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LA CROSSE, Wis. — Wednesday, the Saint Mary’s University fastpitch softball team erupted for 15 runs in their nonconference doubleheader against UW-River Falls.
And lost twice.
Thursday, the Cardinals’ offense wasn’t nearly as potent, managing just a pair of runs in their nonconference doubleheader against UW-La Crosse.
And lost twice.
It just didn’t seem to matter how many runs the Cardinals scored in their final two doubleheaders — it just wasn’t enough.
Just a day after that 15-run outburst in 7-5 and 11-10 losses to the Falcons at SMU Field, the Cardinals drew the short straw in both ends of their final twinbill of the season Thursday, losing to the Eagles 3-2 and 6-0.
“We hit the ball so well (against UW-River Falls) and then today, we couldn’t seem to get our offense going at all,” said SMU coach Jen Miller, whose team closed out its season with an 18-22 overall record. “It’s a tough way to have your season come to an end, but we did a lot of good things this season, it just didn’t end the way we were hoping it would.”
The Eagles scored all the runs their would need in the opener in their first at-bat, tagging SMU starter
Mallory Betzold (Farmington, Minn.) for three runs on three hits in their very first at-bat.
Betzold would settle down after the rough start, allowing just five hits, while blanking the Eagles over the next five innings.
Unfortunately for the junior left-hander, the Cardinals’ offense didn’t have enough firepower to overcome the three-run deficit, managing single runs in the second and seventh innings.
And the nightcap didn’t get any better, as the Eagles scored four times in their first at-bat, then added two runs in the fourth to seal the win — and the sweep.
Danielle Geske (Rosemount, Minn.), who, along with
Cassie Otte (Randolph, Minn.), was playing in her final collegiate games, went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in the opener, while the senior duo each had a hit in four at-bats in the nightcap.
“I’m proud of the way team played all season,” said Miller. “This team hung together from start to finish.”