They have been off the field for 10 days. So it is understandable that, despitre a chilly forecast, the Piper softballers will be anxious to get back at it this afternoon when they trek southwest to St. Peter for their conference opening doubleheader against Gustavus Adolphus.

The twinbill, which is slated to be played on Hollingsworth Field on the GAC campus, is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Hamline went 4-6 on a California swing. As has been the case for nearly all of her HU career, Bethany Hine continues to shine in her leadoff hitter role. The senior outfielder is a lifetime .396 hitter. She is close to that this year as well with a current .375 average. Her slugging percentage of .625 ranks ninth in the MIAC.

Hine is tied for the team lead in batting average with SS Jamie Rubbelke, the freshman daughter of head coach Jim. Both are 12-for-32 on the season. Rubbelke's freshman double play partner at 2B, Stepahnie Borndale, is next at a solid .290. 

Gustavus is 5-8 overall, 2-0 in the MIAC. In their only league play, they swept St. Olaf, 4-3 and 7-0. Senior Sam Breneman has been their top hitter wit a .349 average. 

This is the start of (weather permitting) a bust period for the Pipers. They will return home for their first games of the season at Meredith Field on Monday, April 8 against St. Catherine at 3:30 p.m in a makeup of an earlier postponement. HU will host Concordia on Wednesday, April 10, also at 3:30. The team will then head down Highway 61 to St. Mary's on Thursday, April 11 for another pair. That is also a makeup twinbill. The games orginally scheduled that day at UW-River Falls will be postponed and re-scheduled.