The Hamline softball team is heading for the MIAC playoffs as one of the hottest teams in Division III. The Pipers swept Bethel by scores of 7-5 and 5-2 Monday at Meredith Field to tie for second place in the conference with a 16-6 record. The Pipers, 23-15 overall, have won 10 of their last 11 games and will be the No. 3 seed in the double elimination tournament that starts Friday, May 3 at St. Thomas' field.
Hamline will face St. Catherine (also 16-6 in league games) at 5:00 p.m. The host Tommies meet St. Olaf at 2:30 p.m.
Two big innings paved the way to success for the Pipers Monday. In the first game, HU broke a 1-1 tie with five third inning runs and held off a late BU surge for the win that clinched a playoff spot. In the nightcap, an efficient pitching effort by
Kira Krueger and a four run first inning was more than enough to gain the win.
In the first game, Hamline scored a first inning run that Bethel matched in the top of the third, HU responded vigorously by sending 10 batters to the plate inn the bottom of the inning.
Anna O'Connor led off with a triple and Krueger sent her home with a double.
Delaney Kohler added a two RBI double as part of the big inning. The Royals, who entered the day with a team batting average of .379, kept pecking away at HU starter
Alex Molloy. It was 6-4 in the sixth and BU had the bases loaded when Molloy induced a ground ball to end the threat.
Megan Rubbelke, who had four hits on the day, doubled in the bottom of the frame and scored when
Riley Husom was safe on an error.
BU got a run in the seventh but Molloy shut the door to earn her 17th win of the season, one short of the league lead.
In the nightcap, BU pushed across a first inning run only to see the Pipers snap back quickly. O'Connor walked and raced home on Krueger's double. Rubbelke walked. One out later, Kohler's ringing double scored Krueger and Rubbelke.
Sabrina Warden's double plated Kohler and the die was cast.
BU could only manage an unearned run off Krueger the rest of the way. The junior allowed just four hits and walked nobody to improve to 5-4 on the season.
Thus, the Pipers head to the MIAC postseason for the 11th time in school history. They split doubleheaders against the other three teams in the tournament.
