CLERMONT, FLA. – The St. Catherine University softball team suffered a pair of losses Thursday morning in Clermont, Florida. While the Wildcats were hoping to snap their two game losing streak, they unfortunately extended it, dropping the opening game of the day to hope college 5-0 before losing to Bowdoin 4-2.
The Wildcats fell behind early in their opening game of the day, as Hope took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A lead off walk, following by a bunt, a steal, and a RBI single led to the first Flying Dutch run of the game. While sophomore pitcher
Hannah Johnson (Milaca, Minn. / Milaca) was able to get out of the inning, St. Kate's bats were cold in the bottom of the inning.
Claire Woebke (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) managed to get on with a single but was stranded at first as
Amber Montero (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) and
Jenna George (Elsworth, Wis. / Elsworth) both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Unfortunately, Hope only added to its lead in the top of the second inning. The Flying Dutch scored two runs on three hits and one St. Kate's error to extend their lead to 3-0. Like in the first, the Wildcats tried to mount a comeback, but
Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field) and
Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) were both unable to get past first base.
Both St. Kate's and Hope were unable to score in the third, but the Flying Dutch tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead. Those two runs proved to be the dagger for the Wildcats, as they were unable to come up with the comeback magic they had earlier in the week.
Johnson suffered her first loss of the season, while
Kailee Berquam (Kenyon, Minn. / Kenyon-Wanamingo) and
Maddie Greer (Oakdale, Minn. / North St. Paul) both made appearances on the mound. Macziewski led the team offensively, going 2-3 with two singles.
Things did not go much better for St. Kate's in the second game of the day. While the Wildcats were hoping to rebound with a win and end the trip on a high note, they dropped the second came of the day to Bowdoin 4-2. After 4.5 innings of scoreless play, the Polars scored four runs on two hits and two St. Kate's errors to take a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Determined as always, the Wildcats started to make a comeback in the top of the seventh. First baseman
Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) drew a lead off walk before advancing to third on double by Montero.
Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) was walked to load the bases, and St. Kate's took advantage of its best scoring chance of the game. Sis scored on a pass ball to cut the lead to 4-1, and Montero was brought in by
Gabby Nordman (Cloquet, Minn. / Denfield) to cut Calvin's lead in half.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats rally came up short in the end, as
Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) and Macziewski recorded the final two outs for St. Kate's, resulting in the 4-2 loss.
With the losses, the Wildcats overall record now falls to 10-6 with two nonconference games remaining before Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play begins. St. Kate's will journey to Waverly, Iowa to take on the Wartburg College Knights on Tuesday, March 28.
