ST. JOSEPH, Minn. –
Bryanna Schaffer belted her fourth home run of the season, but it was not enough as the Carleton College softball team lost both games at College of Saint Benedict, falling 15-4 (5 inn.) and 5-0.
Game 1 — Saint Benedict 15, Carleton 4 (5 inn.)
After scoring a run in the bottom of the first, the Bennies (17-11, 9-3 MIAC) seized control of the contest in the home half of the second inning by batting around twice and scoring 14 runs, with 10 of those tallies being unearned. The big inning included three-run homers by Cat Smetana and Tuscany Ballot.
Carleton (8-22, 2-10 MIAC) plated a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Schaffer walked and later scored on a wild pitch, while
Rachel Block singled home
Adriana Wiggins with the other run.
Schaffer doubled the Knights' run total with a two-run home run to left field in the fifth inning. It was her fourth roundtripper of the season, tied for the 10th on Carleton's single-season leader. It was also the seventh long ball of her career, moving Schaffer into sixth place in recorded team history (see charts below).
Schaffer finished the contest 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, the homer, and two RBIs. The double was the 37th of her career, tied for the highest total in recorded team history. She now has 173 career hits and 96 career RBIs, with both of those figures one off the team record (see charts below).
After Block was solved for five runs over the first 1.0+ innings, relievers
Becca Madsen and
Abby Gooch did not permit an earned run.
Game 2 – Saint Benedict 5, Carleton 0
Both squads had six hits in the contest, but the Bennies were able to capitalize on their scoring chances. The Knights left seven runners on base, four of them in scoring position.
The Game was scoreless until Saint Benedict opened the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back doubles by Bryn Ruhberg and Lily Treml followed by an RBI single from Smetana that gave the Bennies a 2-0 lead.
The hosts pushed three more runs across in the bottom of the sixth thanks in part to a two-out triple by Olivia Van Hout and another double from Ruhberg.
Wiggins led the Knights with two hits, including a double.
Gooch got the starting nod and absorbed the loss after permitting two runs over 2.0 innings.
Sydney Trentman followed with four strikeouts over 4.0 innings of relief.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton's eight-game road trip continues with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Augsburg University on Saturday, April 19.
Most Home Runs (single season)
1. 6 – Cassie Clarke – 2015
1. 6 – Cassie Cunniff – 2022
1. 6 – Cassie Cunniff – 2023
4. 5 – Vickie Gunderson – 2004
4. 5 – Kari Christianson – 2006
4. 5 – Emily Maland – 2008
4. 5 – Jenny Ramey – 2011
4. 5 – Jocelyn Friedman – 2011
4. 5 - Natalie Maurice - 2019
10. 4 – Michael Johnson – 2009
10. 4 – Jenny Ramey – 2013
10. 4 – Bryanna Schaffer, 2025
Most Home Runs (career)
1. 13 – Jenny Ramey – 2011-14
2. 12 – Vickie Gunderson – 2002-05
2. 12 – Cassie Cunniff – 2020-23
4. 10 – Natalie Maurice – 2017-20
5. 9 –
Sam Kile – 2016-19
6. 7 – Bryanna Schaffer – 2022-pres
7. 6 – Michael Johnson – 2007-10
7. 6 – Jocelyn Friedman – 2010-12
7. 6 – Chelsea Yost – 2010-13
7. 6 – Cassie Clarke – 2014-16
Carleton Career Hits Leaders:
1. 174 – Jenny Ramey – 2011-14
2. 173 – Bryanna Schaffer – 2022-25
3. 167 - Anna Lauko 2016-19
Carleton Career RBI Leaders:
1. 97 – Natalie Maurice – 2017-20
2. 96 – Bryanna Schaffer – 2022-25
3. 90 – Katie Eppard – 2015-18
Carleton Career Doubles Leaders:
1. 37 – Natalie Maurice – 2017-20
1. 37 – Madison Collins – 2019-22
1. 37 – Bryanna Schaffer – 2022-25
