NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College softball team came from behind to win both games of Sunday's doubleheader against Concordia College-Moorhead. Jade Thach was 3-for-5 with three doubles, and Rachel Block threw 8.0 scoreless innings of relief on the day to pick up two wins as the Knights prevailed 3-1 and 5-4.
 
"Those were two really tough, gritty wins today," said Carleton head coach Amy Erickson. "It was fun to see the team come together and execute situationally, play really strong defense, and get some strong pitching outings. It was just an all-around great day for our team."
 
Game 1 — Carleton 3, Concordia 1
Concordia (20-16, 8-12 MIAC) opened the scoring with a two-out tally in the second inning. Carleton (12-26, 6-14 MIAC) tied the game in the fourth when Thatch delivered an RBI double that scored pinch runner Mia Salardino from first base.
 
The Knights plated a run in the fifth inning as Megan Smith walked and ended up at third base after Esme Song's single. Bryanna Schaffer followed with an RBI single.
 
Carleton added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Thach doubled to begin the frame and later scored via Smith's sacrifice fly.
 
Thach, Song, and Grace Colburn each had two hits in the game.
 
Becca Madsen got the starting nod and tossed 3.0 innings of 1-run ball. Block followed with 4.0 frames of scoreless two-hit relief work, including three strikeouts.
 
Game 2 — Carleton 5, Concordia 4
The Knights trailed 4-1 midway through the third inning but came back to score the game's final four runs to complete the sweep.
 
A wind-blown, two-out single brought home the initial Concordia run in the top of the first inning. The hosts answered in their half of the frame as Smith walked and raced home on Schaffer's double to deep right-center field.
 
The Cobbers scored three times in the third inning, including a two-run home run by Jocelyn Maki that put the visitors in front 4-1.
 
Schaffer's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third got one of those runs back, and the Knights scored three more times in the following stanza. Thach smacked an RBI double to left, Samantha Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home the tying tally, and Smith added another sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.
 
After Sydney Trentman pitched the first 3.0 innings, Block came out of the bullpen to earn the win with another 4.0 shutout innings with four strikeouts.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton concludes the season by hosting Gustavus Adolphus College for a Senior Day doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.