WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball coach
Jen Miller knew her Cardinals would have their hands full Thursday afternoon in their nonconference doubleheader against Winona State.
After all, the Warriors entered the contest boasting an impressive 12-2 overall record — not to mention a No. 9 ranking in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25.
And, unfortunately for Miller and the Cardinals, the Warriors didn't disappoint, as Winona State scored six runs in each game of the twinbill to beat SMU 6-0 and 6-1 at WSU's Alumni Field.
The Cardinals matched the Warriors hit-for-hit in the opener, with both teams banging out eight hits.
The difference? Three of WSU's eight hits were two-run home runs, as the Warriors' Mollie Bjelland, Kathy Crudo and Jenny Wilmes all went deep against SMU starter
Mallory Betzold (Farmington, Minn.) in leading Winona State to the 6-0, Game 1 win.
Bjelland gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead with her first home run of the season in the bottom of the first, with Crudo pushing the WSU advantage to 4-0 with her second round-tripper of the season in the fourth. Wilmes closed out the scoring with her first home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth.
The Cardinals were not without opportunities of their own, loading the bases with two outs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Each time, however, WSU pitcher Courtney Strang induced an inning-ending strikeout to end the threat.
Katy Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) and Betzold each finished with two hits to pace the Cardinals, who stranded 12 runners in failing to score for the third straight game.
SMU did finally get on the board in the fifth inning of Game 2, as
Julianne Bartosz (Mokena, Ill.) laced a two-out double and scored on an
Erin Stenseth (Eau Claire, Wis.) single to left.
By then, however, WSU had built a 3-1 lead and ice the victory — and the sweep — with three runs in the bottom of the fifth off SMU pitcher
Jaci Prondzinski (Ettrick, Wis.).
Stenseth, Bartosz and
Kellie Simons (Richfield, Minn.) accounted for SMU's three hits in Game 2, while the Warriors tagged Prondzinski for six runs on 11 hits.
The Cardinals, who fall to 3-7 overall, are back in action on April 7, when they travel to Eau Claire, Wis., for a nonconference doubleheader against UW-Eau Claire.
