Game 1 Boxscore / Game 2 Boxscore
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team went to both ends of the spectrum to post its third straight Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep.
In Game 1 against Bethel Tuesday, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the first inning — and then held on for dear life en route to a nail-biting 2-1 victory.
In Game 2, the Cardinals scored in four of the five innings they batted and coasted to a five-inning, 11-1 triumph.
"We're getting a little of everything lately," said SMU coach Nikki Fennern, whose team's recent six-game winning streak has included an 2-1, eight-inning win over Augsburg, a 3-1, 10-inning triumph over Saint Benedict, and Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Royals. "It would be nice if we could get more games like the second game (against Bethel), but at least we are proving that we can get the job done in those close games."
The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead after their first at-bat in Game 1, as Jenny Schipp (Oakdale, Minn.) drove in one run with an RBI single, while Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) drove in the other with an RBI groundout.
That, however, was all the offense the Cardinals would muster.
The Royals got one back in the bottom of the seventh, but SMU catcher Jess Weisbrod (Rollingstone, Minn.) through out the potential game-tying run trying to steal third to end the threat.
"We came out swinging the bats well, but Bethel's pitcher (Angela Vedders) did a good job of keeping us off balance after that and we never made the adjustment," said Fennern. "In the second game, we jumped on (pitcher) Christi Paulson) early and never let up."
The Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning, added another in the third, then broke the game open with five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. Jenni Gutterman (Shoreview, Minn.) led the Cardinals' 10-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with two triples, two RBIs and two runs scored. Seven other SMU players each had one hit, while six of those also drove in one run.
"We needed these two wins," said Fennern, whose team returns to action Thursday, playing host to Gustavus in a battle for second place in the MIAC. "We know how big those two games against Gustavus are going to be — it's nice that we can go into that (doubleheader) with a full head of steam."