St. Catherine University Athletics

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- After 715 days, the St. Catherine softball team returned to St. Kate's field for their home and Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) season opener. The Wildcats split with the Bethel University Royals on Saturday falling in game one 9-4 and coming back in game two with a 13-5 victory in 5 innings. 

GAME ONE | Bethel 9, St. Catherine 4
Junior Annabelle Schutte hit her first career homerun to get St. Kate's on the board in the bottom of the second inning driving rookie Kaitlín Boyles in. Bethel's bats were hot in the top of the third inning tallying six runs taking a 6-2 lead. Junior Angela Huepfel hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third bringing sophomore Taylor Brunn across the plate for St. Kate's final run of the game. 

Schutte claimed the loss in the circle giving up five runs off seven hits with two strikeouts. Sophomore Alyssa Montero relieved Schutte in the third inning allowing the final four runs with one strikeout. 

GAME TWO | St. Catherine 13, Bethel 5 (5 innings)
Huepfel started things off in game two with a double down the middle to drive junior Alex Ehde in from second. The Royals took a one-run lead in the top of the second before the Boyles drove Huepfel in in the bottom of the third to knot it up 2-2. Boyles scored with senior Alyssa Wicks reaching first on an error by the second baseman to take the 3-2 lead. 

The fourth inning featured ten runs between the two teams as Bethel took a two-run lead in the top of the inning. Huepfel and fellow junior Lindsay Burr each hit three-run home runs in the bottom of the fourth to give St. Kate's a five-run lead. Huepfel hit a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth bringing in Ehde and sophomore Julia Azure to close out the game 13-5 in five innings. 

Proper pitched all five innings in game two claiming the win allowing five runs with two strikeouts. 

Overall, Huepfel scored three home runs, four runs, two doubles, and went 6 for 8 tallying nine RBI on the day. 

The Wildcats travel to Hamline University on Wednesday for a MIAC doubleheader with the first pitch at 3:30 pm.