MANKATO, Minn. — Wrapping up its final weekend of indoor play, the Saint Mary's softball team opened the season in dominant fashion, going a perfect 8-0 in Mankato with wins over Dominican University Illinois, 5-2, and University of Minnesota Morris, 19-0.
SMU 5, DU 2
The Cardinals broke a late tie with a three-run seventh inning to secure the victory, while the pitching staff limited Dominican to just two hits and racked up nine strikeouts.
Peyton Berg sparked the offense with a three-run home run and three RBIs. Makayla Steffes delivered a standout all-around performance, tossing a complete-game two-hitter with nine strikeouts while also going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI.
After two scoreless innings, Saint Mary's struck first in the third. Samya Brown doubled to left center and later scored on Megan McGinnis' single to left. Dominican answered with two unearned runs in the bottom half to take a 2-1 lead.
The Cardinals evened the score in the fifth when Alexandra Gerber singled and eventually came home on Steffes' RBI single to right, tying the game at 2-2.
The decisive blow came in the seventh. Berg launched a three-run homer to score McGinnis and Steffes, pushing Saint Mary's in front 5-2. Dominican was unable to respond in its final at-bat.
SMU 19, UMM 0 (5 innings)
Saint Mary's closed the weekend in emphatic fashion, overpowering Minnesota Morris 19-0 in five innings. The Cardinals pounded out 16 hits, including six doubles and a home run, and capitalized on 12 Cougar errors. In the circle, the Saint Mary's pitchers combined to allow just one hit while striking out 11.
The game turned into a rout in the fourth inning when the Cardinals exploded for 13 runs. The outburst came exactly one year to the day after Saint Mary's posted their most runs scored last season with 25 runs against Morris in the Dome.
Reagan Mathe finished with two runs scored and two RBIs, highlighted by a double. Kenzie Gatz was dominant in the circle, surrendering just one hit over four innings while striking out 10. Olivia Poulin added three RBIs, including a pair of doubles.
Saint Mary's wasted no time getting started. Gerber opened the game with a bunt single and later scored on Steffes' double. Berg followed with a two-run double to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead after one inning.
The Cardinals added two more in the second, taking advantage of defensive miscues to stretch the lead to 5-0.
The fourth-inning eruption put the game out of reach. Poulin delivered a two-RBI double, while Mathe and Ariel Herrera added RBI singles as Saint Mary's took full advantage of Morris errors to build a commanding 19-0 advantage.
Saint Mary's now turns its attention to a trip south, traveling to LaGrange for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 3, before competing in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus later that weekend.
