NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Carleton College softball team dropped a pair of games to cross-town rival St. Olaf College on Friday at Ele Hansen Field. The Knights fell in game one 12-5 before nearly pulling off the come-from-behind win with a home run that drifted foul in a 2-1 loss in game two.
Game 1 – Carleton 5, St. Olaf 12
Despite keeping the game within reach through the first four innings, St. Olaf scored five unanswered runs over the final two frames to capture the win.
St. Olaf jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but Carleton responded in the bottom half of the inning. After Adriana Wiggins reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners, she then stole second, allowing Megan Smith to score from third. She later came around to score on an RBI-double from Jade Thach to tie the score 2-2.
The Oles scored one more in the third and another in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead before the Knights responded with an RBI single from Smith to score Natasha Paez. St. Olaf went on to score three more runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-3 advantage. Paez came through with a two-run triple to left in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead back to two (7-5).
However, the Oles went on to score five unanswered down the stretch, scoring three in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away with the 12-5 win.
Paez led the way for the Knights with three hits in four at-bats with a pair of doubles, a triple, and two runs batted in. Smith followed with a 2-for-4 day at the plate and an RBI. Sydney Trentman was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and a run scored.
Rachel Block started for the Knights, pitching four innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits while striking out one. Becca Madsen pitched the final three innings in relief, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits.
St. Olaf's Roxanne Ring earned the win, throwing a complete game and allowing five runs on 10 hits.
Game 2 – Carleton 1, St. Olaf 2
Carleton mounted a seventh-inning rally but fell short in a 2-1 loss in game two. The Knights struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the afternoon, leaving 11 runners on base. St. Olaf took an early lead with a run in the first inning and added an insurance run in the third.
Carleton mounted a pair of comeback bids late in the second game. After Paez singled to left to lead off the bottom of the fourth, Sydney Trentman narrowly missed tying the game up when a home run drifted foul. She later struck out as the Knights were unable to get one across and maintained the two-run deficit.
The Knights nearly pulled it off again in the bottom of the seventh. After Gloria Hronek and Adriana Wiggins drew walks to start the frame, Gloria Galindo delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to bring the Knights within one with runners on first and second. First-year Emily Vogel stepped to the plate and nearly ended the game. For the second time in the game, a Carleton home run drifted foul, narrowly missing the walk-off three-run home run. Instead, Vogel grounded out as the Oles held on for the 2-1 win.
Sydney Trentman turned in a strong performance in the circle for Carleton, throwing a complete game and allowing just two earned runs on eight hits. She struck out six Oles and walked only one in seven innings of work.
Samantha Rodriguez, who extended her hit streak to 14 games on Friday, was the only Knight to record multiple hits in the second game. She went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, while Galindo collected an RBI single in her only at-bat and Adriana Wiggins went 1-for-3 with a double and scored the team's only run.
The Oles were led by Eva Hokanson, who drove in both of St. Olaf's runs with a pair of hits. Madyn Singleton earned the win for the visitors, allowing one run on six hits while navigating five walks over seven innings.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will be back in action again tomorrow when it closes out MIAC regular season play. A lot will be on the line for the Maize and Blue, who will be celebrating Senior Day to honor their six seniors. In addition to the senior celebration, a MIAC Playoff berth will be at stake. Depending on results around the league, the Knights could be the fifth or sixth seed, or be left out of the playoff field, setting up an exciting final day of MIAC play.
