SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University softball team opened MIAC play against first-year member St. Scholastica (DH) on the campus of Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota on Saturday. The opening game resulted in a 5-5 score through seven innings, before Hamline prevailed with a four-run eighth to secure a 9-7 (8 innings) win. The Pipers were within striking distance of coming back from a 9-0 second-inning deficit in game two, but it was too much to overcome in an 11-7 loss to the Saints.
The split sends Hamline's record to 10-5, 1-1 MIAC, while St. Scholastica ends the day with a 9-7, 1-1 MIAC mark.
Hamline 9, St. Scholastica 7 (8 Innings)
St. Scholastica set the tone with a 2-0 edge in the first inning. Jenna Rubbelke gave Hamline their first run of the game in the third inning when she walked, and later scored on Amber Peterson's double to narrow the score to 2-1.
The fifth inning resulted in three more Pipers runs thanks to RBI-singles from Megan Rubbelke and Gabby Cook, and a sacrifice fly courtesy of Kira Krueger, which gave them a 4-2 lead. St. Scholastica narrowed their deficit to 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. The seventh frame saw Krueger double, advance to third on Gabby Cook's single, and score off Theresa Klinnert's groundout to widen the margin to 5-3.
A pair of Saints doubles in the bottom of the seventh turned into two runs, which knotted the game at 5-5 heading into extra innings, where the international rule of tie break came into play. Gabby Tuhy was placed on second base, and scored off Lydia Lecher's double to give Hamline a 6-5 lead. Lecher scored on Jenna Rubbelke's bunt single to extend the margin to 7-5.
Raelyn Costley, who walked, gave Hamline an 8-5 lead off Kira Krueger's bases-loaded walk before Jenna Rubbelke came home on Gabby Cook's sacrifice fly to make the score 9-5. The Saints couldn't match that performance in the bottom of the eighth, as they tacked on a pair of runs to narrow the deficit to 9-7.
Jenna Rubbelke, Amber Peterson, Megan Rubbelke, and Gabby Cook each had a pair of hits for Hamline. Jenna Rubbelke scored three runs for Hamline. Klinnert, Dana Rosbacka, and Krueger each saw pitching time. Krueger picked up the winning decision off one inning of work in the eighth. Klinnert and Rosbacka combined to give up nine hits and seven runs.
St. Scholastica 11, Hamline 7
The Saints jumped to a 9-0 lead before Hamline cut their deficit to 9-7 with five runs in the third inning, and two more in the fourth. Amber Peterson's one-run single, and Megan Rubbelke's three-run double highlighted Hamline's five-run third inning that cut the deficit to 9-5. The fourth inning saw Megan Rubbelke hit a two-run home run to cut the score to 9-7.
That was all the offense Hamline mustered as St. Scholastica added a pair of sixth-inning runs to seal an 11-7 decision.
Megan Rubbelke went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI, while Costley notched a 2-for-3 game at the plate.
The Saints pounded 18 hits in the contest. Kira Krueger, Dana Rosbacka, and Megan Rubbelke all saw pitching time for Hamline.
The Pipers will face Bethel (DH) on the road tomorrow, Sunday, April 3 at 1 p.m.
