NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College softball team faced a daunting challenge in its 2021 season opener as the Knights hosted No. 19-ranked College of Saint Benedict. The visitors claimed two victories on a cool, windy day as they prevailed by scores of 8-3 and 7-3.
The Blazers (12-2, 4-0 MIAC) entered the day having played a dozen games over the last month, while the Knights (0-2, 0-2 MIAC) were returning to competition for the first time since Feb. 26, 2020.
"I'm glad we were able get on the field today and compete again," said Carleton head coach
Amy Erickson. "Each and every game is giving us valuable experience to take into the next game. We did some good things to continue to build on for the rest of the season."
GAME 1 RECAP
Jordyn Swoboda's solo home run gave the Blazers the early lead, but
Madison Collins (Jr./Elmhurst, Ill./York) knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first with her RBI double to right field.
Saint Benedict answered back with two runs apiece in the second, third, and fourth innings to take control of the contest. After Swoboda went deep again in the sixth, Carleton responded with a pair of runs against reliever Grace Gilmore in the bottom of the sixth to conclude the scoring.
Swoboda went 3-for-3 with a double and the two home runs to power a Blazer lineup that collected eight extra-base hits and three home runs in the contest. Collins' 2-for-3 effort led the Knights' lineup.
Elly Nowack had 9 strikeouts over 5.0 innings to earn the win, while
Faith Hanshaw (So./The Woodlands, Texas/Woodlands Christian Acad.) absorbed the loss
GAME 2 RECAP
Carleton scored three times in the third inning, including run-scoring hits by Collins and
Laurie Avila (So./Sugar Grove, Ill./Oswego).
For a while it appeared that would be plenty of run support for
Emma Kartheiser (So./Oronoco, Minn./Century), who stymied the Saint Benedict lineup and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
Buoyed by finally getting a base hit, the Blazers took advantage of two Carleton errors to push across seven runs during the top of the sixth. The rally included RBI doubles off the bat of Lexi Hanson, Mo Burns, and Katie Carlson.
The Knights looked to respond in the bottom of the inning as they loaded the bases with one out, but Nowack came out of the pen and recorded the final five outs via strikeouts to register the save.
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS
Carleton visits Bethel University for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, April 11.
