It’s a busy conference weekend for the Saint Mary’s fastpitch softball team, as the Cardinals head to Arden Hills, Minn., for a doubleheader against nationally ranked Bethel on Saturday, before returning home for an MIAC twinbill against St. Olaf the following day. Both DHs are slated for 1 p.m. starts.
SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS
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2024: 5-1 MIAC, 17-5 Overall
#10 BETHEL ROYALS
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2024: 6-0 MIAC, 17-3 Overall
ST. OLAF OLES
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2024: 2-4 MIAC, 11-11 Overall
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at BU: Live Stats * Streaming Video
vs. STO: Live Stats * Streaming Video
MIAC: SB Home * Standings * Schedule
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SMU-BU * LAST MEETING:
May 3, 2023 * Arden Hills, MN
L, 6-5; L, 3-1 * Series History
SMU-STO * LAST MEETING:
May 11, 2023 * Northfield, MN
MIAC Playoffs: L, 3-2 * Series History
SAINT MARY’S * LAST ACTION:
April 10, 2024 * La Crosse, WI
UW-La Crosse * L, 6-2; L, 4-2
BETHEL * LAST ACTION:
April 9, 2024 * Arden Hills, MN
St. Olaf * W, 8-0; W, 5-0
ST. OLAF * LAST ACTION:
April 9, 2024 * Arden Hills, MN
Bethel * L, 8-0; L, 5-0
SAINT MARY’S * UP NEXT:
April 17, 2024 * Moorhead, MN
Concordia * 3:30/5:30
BETHEL * UP NEXT:
April 17, 2024 * Arden Hills, MN
St. Catherine * 3:30/5:30
ST. OLAF * UP NEXT:
April 17, 2024 * Minneapolis, MN
Augsburg * 3:30/5:30
SAINT MARY’S SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Cardinals head into their doubleheaders against Bethel and St. Olaf sitting at 17-5 overall, while owning a 5-1 mark in MIAC action.
• LAST TIME OUT: Saint Mary’s surrendered a combined seven runs in the sixth inning of its nonconference doubleheader against UW-La Crosse Wednesday in La Crosse, Wis., falling to the Eagles 6-2 in Game 1, while dropping a 4-2 decision in the nightcap.
• IN THE POLLS: Saint Mary’s made its first appearance in the NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll since 2006, earning a No. 25 ranking on March 12, before slipping into the “Others Receiving Votes” category in each of the last five polls.
• HITTING THE WALL: After opening the season with wins in 17 of their first 19 games, the Cardinals have dropped three straight, falling to Gustavus 1-0 in the second game of their MIAC doubleheader last Tuesday, before dropping 6-2 and 4-2 decisions to UW-La Crosse the following day. … SMU had its six-game winning streak snapped with last Tuesday’s 1-0, Game 2 loss to Gustavus. … The Cardinals have put together two five-game winning streaks this season, as well as a season-high six-game win streak this season.
• RARE COMPANY: SMU’s 17-2 start to the season was the Cardinals’ best since the 1997 season, when Saint Mary’s opened the year 37-1 — including a school-record 33-game winning streak.
• LEADING THE CHARGE: Steffes enters the weekend boasting a team-leading .486 batting average. The freshman is one of seven Cardinals who are hitting above .300. … Emily Bonk (Hudson, Wis.) is second to Steffes, hitting .362, with Ali French (Winona, Minn. / .358), Naleya Bork (De Pere, Wis. / .353), Peyton Berg (Chatfield, Minn. / .344), Lizzie Pike (Rochester, Minn. / .316), Breonna Methner (Woodbury, Minn. / .314), and Heather Nordlund (Byron, Minn. / .305) also hitting north of .300.
