BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The quarterfinal round of the 2023 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Softball Playoffs is in the books, as No. 3 St. Olaf and No. 4 Gustavus punched their tickets to the championship site with victories on Thursday afternoon. St. Olaf outlasted No. 6 Saint Mary's, 3-2, while Gustavus topped No. 5 St. Catherine, 4-1.
| 2023 MIAC SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS |
NO. 3 ST. OLAF 3, NO. 6 SAINT MARY'S 2 | BOX SCORE |
St. Olaf advanced on to the MIAC Playoff semifinals with a 3-2 over Saint Mary's. The Oles scored runs in the second, third, and sixth innings to hold off the Cardinals. Amelia Christenson went 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI for St. Olaf in the victory. Five Cardinals had a hit in the loss, three of which were doubles. Abby Stigler went 1-for-3 at the plate and scored one of SMU's two runs.
With the win, the Oles advance on to face No. 2 Saint Benedict in the semifinal round at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Bethel. Saint Ben's swept the regular season series on 4/7. The programs are 1-1 all-time in MIAC Playoff games. St. Olaf defeated Saint Benedict in last year's semifinal round. CSB also previously eliminated the Oles in the 2018 conference tournament.
NO. 4 GUSTAVUS 4, NO. 5 ST. CATHERINE 1 | BOX SCORE |
Gustavus earned its first playoff win since 2015 with a 4-1 victory over St. Catherine on Thursday. Gustie right fielder Greta Dahlen drove in two of the team's four runs, while left fielder Kayla Herda went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Piper Otto pitched all seven innings for the Gusties, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts. St. Catherine leadoff hitter Helen McKinnon went 1-for-3 with the run scored for the Wildcats.
The Gusties will now challenge top-seeded Bethel at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning with a spot in the championship game on the line. Bethel swept the regular season series on 4/8. The Royals have a 3-2 all-time playoff advantage over the Gusties, though the two programs have not met in the postseason since 2014.
The winners of the semifinal games on Saturday will then square off at 4:00 p.m. that afternoon in the 2023 MIAC Softball Playoff championship game. The winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.
Tickets for the MIAC Playoffs are $10 for adults and $2 for students with ID. Children ages five and under will be admitted free of charge. The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2023 MIAC Softball Playoffs that will be updated throughout the tournament with scores and statistics. Fans can also follow the action on the MIAC Scoreboard, on the free MIAC mobile app, and on social media through the MIAC's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
2023 MIAC SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Game 1: No. 4 Gustavus 4, No. 5 St. Catherine 1 | Box Score |
Game 2: No. 3 St. Olaf 3, No. 6 Saint Mary's 2 | Box Score |
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Game 3: No. 4 Gustavus at No. 1 Bethel | 11:00 AM
Game 4: No. 3 St. Olaf vs. No. 2 Saint Benedict (at Bethel) | 1:30 PM
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (at Bethel) | 4:00 PM
| 2023 MIAC Softball Playoffs | MIAC Playoff History |