Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team begins play in the Rebel Spring Games Saturday. MSU will play in 10 games against eight different opponents, with all the games taking place in Orlando, Fla.

MSU begins the week Saturday as it take on the Ferris State Bulldogs at 8 a.m. This will be Ferris State’s first action of the 2013 season. Following its game against Ferris State, MSU will take on the Caldwell Cougars at 12 p.m. The Rebel Spring Games will be Caldwell’s first action of the season as well.

The Mavericks will take on a pair of opponents on Sunday including Tiffin at 10 a.m., and Adelphi at 12 p.m. The Tiffin Dragons are 3-6 on the season and are currently on a two-game losing streak. The Adelphi Panthers are 2-0 on the season.

Monday will feature a pair of games against LIU Post (8 a.m.) and Northwood (10 a.m.). MSU will face both LIU Post and Northwood again on March 14 to wrap up the Rebel Spring Games. The LIU-Post Pioneers are 1-0 on the season, with their lone win coming against Merrimack College. The Northwood Timberwolves are 2-2 on the season, including a pair of losses in its last two outings against Valdosta State and West Florida.

The Mavericks will also square off with Lees-McRae and Ashland on March 13 with game times set for 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., respectively. The Lees-McRae Bobcats are 3-15 on the season, while the Ashland Eagles sit at 2-2 on the season.

What Just Happened: Minnesota State finished with a 4-0 record at the NSIC/MIAA Crossover Tournament. MSU began with a 3-2 win over Northwest Missouri State and followed with wins over Washburn (7-0), St. Cloud State (8-2) and Lindenwood (11-4).

Junior Samantha Holien led the Mavericks with eight RBI and two home runs. Junior Lindsay Erickson posted a .538 batting average in MSU’s four wins, while senior Abby Sonner scored five runs. Freshman Avery Carter batted .500 and tallied a grand slam against Lindenwood.

Senior Courtney McKelvogue and freshman Coley Ries each went 2-0, with McKelvogue striking out 18 batters in two complete games. Ries posted 15 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched.

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