Hamline softball is looking for a recovery win after two hard-fought losses against Gustavus Adolphus in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15. With the season nearing its end, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) games like these weigh more and more. Hamline still has a shot at making the MIAC playoffs, but they will have to catch fire down the stretch and manifest losses for teams like Bethel, who are reachable but don’t have any head to head matches with Hamline remaining. With the wins, Gustavus reinforced their record with two major conference wins and got their overall record even at 13—13.
The first match of the back to back was winnable through the first three innings, where the score sat at 3—1 Gustavus, but four unanswered runs across the fourth and sixth innings by the Gusties would put it out of reach. Gustavus’ engine in this game was junior Carly Olson at third base, going 4–-4 with three doubles. Senior left fielder Maddie Johnson also went 4–-4 with two stolen bases on top of it, but the rally never formulated for the Pipers.
The second game proved much more explosive than the first. After a two run top of the first inning by Gustavus, Hamline would put together six runs over its next two innings and chase Gustavus starting pitcher Ava Hamsund out of the game. Seven singles by seven different Pipers and two hit by pitches powered the offensive outburst, giving Hamline a four-run lead for about a half inning. Gustavus would make it all back up at the top of the third by capitalizing on three walks and a single to start the inning.
The score sat at 7–-7 through five innings before Gustavus scored two in the sixth and one in the seventh to give Hamline a three run mountain to climb with their final three outs. They would get a run back, but run out of gas and lose the game 10—8.
If Hamline’s offense can fire off like they did in the second game, even every few games, the postseason is still in sight with the number of conference games remaining still in the double digits and only three MIAC wins separating them from the sixth seed. Tough matchups are on the horizon for the Pipers, though, as after an April 19 home stand against Carleton, Hamline will travel to take on the 26—2, undefeated in conference Saint Mary’s Cardinals.
