ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – For the first time in program history, the Saint Benedict Bennies will head to the NCAA Softball Tournament as playoff champions of the MIAC.
The Bennies defeated No. 5 St. Catherine, 5-2, in the semifinal round on Saturday before taking down two-time defending playoff champion Saint Mary's, 9-7, in the title game. The Cardinals defeated No. 3 St. Olaf, 7-1, in the second game of the afternoon to secure their spot in the playoff championship.
| 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs | MIAC Softball Championship Apparel |
NO. 1 SAINT BENEDICT 5, NO. 5 ST. CATHERINE 2 | BOX SCORE |
The top-seeded Bennies built up a 4-0 lead after two innings and held on for a 5-2 win in seven innings over No. 5 St. Catherine in the semifinal opener on Saturday. Lily Treml brought home two of the team's five runs with a sacrifice fly in the second and a walk in the sixth. The Wildcats scored both of their runs in the top half of the sixth inning on sac flies by Grace Swigart and Mayci Larson. CSB pitcher Ellie Peterson earned her 16th win of the season with a four-hit, complete-game effort.
NO. 2 SAINT MARY'S 7, NO. 3 ST. OLAF 1 | BOX SCORE |
Saint Mary's punched its ticket back to the title game for the third consecutive postseason with a 7-1 victory over No. 3 St. Olaf in the semifinals on Saturday. Saint Mary's pitcher Makayla Steffes struck out 12, allowing four hits and one run – a Hannah Yaeger homer to left field in the top of the sixth inning. Yaeger recorded two of the Oles' four hits in the game. Eight different Cardinals combined for SMU's 12 hits in the contest, with right fielder Brianna Nusbaum boasting a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate that included a triple in the fourth inning.
NO. 1 SAINT BENEDICT 9, NO. 1 SAINT MARY'S 7 | BOX SCORE |
A pair of high-scoring innings and a big catch at the fence to end the game gave Saint Benedict its first-ever MIAC Playoff title in a 9-7 win over Saint Mary's on Saturday afternoon. Sammy Muetzel drove in three of the Bennies' first four runs with a pair of singles to left field in the second and third innings. She finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBI, while Cat Smetana – positioned on the opposite corner at first base – went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI of her own for the Bennies. After CSB took an 8-2 advantage in the bottom of the fourth, Saint Mary's right fielder Brianna Nusbaum cut that lead in half with a two-run home run in the top of the fifth. Makayla Steffes added two more Cardinal runs with a single to center field in the sixth. Down 9-7 in the top of the seventh, SMU catcher Naleyah Bork reached first base with an infield single, but CSB's Ellie Peterson struck out the next two batters and got the would-be game-tying run, Abbie Stigler, to fly out to left field to end the game and secure the playoff championship.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
-With the playoff title, Saint Benedict earned the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament. This is the seventh time in program history that the Bennies will head to the national tournament, and the first time the program will do so as MIAC Playoff champs.
-The MIAC Playoff title is the first in program history for CSB. Saint Benedict is now the sixth different MIAC program to win a playoff championship in softball, doing so in its 13th conference tournament appearance.
CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL
Official playoff and championship apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament.
NPI OUTLOOK
-The NCAA Power Index (NPI) is used to select the 22 at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Tournament after the 42 automatic qualifiers have been determined on May 10.
-Heading into Saturday, Saint Mary's was listed at No. 12 in NPI, and Saint Benedict was No. 21.
-The D3Playbook has projected this year's NPI cut line to be 49.
UP NEXT
-The 64-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament will be revealed at 10:00 a.m. Central time on Monday, May 11, during a selection show live-streamed on NCAA.com.
-Regionals will be held from Thursday, May 14, to Saturday, May 16, with Super Regionals scheduled for Thursday, May 21, through Friday, May 22.
-The 2026 NCAA Division III Softball World Series will be Thursday, May 28, through Wednesday, June 3.
-The MIAC will announce its annual softball awards, including All-Conference, All-Playoff, and individual honors, on Monday, May 18, at 2:00 p.m. Central time.
PLAYOFF HQ
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the six teams in the field.
2026 MIAC SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Game 1: No. 5 St. Catherine 8, No. 4 Gustavus 5 | Box Score |
Game 2: No. 3 St. Olaf 9, No. 6 Carleton 0 (6 inn.) | Box Score |
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Game 3: No. 1 Saint Benedict 5, No. 5 St. Catherine 2 | Box Score |
Game 4: No. 2 Saint Mary's 7, No. 3 St. Olaf 1 | Box Score |
Game 5: No. 1 Saint Benedict 9, No. 2 Saint Mary's 7 | Box Score |