ST. PAUL, MINN. – The St. Catherine University softball team could not have asked for a better opening to their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) schedule. The Wildcats dominated in their conference opener, soundly beating Saint Mary's University 7-0 in the first game and 8-0 in the second to earn the team's first MIAC sweep of the season.

St. Kate's opened the first game in the best way possible, by scoring the first run of the game in the first inning. After the Cardinals went down in order in the top of the first, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, thanks to hits from Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) and Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson). Macziewski scored St. Kate's first run of the ball game on a fielder's choice from Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Min. / Jefferson), giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead it would never surrender.

Saint Mary's starter Ashley Betzold managed to hold St. Kate's batters at bay for the next three innings before the Wildcats managed to score again. In the bottom of the fifth inning, second baseman Brittney Frenette (Columbia Heights, Minn. / Irondale) reached base on an error and was eventually brought home by starting shortstop Claire Woebke (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson). However, the best was yet to come for St. Kate's in that inning. Macziewski hit a screaming line drive to left-center for a double before Amber Montero (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) hit a sure home run to the same spot, giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead.

St. Kate's tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Flugstad, Jenna George (Ellsworth, Wis. / Ellsworth) and Frenette each carded a hit and run in the inning, clinching the Wildcats 7-0 victory.

Flugstad was no slouch on the mound either, as she earned her 10^th victory of the year in shutout fashion. The junior ace allowed just two Cardinal batters to reach base during the game as she struck out five in the complete game effort.

The Wildcats were just as good in game two, as they once again jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Hinderaker drew a lead off walk, was moved to second with a bunt from Woebke, and scored on a single from catcher Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field).

After the first inning, St. Kate's threatened with base runners in the next two, but Betzold managed to end the threat each time. However, she was unable to contain the Wildcat offense in the third inning. Woebke led off the inning with a double, but she didn't stay at second base for very long, as Macziewski blasted the ball over the left field fence to give St. Kate's a 3-0 lead.

Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) hit the Wildcats third home run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning to give her team a 4-0 lead. She also jump started a huge offensive inning for the Wildcats where they scored five runs on four hits. Montero hit her second home run of the day in the inning, while Megan Miller (Green Isle, Minn. / Norwood Young America), Woebke and Macziewski all reached base and scored with two outs in the inning to extend St. Kate's lead to 8-0.

First year pitcher Maddie Greer (Oakdale, Minn. / North St. Paul) was fantastic on the mound in the second start of her collegiate career. Greer secured the Wildcats 8-0 victory by giving up just two hits in five innings of work to earn her first complete game victory of the season.

With the sweep, St. Kate's improves to 14-6 on the year and opens conference play with a 2-0 record. The Wildcats will return to play on Sunday, when they host St. Olaf College in a double header scheduled to start at 1 p.m.