MANKATO, Minn. – For the second day in a row to start the season, the St. Olaf College softball team dropped its opening game of the day before responding with a win, as the Oles fell 6-2 to Buena Vista University before defeating Bethany Lutheran College by a 4-2 score on Sunday at the Bethany Kwik Trip Invitational at Maverick All-Sports Dome.

St. Olaf (2-2) fell behind 3-0 against Buena Vista (2-2) in the first game of the day before scoring twice in the fifth inning to make it a one-run game, but the Beavers scored three runs in the seventh to hold on for the win. Later in the day, the Oles broke open a scoreless game with a three-run fifth inning on their way to a 4-2 victory over Bethany Lutheran (2-2) to close out the weekend.

Junior Kaitlyn Miller and senior Carly Dammann combined to pitch St. Olaf to the win over the Vikings, as Miller picked up her third-career victory with five innings of two-run ball. Dammann earned her first collegiate save by tossing the final two frames.

Buena Vista 6, St. Olaf 2 | Box Score

St. Olaf outhit Buena Vista by a 9-6 margin but was just 3-for-18 at the plate with runners on base in the loss. The top-three batters for the Beavers were a combined 4-for-6 with five walks, four RBI, and scored all six of Buena Vista's runs.

The Beavers opened up a 3-0 lead through four-and-a-half innings with a run in the first and two more in the third before the Oles took advantage of three walks in the bottom of the fifth to score two runs. After three walks loaded the bases with two outs, junior Andrea Conway delivered a two-run single to center to bring St. Olaf within a run.

Clinging to a one-run lead, Buena Vista got a two-run single from Jamie Wendt during a three-run top of the seventh to give itself a four-room cushion. Ashytn Miller earned the win for the Beavers with five innings of two-run ball before giving way to Peyton Gross, who earned the save with two shutout innings of relief.

Junior Andy Conway tied her career-high with three hits, going 3-for-4 with two RBI for St. Olaf, while sophomore Katie Weisheit was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

St. Olaf 4, Bethany Lutheran 2 | Box Score

Miller and Kayla Senne kept both offenses quiet until St. Olaf broke through with three runs in the top of the fifth. Bethany Lutheran got two of the runs back in the bottom of the inning, but a sixth-inning home run from sophomore Anne Fossum and Dammann's relief work in the circle helped the Oles finish the weekend with a win.

Miller improved to 3-0 in her career in the circle, allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts in five innings of work. Dammann fanned three and surrendered just one hit and one walk in the final two innings.

With the game still scoreless, St. Olaf plated three runs in the top of the fifth as six-straight batters reached after the first batter of the inning was retired. Sophomore Jenna Peschel started the scoring with an RBI single to bring in senior Tarah DeCroock and, two batters later, senior Abby Grismer delivered an RBI single of her own to make it 2-0. Weisheit drew a bases-loaded walk in the next at bat to bring in the third run of the inning.

Bethany Lutheran responded with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning, but Miller got a strikeout and a ground ball to leave runners at second and third and keep the Oles ahead by a run. In the next half inning, Fossum blasted a home run to left for the second home run of her career to give St. Olaf an insurance run.

Dammann took care of the rest, stranding two base runners in the bottom of the sixth before retiring the side in order with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh.

St. Olaf heads to Rochester next weekend for four more dome games. The Oles begin the weekend by facing Grinnell at 2 p.m. and St. Kate's at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26.