NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Despite four-hit days for shortstop Bryanna Schaffer (So./San Diego, Calif./Mar Vista) and catcher Laurie Avila (Sr./Sugar Grove, Ill./Oswego), the Carleton College softball team dropped both ends of Tuesday's doubleheader against Hamline University. The Knights lost game one of their home-opening doubleheader, 10-1 in 6 innings, and came up short in game two, 10-7.
 
Game 1 Recap
Hamline 10, Carleton 1 (6 inn.)
 
The Pipers (9-10-1, 3-3 MIAC) strung together four consecutive doubles during a five-run top of the first and never looked back in claiming the opener. That was more than enough run support for Hamline starting pitcher Montana Miller (3-4), who scattered seven hits—all singles—and gave up only one run in a complete-game effort.
 
The visitors collected 14 hits, including a 4-for-4 performance by Savannah Johnson, including a double and a solo home run. Gabby Cook had three hits.
 
After Hamline jumped out to the early five-run lead, Carleton (10-10, 1-3 MIAC) responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Emma Kartheiser (Sr./Oronoco, Minn./Century) singled home Adriana Wiggins (Fy./Long Beach, Calif./Wilson).
 
Unfortunately, the Knights would not get a runner into scoring position over the final six frames.
 
Hamline bolstered its advantage with single tallies in the third and fourth inning before tacking on three more runs in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Schaffer and Avila both went 2-for-4 in the game for Carleton.
 
Game 2 Recap
Hamline 10, Carleton 7
 
Looking to get past its offensive struggles from the opener, Carleton jumped out to a 3-0 advantage after Wiggins, Avila, and Grace Colburn (Fy./Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge) had RBI singles in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Hamline cut into the lead with two runs in the third inning and inched ahead with a two-run double in the fourth.
 
The Pipers then scored four more times in the top of the fifth inning, but this time Carleton responded with a four-run rally of its own in the bottom of the frame. Avila contributed her second RBI single of the game, and Livi Peters (Fy./Rockledge, Fla./Viera) added a two-run, two-out single. Ella Collins (So./Ashburn, Va./Riverside) followed with an RBI pinch-hit single to bring the Knights within 8-7.
 
The Pipers kept the Knights at bay by tacking on single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Schaffer, Avila, Wiggins, Peters, and Cassie Cunniff (Sr./Mt. Prospect, Ill./Prospect) each had two hits for Carleton, but Cook and Abbey Herbert went a combined 9-of-10 with six RBI from the heart of the Hamline lineup.
 
This marked the first time this season that the Knights lost when scoring at least seven runs. Carleton had been 8-0 in such contests entering the day.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton visits St. Catherine University for a twinbill at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 15.