St. Catherine University Athletics

NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University softball team's season came to an end on Thursday afternoon falling to the St. Olaf College Oles in the first round of the MIAC Playoffs. The Oles 6-5 come from behind win advances them to the next round as St. Kate's finishes with an overall 18-23 record. 

St. Kate's came out strong in the first, grabbing an early 1-0 lead off a double from Grace Swigart. After St. Olaf responded with a pair of runs in the second and two more in the third to go up 4-1, the Wildcats roared back in the fourth. Big hits from Kyle Kohout,  Sam Aronson, Helen McKinnon, and Mayci Larson sparked a three-run inning to tie things up at 4-4.

In the sixth, Alexa Carlstrom launched a solo homer to give St. Kate's a 5-4 edge, but St. Olaf answered with two runs in the bottom half of the frame to reclaim the lead. Despite a strong push early and solid at-bats throughout, the Wildcats went down in order in the seventh, falling just short in a hard-fought 6-5 loss.

Sarah Christy pitched the first two innings before Carlstrom entered the circle for the final four. Carlstrom took the loss but struck out two batters while walking two. Mckinnon hit 3 for four with one RBI while Carlstrom was 2 for 2 with two runs and one RBI.