CLERMONT, Fla. - Minnesota State softball (10-8) dominated in two five-inning wins on Sunday in its second day of play at THE Spring Games.
First, the Mavericks took down the Rock of Slippery Rock (3-5) 8-0 after four runs in the second inning and four over the next two. In the second game, MSU scored seven quick runs in the first inning to take a substantial lead over Lake Erie College (0-11) and also won 8-0 in five innings.
Freshman second baseman Carly Kimmes hit two two-RBI singles, one in each game, for four runs batted in on the day. She now has six RBI in Florida. Fellow freshman, Finley Anderson, had a pair of multi-hit games, going 4-6 at the plate with five runs scored and two batted in. She hit an RBI triple in game two to get MSU on the board. Another newcomer, freshman catcher Ryanne Mellum, had three RBI in game one with a two-run double in the fourth. Hannah Tong had two hits in game two with an RBI and also struck out two batters in one inning in the pitcher's circle.
Game 1 vs Slippery Rock – W, MSU 8, SRU 0 (5 Innings)
W: Sailor Hall (4-2) L: Paige Gresgott (0-3)
Starting pitcher Sailor Hall was excellent once again in the circle for Minnesota State. She pitched a five-inning, one-hit shutout, as the Rock only really threatened at one point in the ball game. Hall ended the game with two strikeouts.
In the top of the second, freshman outfielder Anderson doubled down the left field and stole third to place an immediate threat on SRU. Her fellow newcomer, catcher Mellum, walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring position before shortstop Izzy Hycnar hit a sacrifice fly to right field which scored Anderson from third base to put the Mavericks up 1-0.
Senior centerfielder Marina Carter reached base on a bunt single with Mellum still on third, then freshman Kimmes hit a two-RBI single to right to put the Mavericks up three. Ella Schulz followed that up with an RBI double to left field to give MSU a 4-0 lead after one and a half innings.
The Mavericks put two more on the board in the top of the third. Senior third baseman Cheyenne Behrends drew a leadoff walk, then Anderson hit a double to right center. She advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Behrends to score. Then, Mellum reached on the second error by the Rock second baseman of the inning to score Anderson from third to put the team up 6-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Rock put a runner on with a single, but the Maverick defense got her out on a fielder's choice and a strikeout from Hall ended the inning.
Behrends hit a single to left in the top of the fourth, then moved up to second on a wild pitch. Anderson drew a walk to put two runners on, then Mellum slapped a two-RBI double to left field which made it an 8-0 game heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Slippery Rock failed to do anything else with its remaining six outs as the Mavericks secured an 8-0 victory in five innings to kick off the day.
Mellum, with her double and her at bat where she reached on an error, gave her three RBI through the first game. Kimmes also had a two-RBI swing with her double. Anderson scored three runs and had two hits and an RBI. Carter also had two hits and one run scored. Behrends had a hit and scored twice.
Game 2 vs Lake Erie College: W, MSU 8, LEC 0 (5 Innings)
W: Brianne Stone (1-2) L: Kai Mortensen (0-4)
After the Storm lined out to end the opening frame, Kimmes advanced to third after she drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced on a fly out. A triple from Anderson scored the leadoff runner before she herself scored on a bunt single from Behrends to put MSU up 2-0.
Freshman Tong continued the inning with a single to left which put runners on first and second with one down. After a pitching change, both baserunners stole a base to move into scoring position, then Hycnar hit a double to right which scored two. After an infield pop-up, senior catcher Emma Dennison got her first hit of the season, an RBI double, and advanced to third on a bunt single by Carter. The centerfielder stole second to put both runners in scoring position, then Kimmes hit a two-RBI single to left to give the Mavericks a 7-0 lead after one inning.
Minnesota State put another run on the board in the second inning. Anderson singled up the middle to center, then a Behrends single moved her to third. The freshman scored on a sacrifice fly from her fellow newcomer, Tong, to right. Minnesota State was up 8-0 through two.
The Storm threatened with a pair of singles in the top of the third, but a fielder's choice ended the inning. Then, in the top of the fifth, Lake Erie put runners on first and third with one out to potentially keep the game in play, but Tong, who entered the circle for starting pitcher Brianne Stone before the start of the inning, struck out the final two batters to secure the 8-0 win over the Storm.
The Mavericks scored eight runs on 10 hits. Anderson, Behrends and Tong all had two-hit games and each had one RBI. Kimmes reached base all three times and went 1-1 with a two-RBI single. Hycnar also had a two-RBI hit. Dennison's first hit of the season was an RBI double.
Stone pitched four innings of two-hit, no-score softball. She struck out three batters. Tong pitched one inning and ended with two Ks.
"The depth that we have on this team allowed us to play the majority of our roster today," said Maverick head coach Lori Meyer. "With all the travel complications getting down here along with having 12 games in eight days, we need to be able to use our depth to keep everyone fresh."
Minnesota State continues its slate of play in Florida at THE Spring Games on Monday, March 10. The Mavericks take on Ohio Dominican (6-8) at 10:15 a.m. CT. Then at 1:00 p.m., the team takes on Point Park (1-5).
