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Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CARDINAL ATHLETICS
Softball Group Photo
Marissa Nelson, UWSP Sports Information
3
St. Catherine ST. CATH 17-9
11
Winner Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA 27-2
St. Catherine ST. CATH
17-9
3
Final
11
Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA
27-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
St. Catherine ST. CATH 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 1
Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA 0 0 4 6 0 1 11 14 0

W: Steffes, Makayla (15-1) L: Alexa Carlstrom (7-5)

1
St. Catherine ST. CATH 17-10
5
Winner Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA 28-2
St. Catherine ST. CATH
17-10
1
Final
5
Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA
28-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
St. Catherine ST. CATH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Saint Mary's (Minn.) SAINT MA 0 0 1 1 2 1 X 5 10 0

W: Gatz, Kenzie (12-1) L: Morgan Wilson (1-2)

Game Recap: Softball |

Cardinals Rally Twice, Stay Perfect in MIAC Play with Sweep of Wildcats

WINONA, Minn. — In a long-awaited makeup showdown, the No. 4 Saint Mary's softball team (28-2, 14-0 MIAC) extended its unbeaten conference run with a pair of come-from-behind victories over St. Catherine (17-10, 6-3 MIAC) on a brisk Sunday afternoon. 

GAME ONE (6 innings)
SMU 11, ST. CATHERINE 3

After surrendering three runs in the opening inning, Saint Mary's responded emphatically, plating 11 unanswered runs behind a 14-hit attack.

The Cardinals flipped the game in the third inning, sparked by Brianna Nusbaum's two-run home run, her first of her collegiate career. That swing ignited a four-run frame and gave SMU a 4-3 advantage it would not relinquish.

Saint Mary's broke the game open in the fourth, scoring six runs with a blend of speed and situational hitting. Nusbaum swiped second and later scored on a Samya Brown RBI single, while Makayla Steffes and Naleyah Bork added RBI hits. Alexandra Gerber highlighted the inning with a steal of home, helping stretch the lead to 10-3.

The Cardinals tacked on another run in the sixth on Bork's RBI single, while the defense shut the door the rest of the way.

Steffes earned her 15th win of the season with a complete-game effort, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out five. Offensively, Nusbaum finished with two hits and two RBIs, McGinnis added three hits and two RBIs, and Karli Zetah scored twice with a pair of stolen bases.

GAME TWO
SMU 5, ST. CATHERINE 1

Saint Mary's followed with another strong showing in game two, using a 10-hit performance and a dominant outing in the circle to complete the sweep.

After St. Catherine grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the first inning, and the Cardinals quickly settled in. 

Emily Bonk evened the score with a solo shot in the fourth, her first of the season and third career, before the Cardinals took control in the fifth. Bork delivered the decisive blow with a two-RBI single to put the Cardinals in front for good.

The Cardinals continued to apply pressure with aggressive baserunning and clutch at-bats. Gerber swiped two bases and scored, while Nusbaum's double in the sixth led to an insurance run on a sacrifice from Zoe Fink.

Kenzie Gatz was dominant in the circle, tossing a complete game while allowing just one hit, the opening-inning home run, and striking out six. She walked one and needed just 60 pitches to earn her 12th win of the season.

Steffes paced the offense with three hits, while Gerber added two hits and two stolen bases. Bork finished with two RBIs to lead the Cardinals.

Saint Mary's returns to action for its final home doubleheader of the regular season on Tuesday, April 21, hosting Hamline at 3:30 p.m.

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