MANKATO, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University softball team dropped two games on Saturday falling to Coe College 2-1 and Buena Vista University 5-1. The Wildcats are 3-3 so far this season with a pair of non-conference games before taking a break until The Spring Games in Florida.
GAME ONE | Coe 2, St. Catherine 1
Coe scored two runs in the top of the second inning off a double with runners on second and third. St. Kate's tried to do the same in the bottom of the fourth with rookie
Helen McKinnon hitting a double to bring in
Sam Aronson who got on base after getting hit by a pitch and advanced from stealing second.
Kaitlín Boyles tried to tie it in the bottom of the fifth with a double with two outs. Aronson left the Wildcats pinch runner on base though popping out to center field.
Lynae Doty found herself in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth hitting a single before stealing second to then advance to third. Doty was left on base though after back to back grounded outs by the Wildcats.
Senior pitcher
Alyssa Montero tallied another ten strikeouts in seven innings allowing four hits and walking three.
GAME TWO | Buena Vista 5, St. Catherine 1
McKinnon was responsible for the team's lone RBI in game two driving in Boyles while down 4-0. Buena Vista tallied their first run in the opening frame taking first off an error at third with bases loaded to walk in a run. They scored again with the next up at bat off a sac fly to right field to go up 2-0.
In the bottom of the first,
Julia Azure found herself on second after a single and advancing off a wild pitch. Buena Vista made a double play at second to close the inning scoreless for St. Kate's. The Storm added two runs in the top of the second off a double with two outs. McKinnon's at bat forced a walk with bases loaded bringing in Boyles for their only run.
Buena Vista scored their final run in the top of the fourth inning with their second baseman scoring her third run of the game.
Riley Leonhardt pitched for four innings giving up five runs in five hits walking two.
Erica Pronschinske closed out the final three innings with two hits and one strikeout.
St. Kate's returns to action at 8 am on Sunday in the Mankato Dome facing Luther first before taking on Bethany Lutheran at 1 pm.
