MELBOURNE, Fla. -- The St. Catherine University softball team picked up two wins on Wednesday at the Space Coast Spring Games in Melbourne, Florida. The wins improve to St. Kate's 8-3 overall.
GAME ONE | St. Catherine 5, Rivier 1
Rivier scored first on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but the Wildcats answered immediately. Kylee Kohout tied the game with a sacrifice fly before Helen McKinnon delivered an RBI single to give St. Catherine a 2-1 lead.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth inning. Layla Nguyen drove in Annie Cook with a bunt RBI, and Grace Swigart followed with a run-scoring single to extend the lead to 4-1. St. Catherine added its final run in the sixth when McKinnon doubled to right field to bring home Cook.
Alexa Carlstrom kept Rivier in check the rest of the way, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on five hits with four strikeouts.
McKinnon led the Wildcats offensively with two hits and two RBI, while Cook reached base three times and scored three runs. Mayci Larson also added two hits in the win.
GAME TWO | St. Catherine 13, St. Mary's College 4 (5 innings)
The Wildcats wasted no time getting on the board. McKinnon walked to start the game before G. Swigart and Mayci Larson delivered back-to-back RBI triples to quickly build a lead. Ann Swigart added an RBI groundout later in the inning to give St. Kate's a 3-0 advantage.
St. Mary's answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, but the Wildcats responded with a big second inning. St. Catherine plated five runs in the frame, highlighted by Larson's second RBI triple of the game, an RBI single from A. Swigart, and run-scoring hits from Cook and Kohout.
The Wildcats added five more runs in the fifth to put the game away, finishing with 13 runs on 15 hits.
Larson led the offensive surge with three hits, including two triples, while driving in two runs and scoring twice. G. Swigart also had three hits and scored three runs, and Cook added two hits and an RBI. Faith Bonse contributed two hits, while Lucy Mansell doubled and drove in a run.
Taylor Graf earned the win in the circle, striking out five over four innings while allowing two runs.
St. Kate's returns to action on Friday facing Marietta College and Wisconsin Lutheran College in Melbourne.