SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University softball team picked up their first conference wins of the 2024 season in a 5-1, 7-3 sweep of Concordia (Minn.) at Meredith Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Pipers improve to 12-10, 2-6 MIAC, while the Cobbers fall to 5-19, 0-8 MIAC.

Hamline 5, Concordia 1 (Game One)

The game's first run occurred in the fourth inning when Jenna Rubbelke and Elena Martinez reached on a single and walk, respectively. They moved to second and third off Josephine Cariveau's sacrifice bunt before Rubbelke scored off Savannah Johnson's groundout to make the score 1-0. 

The Cobbers collected three hits and took advantage of a Hamline error in the fifth inning, where they knotted the score at 1-1.

Four unanswered runs came from Hamline, with two each in the fifth and sixth innings. Jenna Rubbelke's two-run single in the fifth put the Pipers in front 3-1. Martinez and Cariveau led off the sixth with back-to-back singles before they scored off Gabby Tuhy's sacrifice fly, and Abbey Herbert's single to widen the margin to 5-1.

Jenna Rubbelke went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run. Abbey Herbert also notched a 2-for-3 outing. Both teams had six hits.

Gracie Bond allowed six hits and one run in a complete-game pitching victory for Hamline.

Hamline 7, Concordia 3 (Game Two)

Elena Martinez's walk, and Josephine Cariveau's single set up Gabby Tuhy's two-run single that put Hamline in the driver's seat 2-0 in the first inning. 

The third inning resulted in six hits for the Pipers. Maddie Johnson and Jenna Rubbelke kicked off the frame with back-to-back singles. Rubbelke circled the bases off Cariveau's double, which made the score 3-0. Savannah Johnson widened the margin to 6-0 with a single that knocked in Cariveau and Rubbelke.

A pair of fifth-inning errors from Hamline helped Concordia narrow their deficit to 6-3. Gabby Tuhy led off the bottom of that frame with a single before she moved to second on Abigail Chamernick's groundout, and scored off Kiana Island's pinch hit double to make the score 7-3.

The Pipers accumulated 13 hits, led by Gabby Tuhy's 3-for-3 outing that consisted of two RBI and one run scored. Cariveau and Maddie Johnson each went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs for Hamline, while Kiana Island was a perfect 1-for-1 with a double.

Montana Miller allowed six hits, three runs, and notched three strikeouts in a complete-game victory in the pitching circle.

The Pipers will make the short trip to St. Catherine (DH) tomorrow, Sunday, April 14 at 1 p.m.