Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team picked up right where they left off Sunday afternoon, as the Cardinals posted their second straight high-scoring sweeping, rolling to nonconference wins of 8-3 and 10-5 over Buena Vista in the Rosemount Dome.

“We knew today's games were going to be a much tougher test (than Saturday),” said SMU coach Jen Miller, whose team rolled to a 29-0, 14-1 sweep of North Central in the team's opening two games on Saturday. “Not only did our starters play well, but we had a ton of other players contribute in a big way.

“It was great start to the season the perfect way for us to head into our spring trip.”

Buena Vista jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead off SMU starter Mallory Betzold (Farmington, Minn.), but the Cardinals responded with a single run in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to take the lead for good. SMU added another run in the fourth and put together its second three-run inning of the game in the fifth to seal the win. Cassie Otte (Randolph, Minn.) went 3-for-4, while Katy Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) laced a pair of home runs to pace SMU's 12-hit attack.

The Cardinals got out to a quick, 2-0 start in the opening inning of the nightcap, but the Beavers answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to grab a 3-2 lead. SMU put things out of reach in the fifth, scoring six times, before scoring twice more in the sixth to round out the Cardinals' scoring. Otte put together her second straight 3-for-4 effort, while Betzold was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

“We're swinging the bats well,” understated Miller, whose team has now scored 61 runs in their first four games. “Hopefully this quick start is just was we needed as we head to Arizona (on Wednesday).”