TYLER, TEXAS – Comeback: a return by a well-known person, especially an entertainer or sports player, to the activity in which they have formerly been successful. A sharp or witty replay. A return to a former position or condition.
 
A St. Catherine University softball come-from-behind victory over Mount St. Mary's (NY) on Tuesday, March 27.
 
The odds were not necessarily in St. Kate's favor from the get go. After a hard-fought doubleheader against Mary-Hardin-Baylor on Monday, the Wildcats were set to enjoy Tuesday off before taking on the Knights Wednesday morning. Due to weather, though, St. Kate's needed to play at least one game Tuesday afternoon, marking three consecutive days of competition against the top softball teams in the nation. Fortunately, the Wildcats were able to overcome the obstacles, using a seventh inning rally to beat Mount St. Mary's 5-4 Tuesday afternoon.
 
St. Kate's fell behind early, as a leadoff walk and two wild pitches led to a first inning run by the Knights, putting the Wildcats in an early 1-0 hole. However, after giving up the initial run, senior Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) managed to hold Mount St. Mary's offense at bay through three innings, giving St. Kate's the opportunity to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Doubles by Jenna George (Ellsworth, Wis. / Ellsworth) and Alyssa Wicks (Blaine, Minn. / Anoka) led to the Wildcats first run of the game as they tied the Knight 1-1.
 
However, Mount St. Mary's offense could not be kept at bay in the bottom of the fifth, as it scored three runs off three hits to take a 4-1 lead over St. Kate's. The Wildcats, though, answered in the best way possible, cutting the Knights lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning. Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) opened the inning with a single, prompting head coach Colleen Powers to put Jianna Lemaire (New Brighton, Minn. / Irondale) at first to pinch run. The first year reached second base when Mount St. Mary unsuccessfully tried to get George out on a fielder's choice. Both Lemaire and George scored later in the inning, as Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field) brought them both home with a clutch, two-out double.
 
Still, the Wildcats were down to their final three outs and trailing by one run in the top of the seventh inning. Leadoff hitter Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) opened the inning with a hard-hit liner right at the third baseman. Sadly, the third baseman made the play, but Amber Montero (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) and Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) kept St. Kate's rally hopes alive, reaching base with a double and an error to put runners on second and third with one out.
 
Sis, then, provided the third clutch hit of the afternoon. The senior showed off her clutch gene, hitting a single down the right field line to score Montero and Macziewski and put the Wildcats ahead 5-4. Sophomore Maddie Greer (Oakdale, Minn. / North St. Paul) went in and closed out the victory for St. Kate's, but not without a little drama thrown in. The Knights put runners on second and third with one out after Greer gave up a leadoff single and walk to the three and four hitters. However, the sophomore pitcher fought her way out of the jam with a strikeout and fly out to center to secure the 5-4 win to the Wildcats.
 
Wicks was outstanding in her second start as the team's designated player, going 2-3 at the plate with the huge RBI double in the fourth inning. Sis was 2-4 with the game-winning RBI.
 
Thanks to the win, St. Kate's overall record improved to 7-8. If the weather holds, the Wildcats will take on Mount St. Mary's in game two at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning in Tyler, Texas.