• ON THE RUN: Saint Mary’s has erupted for 171 runs in 22 games this season — including a season-high 22-run outburst in routing North Central 22-1 on Feb.18, an 18-run outburst in drubbing Martin Luther 18-2 on Feb. 24, and a 17-run showing against Emmanuel in a 17-9 win on March 4 … SMU’s 22 runs against North Central were the most in a game since plating 27 against Mount Marty College on March 20, 2009. … Steffes has scored a team-leading 25 runs, followed by French with 18, Pike with 16, Berg with 14, and Bonk, Naleya Bork (De Pere, Wis.), Abbie Stigler (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), and Breonna Methner (Woodbury, Minn.) with 11. … Steffes scored a career-high five times against Emmanuel on March 4. The five runs scored were the most since Alex Raske scored five times against Macalester on April 22, 2015.
• HIT PARADE: Saint Mary’s boasts 10 players who have reached double figures in hits through 22 games. Steffes leads the way with 34, 10 in front of French. Berg (21), Bork (18), Nordlund (18), Bonk (17), Megan McGinnis (Appleton, Wis. / 17), Methner (16), Stigler (13), and Pike (12) have also recorded 10+ hits this season. … Steffes and Bork have each posted career-high four-hit games, while SMU has had nine different players post three hits in a game this season. … Steffes leads the team with nine multiple-hit games, followed by McGinnis with six, and French, Berg, and Bonk with five each.
• EXTRA, EXTRA: The Cardinals have delivered 55 extra-base hits this season — 37 doubles, six triples, and 12 home runs. … Nordlund owns a team-best seven doubles, followed by Bork with six, and Steffes and Berg with five. … Pike and McGinnis have each belted two of SMU’s six triples, with Steffes and Samya Brown (Chicago, Ill.) owning the other three.
• BOMBS AWAY: Berg leads the Cardinals’ home run parade with three, one up on Nordlund, Bork, French, and Bonk, with Steffes accounting for the team’s other round-tripper.. … Berg launched Saint Mary’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot against Northwestern on Feb. 17. … Bonk’s two-run home run against St. Catherine last Friday was the first of her collegiate career, while Steffes’s lead-off HR against St. Scholastica in Game 2 on April 6 was her first as a Cardinal. … SMU slugged five home runs against St. Scholastica last Saturday — three in the first game and two more in the nightcap. … Saint Mary’s clubbed 16 HRs in 2023.
• DRIVING ‘EM HOME: Berg sits atop the team’s RBI race with 20. French (19), Nordlund (14), Steffes (13), Pike (12), Bork (12), and Methner (10) have also reached double figures in RBIs this season. … French, Berg, and Steffes have all posted four RBI games this season — French and Steffes each delivering four RBIs against Emmanuel on March 4. … Bork and Berg lead the team with five multiple-RBI games, one more than both French and Nordlund.
• STREAKING ALONG: Steffes and French have both posted hitting streaks of 10 or more games this season — Steffes hitting safely in her first 12 games this season, while French had at least one hit in SMU’s first 10 games. … Steffes heads into the weekend with the team’s longest active streak at eight games. … French, who closed out the 2023 season hitting safely in each of the Cardinals’ last 12 games, had her 22-game hitting streak snapped against Heidelberg on March 7. … Steffes has reached base safely in 20 of the team’s 22 games this season.
• CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Saint Mary’s has swiped 53 bases on 64 attempts this season, led by Steffes, who is 13-for-17 in the stolen base department. … SMU has gotten at least one stolen base from 15 different players. … Saint Mary’s posted 92 stolen bases in 112 attempts last season — and got at least one stolen base from 17 different players.
• IN THE CIRCLE: Steffes has logged a team-leading 68.0 innings in SMU’s first 22 games, compiling a 9-3 record and a 2.16 ERA, while throwing seven complete games. … Bork has put together a 5-1 record and 2.77 ERA in 35 1/3 innings, while Kenzie Gatz (Oswego, Ill. / 1-1, 2.47 ERA, 17.0 IP), Izzy Griffin (West St. Paul, Minn. / 2-0, 4.73 ERA, 13 1/3 IP), and, and Rhiannon Carroll (Rudolph, Wis. / 0-0, 8.08 ERA, 4 1/3 IP) have also seen time in the circle for the Cardinals. … As a staff, Saint Mary’s pitchers own a 2.79 ERA and opposing batters are hitting just .272.
