Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 They have been teammates for as long as both of them can remember. The script was the same when they were together at St. Anthony High School as it was Friday at Meredith Field. Sarah DeMars did the pitching and Mary-Clare Couillard came up with big hits and big plays in the field as Hamline defeated St. benedict, 4-3, in the first game of a MIAC doubleheader Friday. HU dropped the second game, 10-4. 

In the opener, the Pipers and the Blazers, who are in first place with a 13-3 MIAC mark, were tight all the way. HU grabbed an early lead with a pair of unearned runs in the first inning. CSB knotted the game in the third inning and tied to take the lead on a double steal but Couillard cut down the runner at the plate with an excellent throw.  In the bottom of the inning, Hamline back ahead 3-2 when Sydney Fransiscus walked with the bases loaded. The Blazers tied it up with an unearned run in the fifth frame. In the sixth, Sabrina Warden and Delaney Kohler opened the inning with singles. Chelsea Koehn bunted them both up a base. Couillard then broke the tie form good with a RBI single up the middle. DeMars dismissed the Blazers with her only 1-2-3 inning of the day for her eighth win of the season. 

The Pipers' bid for a sweep started well when Abbie Annen's sacrifice fly in the third inning for an early 1-0 lead in game number two. CSB returned fire with a three run fourth and a five-run sixth to grab an 8-1 lead and hold on. Fransiscus had three hits with Koehn and losing pitcher Casey Anderson adding a pair each.

As a result, HU is now 15-11 overall, 10-4 in conference action. The latter number is good for third place behind St. Thomas (12-4) and St. Benedict (13-3). The Pipers will look to improve their lot Saturday when  they travel to Winona for a pair against St. Mary's (8-21, 2-11 MIAC). The doubleheader begins at 1:00 p.m. The Pipers welcome Concordia to Meredith Field Sunday for a pair of games that will also start at 1:00 p.m.