ST. PETER, MINN. – There is one fool proof way to win a softball game, especially in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC): score a lot of runs and keep the opponent off the board. The St. Catherine University softball team certainly used this strategy to the fullest extent Monday afternoon, as it scored a combined 13 runs in two games while giving up zero in a sweep of Gustavus Adolphus College.
 
The Wildcats won the opener 9-0 thanks to a red-hot offense and dominant pitching from Krista Flugstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson). The senior ace earned her second shutout victory in three days, as she tallied a season-high 10 strikeouts and allowed just four Gustie batters to reach base in six innings of work. Flugstad was also backed by her offense early, as St. Kate's took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a solo home run by senior first baseman Ashley Sis (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo).
 
 The Wildcats looked to extend their lead further in the second, as they loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the inning. However, Gustavus pitcher Ashley Neuenfeldt managed to pitch her way out of the jam and hold St. Kate's bats at bay for the next two innings. The Wildcats, though, finally broke through again in the fifth inning, as a sacrifice fly by Kylie Macziewski (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) brought in Anna Hinderaker (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount) from third to extend the team's lead to 2-0.
 
St. Kate's finally busted things open in the sixth and seventh innings, as the team scored a combined seven runs between the two innings. It all started in the sixth when catcher Sammie Galvez (Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field) opened the inning with a leadoff double, the 100^th hit of her career, prompting head coach Colleen Powers to sub Bailee Sillman (Chippewa Falls, Wis. / Chippewa Falls) in as a pinch runner. The first year, along with Woebke, eventually scored on a Gustavus error, putting the Wildcats ahead 4-0 with one inning left to play.
 
Still, St. Kate's wasn't done scoring, as it tacked on five runs in the seventh to take the definitive 9-0 lead over the Gusties. Five consecutive hits from Macziewski, Sis, Galvez, George and Woebke resulted in four earned Wildcat runs, and all five student-athletes scored at some point during the rally. With a hefty 9-0 lead, senior pitcher Kailee Berquam (Kenyon, Minn. / Kenyon-Wanimingo) pitched the seventh and preserved the shut out, resulting in the ninth straight victory for St. Kate's.
 
The Wildcats got off to an equally hot start in the second game, as Macziewski and George opened the game with singles to put runners on first and second with two outs. The two infielders were stranded at their respective bases, resulting in a scoreless first inning for St. Kate's, the team's first scoreless inning in three individual games. It didn't take long, though, for the Wildcats to score after that, as Woebke and Alyssa Wicks (Blaine, Minn. / Anoka) scored in the top of the second thanks to a bases clearing triple by Hinderaker to give St. Kate's yet another early 2-0 lead.
 
It turned out the 2-0 lead was all first year starter Kathryn Proper (St. Paul, Minn. / Como Park) would need in the game. After two tough outings against Concordia and Saint Mary's, Proper rebounded with a big shutout performance against Gustavus, as she held the Gusties to no runs and four hits in seven complete innings of work. The first year also tallied six strikeouts and zero walks en route to her fourth MIAC win of the season, arguably her best outing of the 2018 season.
 
Even with Proper dishing from the mound, St. Kate's was sure to add to its lead in the top of the sixth, as Wicks and fellow first year Emily Saurer (Victoria, Minn. / Chanhassen) both scored during the inning to extend the Wildcats lead to 4-0. Wicks opened the inning with a single up the middle and eventually advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from center fielder Amber Montero (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial). The first year later scored thanks to a throwing error by the second baseman during Saruer's at bat to put St. Kate's ahead 3-0 with two outs left in the inning.
 
Back-to-back hits from Hinderaker and Macziewski loaded the bases for Sis, whose RBI fielder's choice allowed Saurer to score from third and extended the lead to 4-0. With three outs remaining in the ball game, Proper came in to close the game, earning her fifth win of the season and first complete game shutout of her career as a Wildcat.
 
Wicks was the team's leading hitter in the second game, as she went 3-4 with two runs as the team's designated player, while Hinderaker, Macziewski and George all went 2-4 at the plate.
 
Woebke and George both went 2-3 in game one, while Galvez recorded the 100^th hit of her career with her double in the sixth inning.
 
With the wins, St. Kate's overall record improves to 19-10, and the team is now 10-2 in MIAC play. The Wildcats will enjoy the next two days off before taking on St. Olaf College Thursday afternoon. Games are scheduled to begin at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. in Northfield, Minnesota.