By ALEX NUEHRING
Saint Mary's Sports Information Intern
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota fastpitch softball team was looking to close out its season on a high-note, as they hosted Saint Benedict in a pair of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games at Saint Mary's Field.
 
Unfortunately, the Blazers—who headed into the conference twinbill winners of their last six straight—continued their winning ways, sweeping the Cardinals 7-2 and 5-0.
 
The Blazers—who have already clinched a spot in the MIAC Playoffs and are battling for one of the top two seeds, and the all-important first-round bye—proved why they are ranked No. 20 in the nation, scoring one run in the first inning and two more in the second inning to grab an early 3-0 lead in Game 1.
 
It wasn't until the fifth inning that the Cardinals offense finally got rolling.
 
Jordyn Keprios (Farmington, Minn.) walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a single by Justine Schultz (Winona, Minn.). The two each moved up a base on a groundout by Paige Gudmundson (Plainview, Minn.), and scored on Shayley Vesel's to run single to trim the Blazers' lead to 3-2.
 
The Blazers, however, ramped up their offensive output in the sixth, answering the Cardinals' two-run inning with four runs to put the game out of reach, 7-2.
 
Allie Borawski (Stickney, Ill.) went 3-for-3, and Schultz and Brittney Birkhauser (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) each chipped in two hits in the opener.
 
In the nightcap, the Cardinals threatened in their first at-bat, thanks to a lead-off single by Schultz, followed by a single by Birkhauser. Schultz advanced to third base on a fielder's choice by Vesel, but was Saint Mary's was unable to drive her in.
 
The Blazers made the most of their best scoring opportunity, providing all of the game's run production in the second inning, scoring five times on four hits.
 
Following their two-hit first inning, the Cardinals' offense was kept quiet by Blazer pitcher Kiela DeVlaeminck, who limited Saint Mary's to just two singles—one by Schultz and the other by Roni Stevens (Delano, Minn.)—over the final six innings.
 
Schultz finished 2-for-2, with Birkhauser and Stevens each chipping in one hit—Stevens' the first of her collegiate career.