It’s been a busy week for the Gustavus Softball team as they played ten games over the course of five days at the Tucson Invitational in Arizona, going 3-7.

After nearly three weeks of no games, the Gusties opened their week of action with two wins against Dubuque University and Stevens Institute of Technology, scoring 23 combined runs.

Against Dubuque, the Black and Gold began the scoring in the first frame, and never looked back.

They knocked in a season high 12 runs on 11 hits and six walks while allowing only six to Dubuque.

Freshman Ariel Debeer registered the win from the mound, only allowing three runs and striking out three opponents in the six innings she pitched.

Senior Kim Kurtzweg led the way at the plate with two hits and two RBIs while going 2-3 over four at-bats.

Gustavus continued to shine on the offensive end against Stevens Institute, scoring ten of their eleven runs in the first two innings.

Sophomore Aly Freeman pitched a complete game, allowing three runs and striking out three, while Sophomore Sidney Welp went 3-4 at the plate with an RBI.

In a rematch of Thursday’s game, it was Dubuque who controlled the diamond, taking an 11-3 win despite a three-run opening inning from Gustavus.

Welp and Junior Emily Webb both went 2-4 in the game.

In their second game on Friday, the Gusties dropped a 2-13 decision against Case Western Reserve.

Despite the offensive struggles, Sophomore Emily Carlson shined bright for the Gusties, going a perfect 3-3 from the plate and accounting for three of Gustavus’ five hits.

The loss went to Neuenfeldt after six innings of work pushing her record to 1-2 on the season

On the third day of the event, the Gusties lost two games against Valley City State and Bellevue, dropping their record to 3-7.

Valley City opened the game with three runs and added seven more in the final two frames.

Gustavus managed two runs total with one coming in both the third and fourth innings.

Webb brought in the first Gustie runner in the third with a single while Carlson was brought home on a bunt an inning later.

In game two against Bellevue, the Gusties fell 5-2, despite a solo home run from Carlson and a 3-4 game from Welp.

Senior Jess Neuman also recorded an RBI, bringing home a run off a single in the second.

Heading into day four, the Gusties competed in a doubleheader against UW-La Crosse where they lost both games with scores of 1-5 and 1-10 respectively.

In game one, Gustavus registered it’s only run in the first inning off of an RBI groundout by Webb.

Freshman Ashley Neuenfeldt suffered the loss after three innings on the mound.

Game two followed suit with another Gustie run to open the game off of a sacrifice groundout from Webb, but was answered by ten runs from La Crosse.

Neuenfeldt led the Gusties on the offensive end, going 2-3 with a pair of singles.

On the final day of games, Gustavus faced Buena Vista in a doubleheader where they were shut out in game one 0-8 but responded with a win in game two, 7-3.

Buena Vista registered two runs in the opening inning as well as two in the third and four in the fourth inning.

The Beavers Moriah Guyett three a no-hitter in the game while Neuenfeldt took the loss for the Gusties after three innings.

Gustavus came back fighting in the second game to close out the Tucson Invitational, snapping a seven game losing streak and finishing with a 3-7 record.

The Gusties were led on offense by Neuenfeldt who went a perfect 3-3 in four plate appearances.

Webb and Sophomore Caitlin Kammerer also had strong showings as both went 2-4 while Webb drove in three. Also recording RBIs was Welp, who drove in two runs while pinch hitting.

Neuenfeldt pitched a complete game on her way to the win, allowing three with two earned while striking out one.

The Gusties hope to carry this momentum into their next game when they host Bethany Lutheran for their home opener April 2.