• PITCHING FIRSTS: Steffes recorded her first collegiate pitching win with a six-inning, six-hitter against Northwestern on Feb. 17, and collected her first career save in last Friday’s 5-4, Game 2 win over St. Catherine on April 29. … Gatz earned her first win as a Cardinal with a complete-game effort in SMU’s 11-4 win over Elizabethtown on March 8. … Griffin picked up her first collegiate win, and her first collegiate shutout — in her first collegiate start — in a 2-0 victory over Carleton last season, while Bork recorded her first pitching win as a Cardinal against Bethany Lutheran on Feb. 18, 2023, allowing one run on four hits in four innings of a 5-1 Saint Mary’s win.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: Saint Mary’s pitchers have struck out 73 batters in 22 games, led by Steffes with 42 strikeouts, followed by Bork with 13 and Griffin with nine. … Steffes struck out a single-game career-high nine batters against Heidelberg on March 7. … Bork, who finished with 48 strikeouts a year ago, fanned a career-high 10 batters in the Cardinals’ 8-3 win over Houghton on Feb. 27, 2023. The 10 strikeouts were the most by a Cardinal pitcher since Amber Chow fanned 10 against Gustavus on April 17, 2021.
• MIAC HONORS: Makayla Steffes (Winona, Minn.) collected her third MIAC weekly honor on April 1, being named MIAC Pitcher of the Week. The freshman has also been named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week twice, on Feb. 19 and March 11.
• PROGRAM FIRSTS: The Cardinals’ spring trip games against Thomas, Emmanuel, Heidelberg, Penn State Behrend, and Elizabethtown were all the first in program history.
• WORKING OVERTIME: Saint Mary’s has played two extra-inning games, beating both Heidelberg (3-2) and Penn State Behrend (15-11) in eight innings. SMU scored nine runs in the top of the seventh, and then erupted for five runs in the top of the eighth in their 15-11 win over Penn State Behrend on March 7.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: As a team, Saint Mary’s is hitting .353 (217-for-615), with 37 doubles, six triples, and 12 home runs, while scoring 173 runs and owning 142 RBIs. … SMU has outscored its first 22 opponents 173-77 — including 63-17 through the game’s first two innings. … SMU has scored five or more runs in an inning nine times — including an 11-run fourth inning in the Cardinals’ 22-1, five-inning victory over North Central on Feb. 24. SMU has posted an eight-run first inning against Emmanuel on March 4 and a nine-run seventh inning against Penn State Behrend on March 7. … Saint Mary’s is 10-1 when holding its opponents to two runs or less. … The Cardinals are 12-4 when scoring first and 9-1 when scoring in the first inning. … SMU owns seven wins cut short by the eight-run rule.
BETHEL SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Royals head into their weekend doubleheaders against Saint Mary’s and Gustavus sitting at 17-3 through 20 games, while boasting a perfect 6-0 mark in conference play.
• LAST TIME OUT: Bethel thew up a pair of goose eggs against St. Olaf last Tuesday, blanking the Oles 8-0 in the opener and 5-0 in the nightcap at Ona Orth Athletic Complex in Arden Hills, Minn.
• IN THE POLLS: The Royals head into their weekend contests sitting No. 10 in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
• COMING IN HOT: With their sweep of St. Olaf last Tuesday, Bethel pushed its winning streak to seven straight. BU has not lost since dropping a 7-2 decision to Utica on March 14 — a loss that snapped a three-game Royal win streak. … Bethel has also put together a six-game winning streak this season, and has yet to lose back-to-back games.
• LEADING THE CHARGE: The Royals head into the weekend boasting three players who are hitting above .300, led by Sidney Bartels, who has gone 18-for-46 en route to her team-leading .391 batting average. Lexi DeBace (.389) and Kayla Hokanson (.333) are also sporting batting averages north of .300.
