CLERMONT, Fla. - Minnesota State softball (8-8) is back to .500 after two solid wins in its first day of play at THE Spring Games.
In their first game, the Mavericks dominated in a 12-0 win over the Salem Tigers (4-5). Sailor Hall, game one's winning pitcher, had four innings of one-hit scoreless softball in her third win of the season. She struck out seven in the game. At the plate, Hall also had two hits including an RBI double. Senior third baseman Cheyenne Behrends put the Mavericks up first with a bases-clearing triple and had an RBI single down the left field line to end game one with four RBI, tied for the most in a single game in her career.
In game two, Minnesota State benefited from a pair of two-RBI hits from Ella Schulz and starting pitcher Maddie Oetzmann to put them over the hump against the Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas (1-9), 6-1. Freshman outfielder Finley Anderson also smacked the only Maverick home run of the afternoon over the fence in the team's second win.
Game 1 vs Salem: W, MSU 12, SU 0
W: Sailor Hall (3-2) L: Destiny Coble (0-1)
Hall continued her excellent stretch in the circle in the first inning, as she wrung up the first three Tiger batters on just 10 pitches. Then, the bats got busy in the bottom half of the inning. The Mavericks loaded the bases with no outs after the leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and the following two were walked. Behrends smacked a double to left field to clear the bases to put three on the board. Anderson reached on an error by the right fielder, which scored Behrends from second, but Anderson was thrown out trying to reach third. Two more walks put runners on the corners for senior center fielder Marina Carter who hit an opposite field two-run double to give Minnesota State an early 6-0 lead.
Through four innings, Hall had allowed just two base runners on an error and a base hit. Shortstop Izzy Hycnar turned two in the top of the third to eliminate a baserunning threat and get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Mavericks totally opened up the ball game. Maddie Helin hit a leadoff triple to right, then Carter was hit by a pitch and stole second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. An error by the Salem pitcher allowed Helin to score, then a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs scored another and put MSU up 8-0. First baseman Gianna Lara drove in the third run of the inning with a groundout, then an RBI single from Behrends put the Mavericks up by 10.
The team would score two more runs on a sacrifice fly to center from Anderson and an RBI double from Hall extended the Minnesota State lead to 12-0.
Chloe Brandt came in to pitch to close the game in the fifth inning. She allowed a single but struck out two to secure the Maverick victory. Hall ended up pitching four innings. She allowed one hit and struck out seven, second-most for her in a game this season.
At the plate, Hall was one of two players with a multi-hit game. She had a single, an RBI double and a walk, and she scored a run. Behrends went 2-3 at the plate with four RBI. Carter had her two-RBI double in the first inning, and, despite not recording a hit, Anderson had two RBI in the win.
Game 2 vs St. Thomas Aquinas: W, MSU 6, STAC 1
W: Maddie Oetzmann (3-3) L: Alyss Liguori (0-2)
In game two, the Mavericks loaded the bases on a trio of free bases in the top of the second with two outs, but an infield pop-up ended the inning. Both teams put baserunners on in the third but couldn't move them past first base as the game remained scoreless through three.
In the top of the fourth, Anderson hit a leadoff single, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After a walk and another stolen base, Anderson scored on an error by the Spartan shortstop. Schulz smacked a double to left center to bring both baserunners around to put Minnesota State up 3-0.
STAC responded with a score in the bottom half of the inning. Two singles and an infield error loaded the bases with one out. Hycnar put out the runner at second on a fielder's choice, which allowed a runner to cross home, but it kept the Spartans to just one run, their sole score of the game.
After striking out three batters through four innings, pitcher Oetzmann hit a two-RBI single to left field which scored two runners after they reached via walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Anderson. Minnesota State led 5-1 halfway through the fifth.
The next inning and a half was scoreless until Anderson drove a St. Thomas Aquinas pitch over the fence in left center, her team-leading third homer of 2025. After a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, Minnesota State turned its second double play of the day to stamp a 6-1 win over the Spartans.
Anderson ended game two with two hits, two runs and an RBI in three plate appearances. Lara also ended the game with two hits. Schulz and Oetzmann both had a swing that drove in two runs. Carly Kimmes also had a base hit and had an RBI when she reached on an error in the fourth inning.
After Oetzmann allowed one run on seven hits, Brandt offered three innings of excellent relief. She allowed one hit and that's it.
"Nice start to the trip, going 2-0 on opening day here at THE Spring Games today," said Minnesota State head coach Lori Meyer. "It builds some early momentum for us going into tomorrow's two games."
The Mavericks are back in action tomorrow morning to continue their stint in Florida. Minnesota State takes on Slippery Rock (2-4) at 10:15 a.m. and then at 1:00 p.m., the team plays Lake Erie College (0-10).
