MANKATO, Minn. – Maverick softball (6-8) is traveling down to Florida for THE Spring Games, the world's largest college softball event. Minnesota State is set to take on 12 different teams over the span of six days.
 
About the Mavericks
Minnesota State had a tough weekend down at the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, Kansas last weekend. The Mavericks went 1-5 against Central Region opponents, with its five losses all of the one-run variety. Despite that, MSU defeated Pittsburg State 6-1 after the Gorillas no-hit the team the previous weekend at the Washburn Invite.
 
The Mavericks' leading hitter is freshman Carly Kimmes who has given the lineup a spark in the top spot. She is hitting .387 this season with an OPS of 1.196. Kimmes has hit three doubles, two triples and one home run. The freshman has scored seven runs and driven in three RBI. Kimmes had three-straight multi-hit games against Rogers State, Pittsburg State and Emporia State last weekend.
 
Junior first baseman Gianna Lara leads the team with nine RBI in 2025. She is also tied for the team lead with two home runs.
 
The team's best pitcher is junior Sailor Hall, who transferred to Minnesota State from Kirkwood CC in Iowa. Hall, in 40.1 innings of work, has an ERA of 1.56, a WHIP of .89 and 35 strikeouts. Hall has allowed just 12 runs, nine earned, thus far in 2025. She has held opposing batters to a .186 average. At the Washburn Invite, she pitched a two-hit shutout against Central Missouri. Hall ended the weekend in Shawnee with an ERA of 1.05 with 20 innings in the pitcher's circle.
 
Legendary head coach Lori Meyer is in her 41st season as the Minnesota State softball coach. Meyer has accumulated a 1,405-749-3 record with the Maverick softball team, which is the most wins by an NCAA Division II coach in history. She has coached 31 All-Americans and 126 All-Conference players and has won eight conference titles, taken 17 trips to the NCAA Tournament, and three of her teams have made the NCAA Championship. In 2017, Meyer and the Mavericks won the NCAA DII National Championship.
 
March 8:
Game 1 vs Salem University at 1:00 p.m. CT
Salem softball is currently 4-2 in 2025. Last season, the Tigers were 18-36. Steve Potts is the head coach for Salem and is in his 17^th season with the team. This will be Minnesota State's first game against the Tigers.
 
Game 2 vs St. Thomas Aquinas at 3:15 p.m. CT
The Spartans are 0-6 to start the 2025 season. Last year STAC won 33 games, the most in program history. The team is led by 12-year head coach Kristen Sullivan. MSU won the only matchup against the Spartans back in 1998, 7-1.
 
 
March 9
Game 1 vs Slippery Rock University at 10:15 a.m. CT
Heading into THE Spring Games, The Rock is 2-2 in 2025. Last season, Slippery Rock went 25-27. Stacey Rice is in her 11^th season as head coach of SRU softball. Back in 2016, the Mavericks defeated The Rock, 8-3.
 
Game 2 vs Lake Erie College at 1:00 p.m. CT
The Storm are 0-10 to begin the 2025 campaign. The team was 3-37 in 2024. Shannon Schaub is in her first season as head coach at Lake Erie. This will be the Mavericks' first time playing the Lake Erie Storm.
 
 
March 10
Game 1 vs Ohio Dominican at 10:15 a.m. CT
The Panthers are 4-6 10 games into 2025. Last season, the team was 35-15 before it lost to Grand Valley State in the NCAA Midwest Regional. Ohio Dominican is coached by Marcella Vanlandingham, who is in her 30^th season with the Panthers. Minnesota State is 3-0 against ODU, with its last win against the Panthers coming in 2016, 2-0.
 
Game 2 vs Point Park University (Pa.) at 1:00 p.m. CT
Point Park is 0-2 this season and in 2024, the Pioneers went 23-25. 19^th-year head coach Michelle Coultas has led the team to seven 20-win seasons. MSU has not yet played Point Park.
 
 
March 12
Game 1 vs University of Findlay at 9:00 a.m. CT
The Oilers are 8-1 to start 2025. Last season Findlay put together a record of 34-20 before it lost in the GMAC Tournament. Danielle Lowe is now in her 10^th season with the Oilers with a record of 246-166. The Mavericks are 2-0 against Findlay and defeated the team 8-0 in six innings at THE Spring Games last year.
 
Game 2 vs Queens College at 11:15 a.m. CT
The Knights' first game of 2025 will be played in Florida at THE Spring Games. Queens College went 18-27 in 2024. This is head coach Amy Delmore's eighth season back with the Knights after she joined the New York City Fire Department Training Academy in 2012. The Mavericks have beaten Queens College twice, last time in 2007, 7-0.
 
 
March 13
Game 1 vs Bentley University at 10:30 a.m. CT
The Falcons will also play their first game of the season in Florida against St. Thomas Aquinas. In 2024, Bentley accumulated a record of 20-23. Terry A. McDonough is in her ninth season at the helm of the Bentley softball program. The Falcons and the Mavericks have never played.
 
Game 2 vs Saint Martin's University at 12:45 p.m. CT
Saint Martin's is 8-4 in 2025 and went 27-22 last year before losing to Northwest Nazarene in the NCAA West Regional. Jim Peterson is in his seventh year with Saint Martin's softball. This will also be the first game played against the Saints for MSU.