Sports Editor- Liv White
The Gustavus Softball team battled the Concordia College Cobbers on Tuesday, April 7th in their home opener. The Gusties swept the conference doubleheader to improve to 9-9 on the year and open conference play 2-0.
Game one started out with Sophomore Paige Gritzmaker giving the Gusties their first lead of the day. She scored in the first inning, hitting a bases-loaded double to right field to score two for Gustavus.
Concordia responded with a solo shot over the wall of left field in the second inning, making the score 2-1. Gustavus regained its two-run lead in the bottom of the second to go up 3-1.
In the third inning, the Gusties scored an impressive five runs to take an 8-1 lead. With loaded bases, Senior Olivia Guggenberger drove in a run with a single to go up 4-1. The Gusties then had back-to-back bases-loaded walks, taking the score to 6-1. Senior Lauren Lambert hit a sac fly to center, driving in another run for the Gusties, moving to 7-1. Finally, Sophomore Hailey Petzel drew a walk, which loaded the bases, setting up Senior Katelyn Kasper for the third bases-loaded walk of the inning, putting Gustavus up by seven.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Cobbers scored a pair of runs, cutting the Gusties’ lead to 8-3. The Gusties responded with four more runs in the bottom of the inning. After Junior Breck Carlson hit a double, Gritzmaker drove in her third run of the game with an RBI single to center field giving the Gusties a 9-3 lead. After a few batters Sophomore Sarah Lambert drove in a run with a single to make the score 10-3. Senior Caitlin Olafsson walked off Concordia with a two-run double, activating the mercy rule due to the Gusties leading by eight or more runs past inning five.
Senior pitcher Maizie Anderson showed out for the Gusties pitching in 4.1 innings allowing just one run and striking three Cobbers out.
In game two Concordia jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, taking their first lead of the day in the third inning of the second game. The Gusties were able to respond with four runs in the bottom of the third. L. Lambert drove in a run with an RBI single to make the score 2-1. Later in the third, Gritzmaker hit a homer to left field, giving the Gusties a 4-2 lead.
Driving in her seventh run of the day, Gritzmaker singled through the left side, scoring Sophomore Kiah Helget to put the Gusties up 5-2. Carlson followed up by driving in two more runs for Gustavus with a double before she scored on a wild pitch, putting the team up 8-2. Senior Taylor Katzenmeyer added one more run with an RBI single down the right line to give the Gusties a seven-run lead, 9-2.
In the sixth inning, Olafsson scored the walk-off run, scoring from second on an error by the Cobber shortstop, securing a 10-2 win for the Gusties. From the circle, Junior pitcher Ava Humsund impressed, striking out six and only allowing two runs in five innings for the Gusties.
The Gusties’ season continues with MIAC play on April 11th, as the softball team travels to Winona to face Saint Mary’s in a doubleheader.