SAINT PETER, Minn. -- St. Catherine used a fast start and a shutdown relief performance from
Taylor Graf to earn a 8-5 win over Gustavus Adolphus on Thursday in the opening round of the MIAC Playoffs. The No. 5 seed Wildcats move onto the next round for the first time since 2022 which is hosted on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
The Wildcats jumped ahead right away, scoring three runs in the top of the first.
Grace Swigart opened scoring with a solo home run to center field before
Maren Ceynowa delivered a two-run single down the left field line, scoring
Mayci Larson and
Faith Bonse to give St. Kate's a 3-0 lead.
St. Kate's added two more in the second when Larosn launched a two-run homer to center, bringing home Swigart and extending the lead to 5-0. Gustavus answered wth a five-run bottom half to tie the game, but the Wildcats responded immediately in the third.
Sam Aronson came through with a two-run single to center, driving in
Lucy Mansell and
Alexa Carlstrom to put St. Kate's back in front, 7-5.
Graf took over in the circle and shut the door from there. She tossed 5.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just four hits while striking out four and walking none. The Wildcats added an insurance run in the seventh when Carlstrom scored on a Gustavus error.
Ceynowa led the offense with a 3 for 4 performance and two RBI, while G. Swigart went 2 for 5 with a home run, double, two runs scored and an RBI. Larson added a two-run homer and scored twice, while Aronson drove in two runs.
Helen McKinnon also collected two hits for the Wildcats for a team total of eight runs on 11 hits in the victory.
St. Catherine will now face No. 1 Saint Benedict in the first semifinal contest on Saturday. The two programs have met in the MIAC Playoffs twice before, both in the 2018 conference tournament. Game time for Saturday's semifinal contest is set for 11:00 a.m.
PURCHASE GAME TICKETS
All tickets for the 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs will be sold and purchased online via
HomeTown Ticketing.
There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. Tickets for the quarterfinal contests are on sale now; semifinal and championship game tickets will go on sale Thursday night. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free.
PAY-PER-VIEW
The 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs will be streamed live on the
MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Fans who are unable to attend the tournament may purchase a $12 "championship pass" to stream the entire MIAC Softball Playoffs live. On-demand access to playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.
The
MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform.
Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues.
CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL
Official playoff and championship apparel is available for online purchase via the
MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Team champion apparel will be added and available for purchase shortly after the championship game.
PLAYOFF HQ
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the
2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the six teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
2026 MIAC SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Game 1: No. 5 St. Catherine 8, No. 4 Gustavus 5 |
Box Score |
Game 2: No. 3 St. Olaf 9, No. 6 Carleton 0 (6 inn.) |
Box Score |
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Game 3: No. 5 St. Catherine at No. 1 Saint Benedict | 11:00 AM |
Tickets |
PPV Stream |
Live Stats |
Game 4: No. 3 St. Olaf vs. No. 2 Saint Mary's | 1:30 PM* |
Tickets |
PPV Stream |
Live Stats |
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 | 4:00 PM* |
Tickets |
PPV Stream |
Live Stats |
*Games 3-5 played at the field of the No. 1 seed
| 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs | MIAC Playoff History | MIAC Softball Championship Apparel |
