ST. PAUL, Minn. — The key to Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-opening doubleheader was to get off to a fast start.
 
Which is exactly what happened.
 
For St. Thomas.
 
The Tommies erupted for five runs in the first inning of Game 1 against the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team, and the Cardinals were never able to get their offense shifted out of neutral, as St. Thomas handed SMU back-to-back losses at UST Field, 9-0 and 6-0.
 
St. Thomas did not waste any time taking control in the opener, scoring five times in its first plate appearance — including three on a three-run home run by Megan Baniecke. UST would add four more runs in the second — and nine runs was more than enough for Tommie pitchers Kierstin Anderson-Glass and Baniecke, who combined on a three-hit shutout.
 
Justine Schultz (Winona, Minn.) accounted for two of the Cardinals' three hits in the opener, with Amber Chow (West St. Paul, Minn.) collecting the other.
 
 The Tommies jumped to an early lead again in the second game, scoring a solo run in the bottom of the first, before adding four more in the third and one in the sixth en route to its eighth win in 11 games this season.
 
Paige Gudmundson (Plainview, Minn.) posted a 2-for-3 day at the plate, with Schultz and Jordan Meyers (Eyota, Minn.) collecting Saint Mary's other two hits.
 
The Cardinals (0-2 MIAC, 3-11 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, traveling to St. Joseph, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. conference doubleheader against Saint Benedict.