By
DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
ST. PAUL, Minn. — It was a very memorable doubleheader for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's
Maria Averbeck (Lewiston, Minn.) Sunday afternoon.
The senior picked up her first collegiate two-hit game, delivered her first career double, and drove in two runs — twice — for the first time as a Cardinal.
Unfortunately — despite Averbeck's offensive efforts — the end results against nationally St. Thomas weren't quite as memorable, as the Tommies dealt the Cardinals 10-2 and 5-3 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference losses at UST's South Field.
The Tommies erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the third inning to grab a commanding 7-0 advantage in the opener. Averbeck delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double in the top of the fifth, only to have St. Thomas answer with three runs in its half of the inning to ice the win.
St. Thomas pitchers Kierstin Ander-Glass, Kendall Hopkins, and Isabelle Marketon combined on a two-hitter, limiting the Cardinal offense to fifth-inning hits by
Haley Williams (Littleton, Colo.) and Averbeck.
The Cardinals got off to a much better start in the nightcap — again thanks in part to Averbeck's red-hot bat.
Saint Mary's loaded the bases with no one out — thanks to back-to-back walks to
Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis.) and
Paige Gudmundson (Plainview, Minn.), and an infield single by
Justine Schultz (Winona, Minn.). Averbeck delivered her second two-run hit — this one a one-out single to score Schmeling and Gudmundson, while
Amber Trendle (Chicago, Ill.) added an RBI single to give the Cardinals a quick, 3-0 lead.
A lead that did not last long, however.
St. Thomas answered the Cardinals' three-run first with four runs in its half of the inning, before adding a solo run in the third to seal the sweep.
Schultz finished the second game going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Averbeck had two hits in four at-bats, and Schmeling, Trendle, and
Roni Stevens (Delano, Minn.) had Saint Mary's other three hits.
The Cardinals (3-9 MIAC, 7-19 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, returning home to the Saint Mary's Field for a 3:30 p.m. conference doubleheader against Augsburg.
