MANKATO, MINN.—The Hamline University softball team opened their 2023 season with a pair of neutral-site games against Northwestern (Minn.) and Bethany Lutheran in Mankato on Saturday morning. The Pipers cruised to a 5-2 victory over the Eagles in game one, before they dropped a 9-1 (6 innings) decision to the Vikings in game two.
The Saturday split gives the Pipers a 1-1 record.
Hamline 5, Northwestern (Minn.) 2
Hamline found their offense with two outs in the top of the second inning, when Neyla Olwine got things rolling with a single before she advanced to second base when Maddie Johnson reached first on a strikeout. Olwine and Johnson each scored off Jenna Rubbelke's two-run triple, which gave Hamline a 2-0 lead.
Kiana Island widened that lead to 3-0 for Hamline with a fourth-inning solo home run.
Rubbelke and Josephine Cariveau each notched back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth inning. Gabby Cook knocked in Rubbelke with an RBI-single to make the score 4-0, before Cariveau later scored from third base off Gabby Tuhy's sacrifice fly to push it to 5-0.
The Eagles narrowed their deficit to 5-2 with a pair of seventh-inning runs.
Jenna Rubbelke registered a 4-for-4 outing at the plate, which included a triple and a pair of RBI. Gabby Cook went 2-for-4 for a Hamline team that notched 10 hits, and held Northwestern (Minn.) to six.
Hamline pitcher Dana Rosbacka allowed six hits, a pair of runs, and notched four strikeouts in the complete-game win. Eagles pitcher Emma Heffron allowed 10 hits over seven innings of work in the loss.
Bethany Lutheran 9, Hamline 1 (6 innings)
The Vikings took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, which ignited the Pipers' lone run scored in the second inning. Savannah Johnson, who reached base off a Bethany Lutheran outfield error, scored off Neyla Olwine's RBI-triple to even the score at 1-1.
The Vikings responded with eight unanswered runs throughout the final four innings en route to a 9-1 (6 innings) victory.
Five Pipers finished the game with a hit.
Montana Miller and Megan Ahlness each saw pitching time for Hamline. Kaija Mork carried Bethany Lutheran on her shoulders with a 4-for-4 outing at the plate that consisted of a double, home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. Mork was also credited with the pitching win as she allowed five hits, and one run over four innings of work before Kayla Senne threw the final two frames.
The Pipers will return to action tomorrow, Sunday, February 26 against UW-Eau Claire at 10:30 a.m., and Buena Vista at 3:30 p.m. in Mankato.
