Box Score NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The No. 6-seeded Carleton College softball team was eliminated from the MIAC Playoffs by No. 3 St. Olaf College after a 9-0 defeat (6 inn.).
"Today didn't quite go our way, but I am so proud of this team and this season," said Carleton head coach
Amy Erickson. "They all worked so hard and fought so much over the course of this year, and it paid off.
"I want to thank our awesome seniors for bringing great leadership and a true vision for where they wanted to take this team and program. They are leaving a legacy for the returners and future Knights to continue to build on."
After Carleton (24-17, 12-10 MIAC) went down in order in the top of the first, St. Olaf (25-14, 17-5 MIAC) struck in the bottom half. Eva Hokanson drove in a pair with an RBI double, and Elle Brandt singled home a third run. Belle Schmidt guided a single to left field to push across a fourth run in the second inning. St. Olaf pitcher Roxanne Ring then helped her cause with a third-inning RBI double for a 5-0 lead.
The Knights' best scoring chance came in the top of the fifth.
Emily Vogel singled and
Natasha Paez doubled to put two runners in scoring position with none out.
After a strikeout and a fielder's choice resulted in runners on second and third and two down,
Megan Smith worked a walk to load the bases, but Carleton could not push across a run.
Adriana Wiggins and Vogel singled in the sixth, but the Knights again stranded the runners. The Oles rallied again in the sixth, with Schmidt reaching on an error that pushed across a sixth run before Hokanson drove a three-run homer to left to conclude the game.
Rookie Vogel went 2-for-2 with a walk at shortstop. Paez knocked her sixth double of the season as part of her 1-for-3 day.
Sydney Trentman got the start, throwing 2.1 innings and taking the loss.
Rachel Block entered from the bullpen and threw 3.0 innings, allowing three earned runs and fanning three Oles.
Oles' starter Ring threw 6.0 shutout innings and struck out eight for her 17th win of the year. Hokanson went 2-for-4 with five RBI.
Saint Olaf advances to play No. 2 seed and nationally ranked (No. 8) Saint Mary's in the semifianls on Saturday.
