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NORTHFIELD, Minn. — For the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team, the first game of its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Carleton was as easy as 1-2-6.

The Cardinals, who scored once in the first and twice in the second, erupted for six third-inning runs and cruised to a 9-0, five-inning victory over the Knights in the opening game of their conference twinbill.

Game 2, however, was another story, as Carleton scored two runs in both the first and second innings and never looked back en route to a 5-1 victory and a split in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Knights Field.

Hailey Ohl (Bloomington, Minn.), Anna Ramboldt (Goodhue, Minn.), Michelle Carne (Escanaba, Mich.), Juianne Bartosz (Mokena, Ill.) and Melanie Hamilton (Homewood, Ill.) all collected two hits to fuel the Cardinals' 13-hit Game 1 attack.

A Ramboldt double got the Cardinals on the board in the first inning, while Alex Raske delivered a two-run two-bagger in the second inning to push the SMU lead to 3-0. SMU then sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring six runs on five hits — while also taking advantage of two Carleton errors — to push their lead to 9-0.

While the SMU bats were feasting on Carleton pitching, Cardinal pitchers Kayla Peterson (Lewiston, Minn.) and Paige Carter (Rosemount, Minn.) were virtually unhittable. Peterson tossed the first two innings, not allowing a hit, while facing just seven batters. Carter went the final three innings, allowing just two hits — both in the fourth inning — while striking out two.

Things didn't go as well for the Cardinals in Game 2, as SMU managed just a fourth-inning run off Knights' pitcher Claire Willeck. Unfortunately, by the time Ramboldt crossed the plate on Erin Stenseth's (Eau Claire, Wis.) RBI single, the Knights had already tagged Peterson for five runs and 10 hits.

Ohl went 3-for-4, while Stenseth and Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) both added two hits, as the trio accounted for seven of the team's eight hits.

The Cardinals (8-4 MIAC, 13-11 overall) are back in action on Tuesday, as SMU hosts St. Olaf in a 3:30 p.m. conference doubleheader at the SMU Field. SMU was originally scheduled to play at Saint Benedict on Sunday, but that twinbill has already been postponed due to weather and will be made up at a later date.