• ON THE RUN: The Royals have scored 98 runs through their first 20 games this season, and have three players — Autumn Earney (20), DeBace (17), and Bartels (11) — who have scored 10+ runs. …
• HIT PARADE: DeBace has belted a team-high 21 hits, one more than Earney, while Hokanson (19), Bartels (18), Abby Otterness (16), Mandalyn Franks (13), Mikaela Girard (13), Hokanson (12), and Olivia Weinberg (12) have also reached double figures in hits this season. … Earney and DeBace have both recorded a single-game season-high three hits twice this season, while Earney and Bartels have also posted three-hit performances. … DeBace leads the team with seven multiple-hit games, one more than Kayla Hokanson.
• EXTRA, EXTRA: Thirty of Bethel’s 157 hits this season have gone for extra bases, including 20 doubles, four triples, and six home runs. … Bartels and Cortney Hokanson share the team lead in doubles with four each, one more than Franks, with Kayla Hokanson, Otterness, and Weinberg all owning two doubles. …. Bartels has accounted for two of the team’s four triples, while Otterness and Earney own the other two three-baggers.
• BOMBS AWAY: Bethel’s six home runs this season have come from six different players — Bartels, Otterness, Earney, Kayla Hokanson, Weinberg, and Ellie Baker. … Two of Bethel’s six home runs came against Wartburg in the teams’ season-opener on March 2. …
• DRIVING ‘EM HOME: Kayla Hokanson, Otterness, Girard, and Bartels have all reached double figures in RBIs. Kayla Hokanson leads the way with 14 RBIs, followed by Otterness with 13, Girard with 12, and Bartels with 11. … Otterness leads the team with five multiple-RBI games, with Girard and Kayla Hokanson sitting second with three multiple-RBI efforts.
• STREAKING ALONG: Earney owns the Royals’ longest hitting streak this season at nine games, but Otterness and Bartels head into the weekend with BU’s longest active streaks at six.
• IN THE CIRCLE: Kayla Simacek has been the workhorse of the Bethel pitching staff, accounting for 108 1/3 of the team’s 136 innings pitched. Simacek, who sports a 14-1 record and a 1.34 ERA, has appeared in 19 of the team’s 20 games — including 15 starts — and has thrown 13 complete games and owns five shutouts. … As a staff, BU boasts a 2.01 ERA and opponents are hitting just .202.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: Simacek has amassed 123 strikeouts in her 108 1/3 innings, and owns all but nine of the team’s 132 strikeouts through 20 games. … Simacek struck out a single-game season-high 16 batters against Framingham State on March 10.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: As a team, Bethel is hitting .293 (157-for-536), with 30 extra-base hits, has scored 98 runs and owns 85 RBIs. … BU has scored six or more runs in a game six times, including a season-high 13-run effort in routing Wilmington (Ohio) 13-6 on March 13. On the flip side, the Royals have 7+ runs three times — all losses. Bethel surrendered seven runs in losses to North Central (7-6) and Utica (7-2), while surrendering a season-high nine in falling to Wartburg 9-4.
ST. OLAF SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Oles head into their conference doubleheaders against St. Scholastica and Saint Mary’s this weekend hovering at .500 with an 11-11 overall record. St. Olaf owns two MIAC wins among its first six conference contests.
• LAST TIME OUT: St. Olaf managed just five hits in 12 innings — and failed to score a run — against 10th-ranked Bethel last Tuesday, falling to the Royals 8-0 in the opener and 5-0 in the nightcap at Ona Orth Athletic Complex in Arden Hills, Minn.
• SWEEPING UP: The Oles have played three conference doubleheaders this season, with all three decided in a sweep. St. Olaf took two from St. Catherine (6-5, 4-1), but were swept by both Saint Benedict (8-3, 7-2) and Bethel (8-0, 5-0).
• LEADING THE CHARGE: The Oles come into the weekend boasting six players who are hitting .300 or better through 22 games. Shreya Ashok leads the Oles’ offensive attack, sporting a .426 batting average, going 29-for-68. Hannah Peschel (.344), Medora Rylee (.329), Eva Hokanson (.327), Jenna Peschel (.325), and Amelia Christenson (.310) have also put together batting averages above .300.
