By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team scored just six runs — combined — in its two spring trip games Wednesday.
 
And thanks to a trio of Cardinal pitchers — six runs was more than enough.
 
Just hours after Cassie Sutor (Chicago, Ill.) and Amber Chow (West St. Paul, Minn.) limited Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to just one run on four hits in a 2-1 Saint Mary's victory, Chow was at it again, this time teaming with Lexi Brooks (Searcy, Ark.) on a one-run, seven-hitter in guiding the Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over Lebanon Valley.
 
Lebanon Valley struck first, scoring its lone run in the top of the third on a two-out single by Kate Whelski.
 
That would be the last time the Dutchmen would scratch across a run against the Cardinal pitching staff.
 
And the Saint Mary's offense had yet to hit its stride.
 
The Cardinals took the lead for good in the fifth, collecting three hits — including an RBI single from Erin Sullivan (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) and a two-run single by Chow — to grab a 3-1 lead.
 
Justine Schultz (Winona, Minn.) — the offensive and defensive hero of the Cardinals' 2-1 win over Rose-Hulman earlier in the day — delivered a run-scoring double down the left-field line to give the Cardinals a three-run cushion.
 
Which was more than enough for Chow and Brooks.
 
Chow went the first five innings, allowing one run on six hits, while walking one and striking out two. Brooks tossed the final two innings, limiting the Dutchmen to one hit en route to her first collegiate save. Offensively, the Cardinals banged out eight hits — from eight different players.
 
The Cardinals (4-2 overall) are back in action on Thursday, squaring off against Alvernia at 10 a.m. EST, before taking on Muskingum at 12:15 p.m. EST.