Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Piper softball team shook off the end of their school record 11-game win streak with a vengeance. After dropping the opener of a doubleheader at St. Mary's, 2-1, HU exploded for eight runs in the sixth inning of the nightcap to break a tie and record a 13-5 victory over the Cardinals. 

Bethel and Gustavus Adolphus split a doubleheader in St. Peter.  So, Hamline's 16-2 standard means they retain a two game lead over the Royals and a three-game margin over the Gusties heading into the final week of conference play.

Sarah DeMars toyed with a no-hitter in the first game but ended up taking the loss. The Cardinals didn't get their first hit until the fifth inning. But they made the most of it, hitting a pair of doubles for a 1-0 lead. HU responded in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Sammi Mau led off the inning with a walk. Elaina Hammann returned to the game to run for Mau. Hammann stole second and rode home on Amanda Orrell's two out single.  But the Cardinals came back with a run in the bottom of the inning and held to sever the winning streak.

The second game rocked back and forth for five innings. Each team scored in the first. Hamline used four straight hits to start the third inning to score three times. SMU rose up for two and two in the fourth for a 5-4 lead.  Three straight singles in the fifth – the last of which came from Alli Ruter – tied the game again at 5.

The Pipers blew the game apart in the sixth, sending 12 batters to the plate. Jamie Rubbelke had a pair of hits in the inning but the biggest blow may have been Chelsea Koehn's grand slam homer to left field. At the time, it made the score 10-5 and it seemed to take the wind out of the home team. HU finished the game with a season high 19 hits (every starter had at least one) with Rubbelke recording her second four hit of game in a three day span.  Orrell and Mary-Clare Couillard had three hits each for Hamline, now 23-7 overall.

DeMars, who relieved starter Casey Anderson in the fourth inning, earned the win to improve to 11-4 on the season.

Couillard is now the league leader in batting average at .453 and Orrell is third at .429.

The Pipers control their own destiny but they finish the season against the two teams in hot pursuit for first place. Bethel (14-4 in the MIAC) visits Meredith Field Wednesday.  The doubleheader begins at 3:30 p.m.  HU is at Gustavus Adolphus (13-5) next Saturday.  Hamline, which was rated sixth in the last NCAA regional poll, also has a non-conference pair against UW-River Falls Thursday at Meredith (4:00 p.m.).