Softball team drops a pair of close games to St. Bens in season opener

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  | St. Benedict 3, UW-Stout 2 | St. Benedict 4, UW-Stout 2

ST. CLOUD, Minn (February 14, 2014) - A young UW-Stout softball team opened their 2014 campaign with a pair of close losses to St. Benedict at the Husky Dome on the St. Cloud State University campus Friday. The Blazers captured 3-2, 4-2, wins in the Valentine's Day special.

Both games were decided late in the contests. In the opener, the Blazers scored in the bottom of the seventh to notch the win and in the nightcap St. Benedict broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the opener, pitcher Tori Workman (So, Prior Lake, Minn) helped her own cause with an RBI double in the top of the third inning to drive in Lynzi Knudtson (Jr, Melrose), who reached on a lead off single. Workman scored when her sister, Taylor Workman (Jr, Prior Lake, Minn) singled to right center.

The Blazers got the runs back in the bottom of the inning on a rwo-run double by Lonnie Johnson. The inning could have been much worse for the Blue Devils, who threw out two runners at home and left three runners stranded.

Stout threatened in the sixth inning, leaving two runners on base, including runners at second and third. The Blazers took the game when Johnson singled in a run in the seventh with no outs.

Tori Workman struck out six and allowed eight hits and two earned runs. St. Ben's Rachel Nelson fanned seven and allowed nine hits.

The Blue Devils struck first inthe second game with two runs in the top of the first first inning. Tori Workman doubled in Sam Hastings (Sr, Waukesha), who opened with a lead-off single. Workman scored on a single up the middle by Hather Bol (Fr, Baldwin). The Blazers scored a run in the bottom of the inning on an attempted double steal when the runner was thrown out at second.

St. Benedict tied the score in the fourth inning, then scored twice in the sixth for the win.

Nicole Rogers started the game for Stout, but gave way to freshman Caty Schloer (Lino Lakes, Minn), who took the loss with one earned run. tori Workman finished the game and struck out two. Rogers had two strikeouts and Schloer on. Emily Engelmeier got the win for St. Benedict, striking out five. Stout out-hit St. Benedict, 7-4.

Stout is off until March 7 when they play a pair of games in Rochester, Minn.