ST. PAUL, Minn. – The St. Olaf College softball team posted a pair of 8-0 victories over Hamline University for its fourth consecutive sweep in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play on Saturday afternoon at a rainy Meredith Field.

St. Olaf (14-14, 8-2) outhit Hamline (11-12-1, 5-5 MIAC) by a 24-9 margin in the two victories, the second of which came by the run rule. The sweep was the Oles' 21st in their last 27 MIAC doubleheaders dating back to the start of conference play in the 2021 season.

As a team, St. Olaf hit .436 (24-for-55) over the two games, as five Oles had at least three hits on the day. Three St. Olaf pitchers combined to hold Hamline to a .196 (9-for-46) batting average over the two games in the Oles' first sweep with consecutive shutouts since 1-0 and 8-0 victories at St. Catherine University on May 1, 2021.

After its doubleheader at the College of St. Scholastica scheduled for Sunday, April 16 was postponed due to the forecast for rain/snow, St. Olaf's next games are a home twin bill against Augsburg University on Wednesday, April 19. Game times are set for 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. at Mabel Shirley Field.

St. Olaf 8, Hamline 0 | Box Score

Junior Jenna Peschel threw her second-straight shutout and twin sister Hannah Peschel was one of three Oles with three-hit games in game one. Jenna Peschel held the Pipers to just three hits with no walks and two strikeouts in an 80-pitch complete-game effort.

Hannah Peschel reached base in all four of her plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, two runs, and two RBI out of the cleanup spot for her third game of the season with at least three hits. Fifth-year senior Tarah DeCroock extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double and two runs scored, while sophomore Medora Rylee was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

St. Olaf got out to an early lead in the top of the first when DeCroock led off with a single, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a deep fly ball, and scored on Hannah Peschel's double to deep right center. The score remained 1-0 until senior Maya Patty delivered a two-out, two-run double to left center in the top of the fourth to push the Oles' lead to 3-0.

In the fifth, St. Olaf continued to add to its lead, plating three more runs to double its advantage to 6-0. Hannah Peschel singled in DeCroock, who doubled to start the frame, for the first run before Jenna Peschel drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning. Junior Anne Fossum knocked in the third run with a fielder's choice blooper to left center that resulted in an out at third base.

The Oles logged their third multi-run inning of the game in the seventh, getting a run on a double steal by Fossum and Jenna Peschel and another on a two-out RBI single by Rylee. Hamline's only three hits of the game were a two-out double in the third, a one-out single in the fourth, and a leadoff double in the seventh.

St. Olaf 8, Hamline 0 (5 inn.) | Box Score

First years Madyn Singleton and Roxanne Ring combined to throw a six-hit shutout and St. Olaf used a seven-run second inning to complete the sweep with a run-rule victory in the night cap. Patty paced the Oles offensively by going 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Rylee had a bases-clearing, three-run double in the second.

Singleton worked the first two innings in the circle for St. Olaf, allowing one hit and two walks with one strikeout before giving way to Ring for the final three frames. Ring won her fifth-straight decision by scattering five hits and two walks over three shutout innings with one strikeout.

The Oles got out to a big early lead in the second, scoring seven runs after a Hamline error prolonged the inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, DeCroock reached on an error that would have ended the inning to allow the first run to score. Rylee followed with a three-run double to the gap in left center before sophomore Amelia Christenson added an RBI single to make it 5-0. The final two runs scored on consecutive wild pitches.

In the next half inning, the Pipers threatened to get back into the game when Maddie Johnson sent a fly ball to deep left field with two out and two on, but Hannah Peschel tracked the ball down just in front of the fence to end the inning. The scored stayed at 7-0 until Patty reached on a bunt single to bring in Jenna Peschel in the fifth to give St. Olaf enough runs to end the game early.