Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Photo Gallery | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — Katy Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) proved to be the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team's sparkplug in last Tuesday's sweep of St. Olaf, as the Cardinal senior hit a game-winner, seventh-inning home run in a 1-0 Game 1 win, and then belted a three-run, sixth-inning shot in SMU's 8-0 Game 2 victory.

And on Thursday afternoon, she was at it again.

Gannon belted her third home run as many games, sparking a four-run fifth inning, as the Cardinals broke open a close game and cruised to an 8-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win over visiting Macalester at the SMU Field.

Gannon picked up right where they left off in Game 2, as the SMU shortstop hit her fourth home run in as many games in leading the Cardinals to a 9-1, five-inning victory.

Gannon may have had the “loudest” hit with her home run to left field, but she wasn't the only Cardinal making noise with their bat in the opener, as Mallory Betzold (Farmington, Minn.) went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while Hailey Ohl (Bloomington, Minn.) was 3-for-4, and Erin Stenseth (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) each added two hits to fuel SMU's 16-hit attack.

Betzold picked up her team-leading eighth pitching win of the season in Game 1, scattering five hits and allowing just a second-inning run in five innings of work, while Kayla Peterson (Lewiston, Minn.) was perfect in her two innings of relief.

SMU jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, and, after Macalester cut the gap to 2-1 in the top of the second, scored twice in the third and four times in the fifth to seal their third straight conference win.

After going down in order in the first inning of Game 2, the Cardinals' offense kicked into high gear, scoring twice in the second, four times in the third, once in the fourth and twice in the fifth to complete their second straight conference sweep.

Paige Carter (Rosemount, Minn.) was the only Cardinal with more than one hit — going 2-for-3 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs — as SMU took advantage of four Scot errors in rolling to the win. Gannon went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run to center, while Stenseth, Ohl, Olson, Michelle Carne (Escanaba, Mich.), and Kristen Thelen (Rochester, Minn.) all had one hit.

Angie Bates (Roselle, Ill.) earned the pitching win, allowing just two hits — singles in the first and fourth innings — while striking out four and not walking a batter.

The Cardinals (5-3 MIAC, 12-6 overall) are back in action this weekend, traveling to Bethel for a 1 p.m. conference doubleheader on Saturday, then heading to Decorah, Iowa, for a 1 p.m.. nonconference twinbill against nationally ranked Luther on Sunday.