Hamline University Athletics

Sarah DeMars picked the right time of year to get really warmed up on the mound. The senior softball  pitcher won her fourth straight game Friday, a nifty five-hitter with a season high 10 strikeouts in a taut 2-1 win at Augsburg. DeMars improved to 11-5 overall and lowered her ERA to 2.85 with the solid effort. 

That win -- plus an 8-0 triumph in the second game of the doubleheader -- clinched a playoff spot for the Pipers for the third year in a row. Hamline is 16-4 in MIAC play (21-11 overall). They can earn the top seed in this weekend's playoffs (and tie for first place for the first time in school history) if they defeat St. Catherine twice when the teams play a makeup doubleheader Tuesday. 

The St. Anthony, Minn. native has allowed just five earned runs in  this current winning streak that has lowered her ERA by 3/4 of a run. On Friday, she fanned at least one batter in every inning  to raise her total for the season to 82 in 100.2 innings of work. The lone Augsburg run came on a home run -- just the second one Sarah has allowed all season.