• ON THE RUN: St. Olaf has scored 102 runs in 22 games, and has gotten at least two runs scored from 18 of the 19 players who have seen playing time this season. … Rylee leads the team with 19 runs scored, followed by Ashok with 15, and Hannah Peschel with 12. … Rylee scored a single-game, season-high four times against Agnes Scott on March 24.
• HIT PARADE: Ashok has collected a team-best 29 hits and its one of three Oles with 20+ hits, being joined by Rylee (23) and Hannah Peschel (22). Christenson (18), Anne Fossum (17), Hokanson (16), and Jenna Peschel (13). … Ashok recorded a whopping six hits in St. Olaf’s 16-6 win over Agnes Scott on March 24. … Ashok leads the Oles with nine multiple-hit games, two more than both Hannah Peschel and Rylee.
• EXTRA, EXTRA: Thirty-nine of St. Olaf’s 177 hits this season have been for extra bases, including 28 doubles, five triples, and six home runs. … Rylee and Fossum sit atop the team lead in doubles with four, one more than Hannah Peschel, Hokanson, Jenna Peschel, and Hokanson. … Rylee has recorded two of the team’s five triples, with Jenna Peschel, Christenson, and Ashok clubbing the other three. … Ring and Christenson have both delivered two doubles in a game this season — Ring against Northwestern on Feb. 24 and Christenson against Nebraska Wesleyan on Feb. 17.
• BOMBS AWAY: St. Olaf’s six home runs have come from five different players. Hannah Peschel owns a pair of round-trippers, with Jenna Peschel, Christenson, Singleton, and Jaelyn Orth each cracking one.
• DRIVING ‘EM HOME: Hannah Peschel leads the Oles with 17 RBIs, with Christenson and Rylee also reaching double figures with 10 RBIs apiece. … Ashok drove in a single-game, season-high four runs against Agnes Scott on March 24. … Hannah Peschel and Jenna Peschel share top spot on the team with five multiple-RBI games, with Rylee and Christenson each chipping in three multiple-RBI performances.
• STREAKING ALONG: Christenson owns the team’s longest hitting streak at eight games, but no Oles has hit safely in more than three games heading into the weekend. … Rylee and Christenson have both reached base safely in more than 10 straight games — Rylee had a 17-game streak earlier this year, while Christenson owned an 11-gamer.
• IN THE CIRCLE: St. Olaf has used four different pitchers this season, with all four logging more than 20 innings. Roxanne Ring (4-4, 4.03 ERA) leads the staff with 58.0 IP, followed by Jenna Peschel (1-3, 4.62 ERA, 37.0 IP), Orth (3-2, 8.77 ERA, 25 2/3 IP), and Singleton (3-2, 5.31 ERA, 20 1/3 IP). … Ring leads the team in appearances (11) and starts (9), with Jenna Peschel and Orth each appearing in 10 games. … Ring has recorded six of the team’s nine complete games, followed by Jenna Peschel with two and Orth with one. … Jenna Peschel has collected both of St. Olaf’s saves. … As a staff, St. Olaf boasts a combined 5.23 ERA.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: St. Olaf pitchers have combined to strikeout 65 batters this season, led by Orth with 22 strikeouts, Ring with 21, and Jenna Peschel with 16. … Ring fanned a season-high six batters against Simpson on Feb. 17.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: As a team, St. Olaf is batting .301 (177-for-588), with 39 extra-base hits, 102 runs scored, and 92 RBIs. … The Oles have scored 10 or more runs three times — plating 10 in beating Covenant 10-3 on March 29; scoring 11 in dropping Nebraska Wesleyan 11-9 on Feb. 17; and posting a season-high 16 in a 16-6 win over Agnes Scott on March 24. On the flip side, STO has allowing 10+ runs in a game just once, falling to Emory 10-1 on March 25. … Along with their 16 runs, the Oles also posted season-highs in at-bats (44), hits (23), RBIs (15), and walks (7) against Agnes Scott on March 24. … St. Olaf opened the season with five straight wins, but have gone 6-11 in its last 17 games. …
