure to 1-0 win for St. Kate's.

Thanks to the wins, the Wildcats improve to 8-2 overall this season and are now 2-0 in Florida. St. Kate's will return to action on Monday, when it faces Tufts University and Calvin College at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EST.