WINTER HAVEN, Florida - What a way to wrap up their annual Spring Break trip to Florida! The Saint Mary's softball team (13-3) finished strong with a sweep on their final day of games. The Cardinals defeated Concordia Wisconsin (5-4) 11-0, then took down Emmanuel (1-9) 9-1, concluding their week down south with a 5-3 record.
 
CONCORDIA
 
The Cardinals defeated the Falcons Wisconsin 11-0 in a five-inning contest.
 
Megan McGinnis stood out for the Cardinals with three hits and three runs scored in the game, showcasing a perfect performance at the plate with an OPS of 2.000 and adding a stolen base. Peyton Berg contributed significantly by driving in three runs, including a two-RBI single with the bases loaded. Makayla Steffes excelled both as a pitcher and batter; she recorded a complete-game shutout with five strikeouts over five innings, allowing only three hits and maintaining a WHIP of .80 while also scoring two runs and driving in one. 
 
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the first inning with McGinnis reaching base on a single and then stealing second. Heather Nordlund drove in McGinnis with a single to left field, giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. This set the tone for the game, as the team displayed strong offensive performance.
 
The Cardinals capitalized on Concordia Wisconsin's errors in the second. Alexandra Gerber reached second on a throwing error and later scored on Abbie Stigler's RBI single. The team continued to extend their lead with a five-run inning, highlighted by multiple unearned runs, leaving the score at 6-0 after two innings.
 
In the third inning, the rally continued solidifying a commanding 11-0 lead by the end of the inning.
 
Concordia Wisconsin was unable to overcome the deficit, as the Cardinals defense held firm through the later innings. The Cardinals secured the victory with a final score of 11-0, backed by 13 hits and a robust defensive performance.
 
EMMANUEL
 
On the mound, Kenzie Gatz delivered a complete game, allowing just one earned run on seven hits over six innings, striking out eight without issuing a walk. The Cardinals secured a decisive 9-1 victory over the Saints.
In the first inning, the Cardinals took an early lead with Steffes singling up the middle and later scoring on an error, making it 1-0. Emmanuel responded with a run in the bottom of the inning, tying the game 1-1.
 
The second inning saw Bork reach base with a walk and eventually score from an Allison Ciero single, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. 
 
The next few innings were quiet on the scoring front, with both teams unable to convert hits into runs.
 
In the fourth inning, the Cardinals extended their lead to 3-1. They kept adding to their lead every inning, putting the score at 4-1 after the fifth.
 
The sixth inning was a decisive one for the Cardinals, as they scored five runs. 
 
This offensive surge began with Stigler reaching and stealing second, followed by a series of hits culminating in Steffes' triple that cleared the bases, bringing in three runs. McGinnis drove in the final run of the inning, giving the Cardinals a commanding 9-1 advantage. 
 
Emmanuel was unable to recover, resulting in a final score of 9-1. The Cardinals finished with 10 hits and no errors, leaving just three runners on base.
 
The Cardinal softball team will take a break to regroup after their time in Florida and get ready for conference play, which starts on March 30th at St. Catherine for a double-header.