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WINONA, Minn.  — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team accomplished something they hadn't accomplished all season — and it could not have come at a better time.

With their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament hopes alive — but definitely on life support — the Cardinals put together back-to-back shutout victories over Macalester Wednesday afternoon at the SMU Field.

Mallory Betzold (Farmington, Minn.) and Madeline Salmon (Woodbury, Minn.) combined on a five-hit shutout in the opener, while Jaci Prondzinski (Ettrick, Wis.) threw a five-inning, complete-game four-hitter in the nightcap, as SMU swept the Scots 7-0 and 8-0.

“This was exactly the type of performance this team needed,” said SMU coach Jen Miller, whose team faces 18th-ranked UW-Eau Claire on Thursday, and then closes out its conference schedule with a pair of games against sixth-ranked St. Thomas on Saturday. “We know we are going to need a lot of help (to get into the conference tournament), but we wouldn't have had any chance if we hadn't taken care of business today.

“Our pitchers did a great job, and offensively, we really swung the bats well. It was a good, all-around day.”

The Cardinals improved to 10-10 in the MIAC, but still trail fourth-place Bethel (10-6) by four games in the loss column heading into the final conference games. SMU must sweep the Tommies on Saturday, then have the Royals lose at least five of their last six — while fifth-place St. Catherine must lose three of its last four — to earn a spot in the four-team tournament.

“It's a pretty daunting task — a lot of which is out of our control,” admitted Miller. “But we aren't about to throw in the towel — you never say never, and if there's one thing I know about this team, they'll go down fighting.”

The Cardinals certainly left little doubt on Wednesday, banging out 13 hits to highlight the 7-0 Game 1 win, while using a six-run fifth inning to ice the sweep-clinching Game 2 victory.

SMU scored three times in the bottom of the first in the opener, and never looked back, adding two runs in the second and two more in the fifth.

Cassie Otte (Randolph, Minn.), Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) and Katy Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) — SMU's No. 1, 2 and 3 hitters in the lineup — all picked up three hits in the opener, with Olson adding three RBIs, while Danielle Geske (Rosemount, Minn.) drove in two runs. Betzold, meanwhile, struck out three and allowed three hits in five innings, with Salmon tossing the final two frames, allowing two hits.

In the nightcap, the Cardinals carried a 2-0 advantage into the bottom of the fifth, where Otte opened the inning with an infield single and, nine batters later, ended it — and the game — with an RBI single to right.

Otte finished Game 2 with three hits in four at-bats, while Betzold and Joanna Mangan (Chicago, Ill.) each chipped in a pair of hits. Prondzinski scattered four hits — all singles — and struck out four in collecting her fifth win of the season.

“It was nice to see us put it all together,” said Miller. “The road certainly gets a little tougher for us with Eau Claire and St. Thomas next on the schedule, but, hopefully, two wins like this will be just the boost we need.”