MANKATO, Minn. - The Minnesota State softball team (28-12, 12-2 NSIC) added two more wins to its overall record with a sweep of Minnesota Crookston (13-24, 1-9 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks defeated the Golden Eagles in game one 5-1 as UMC pushed a run across in the fifth inning. Minnesota State won in shutout fashion in game two, 6-0.
Senior third baseman Cheyenne Behrends was the star of the day for Minnesota State. She went 3-6 at the plate with her first home run of the 2025 season, the 15th of her Maverick career. In game two, sophomore shortstop Izzy Hycnar went 2-4 at the plate with a double, a triple and two RBI. Junior first baseman Gianna Lara extended her hit streak to 12 games with a bunt single in the seventh inning of game two.
Both starters were excellent for the team on Saturday, as well. Sailor Hall allowed one run and three hits across seven innings in the pitcher's circle. She ended with seven strikeouts, one shy of her season-high. Senior Brianne Stone got the start in game two and allowed just one hit while she wrung up seven Golden Eagle batters, as well. Her seven strikeouts matched her career-high.
Game 1 vs Minnesota Crookston: W, MSU 5, UMC 1
W: Sailor Hall (9-4) L: Delaney Penner (4-4)
Freshman second baseman Carly Kimmes drew a leadoff walk to start game one, then stole second during the next at bat to move into scoring position. Behrends also drew a walk, then a double steal moved both baserunners up a bag. Maddie Helin laid down a great bunt in front of home plate which scored Kimmes from third. A strikeout ended the inning, but Minnesota State led 1-0 after the first frame.
After 1-2-3 innings for both teams in the bottom of the first and the second, Behrends crushed the first pitch she saw in the second inning over the fence in left field to put the Mavericks up 2-0. It was the first base hit of the game.
The Golden Eagles were held hitless and without a baserunner for the first three innings of game one. Freshman designated hitter Hannah Tong smacked a pitch to the warning track, but the UMC left fielder dropped it which allowed her to reach second with one out in the top of the fourth. Starting pitcher Sailor Hall drew a walk to put a second runner on. Kurstyn Patnode also turned an 11-pitch at bat into a walk to load the bases before senior center fielder Marina Carter smacked an opposite-field single into left to score the runner from third. A fielder's choice hit by Kimmes scored another run to put Minnesota State up 4-0.
Minnesota Crookston had their first baserunner in the bottom of the fourth after a drawn walk, but a groundout sent the game to its fifth inning. Helin hit a one-out single in the top of the fifth, then Lara extended her hit streak to 11 games with a rocket hit to right center which put runners on first and second. Lara's pinch runner, Ireland Broderick, was caught stealing second, but the throw down allowed Helin to score from third to put MSU up 5-0.
Madison Yandle ended the no-hitter with a single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, then an RBI double was cracked to right center to score the first run of the game for the Golden Eagles. After five innings, Minnesota State led Minnesota Crookston 5-1.
Patnode singled on the first pitch she saw in the sixth, then Carter bunted for a single to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Another bunt single from Kimmes loaded the bases, but back-to-back-to-back outs left the runners stranded.
The Golden Eagles put a runner on with two outs in the bottom half of the sixth after she was hit by a pitch. A single up the middle put another UMC batter on base, but Hall struck out her sixth batter to get out of the situation unscathed.
Tong hit a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but was stranded on base to send the game to its final frame. Hall picked up her seventh strikeout of the game, then a pair of groundouts to Kimmes and second ended the game. Minnesota State won 5-1. Hall pitched a complete seven-inning game. She allowed three hits, one run and was one K shy of her season-high.
Carter was the only Maverick with multiple hits. She was on of four players to record an RBI in game one for MSU. Kimmes, Behrends and Helin also had RBI base hits. Lara, Tong and Patnode each had a hit in game one.
Game 2 vs Minnesota Crookston: W, MSU 6, UMC 0
W: Brianne Stone (7-4) L: Evei Stuck (0-2)
Behrends had her second hit of the afternoon in the top of the first, a single to right, before a fielder's choice allowed Hycnar to replace her on the base pads for the second out of the inning. Helin hit a single, then a bad throw by the centerfielder advanced both runners into scoring position, but a short roller back to the pitcher ended the first frame.
A walk put a runner on for the Golden Eagles in the bottom of the first, but starter Brianne Stone struck out her first opposing batter to send game two to its second inning. After a 1-2-3 showing from the Maverick bats in the second, Stone struck out the side in the bottom half of the inning to reach four Ks on the day.
Carter led of the top of the third with a dribbler through the middle of the infield to get on base and a fielder's choice moved her to second base. Behrends smacked a single to left to score the center fielder and she moved to third on the throw home. She waited patiently for the third baseman to throw the ball over to first for an out, then took off for home, sliding in safely to put Minnesota State up 2-0. Irelyn Spencer made a nice snag at third then fired it to first from her knees to get the final out of the top of the third.
The Golden Eagles got their first hit of game two, a single from Rayna French, then a sacrifice bunt moved her to second with two down. A grounder to second sent game two to its fifth inning.
Kimmes hit a two-out single in the top of the fifth, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance for Minnesota State. Stone tied her season-high with seven Ks with a swinging strike three in the bottom half, then an infield pop up moved the game to the sixth inning.
Hycnar led off inning six with a monster triple hit deep to dead center, then an RBI single from Helin scored her for the third run of the game. She moved to second after the UMC outfielder bobbled the ball before she stole third. Lara drew a walk, and a fielder's choice scored Helin to give Minnesota State a 4-0 lead. Catcher Ella Schulz singled to right center, which forced a pitching change for the Golden Eagles.
After the change in the circle, a fielder's choice and a pop fly retired the Mavericks in the sixth. Stone and the MSU defense retired a pair of pinch hitters, then a grounder back to her in the circle turned into the third out of the inning.
Kimmes drew a leadoff walk, stole second for her 20th of the season, then Behrends walked to put another runner on base. Hycnar smacked a double just fair down the left field line to score Kimmes, then Lara dropped a bunt to score Behrends to put the Mavericks up 6-0. Lara reached base with a bunt single to keep her hitting streak alive with hits in 12 consecutive games.
With runners on second and third, Schulz fouled out to move game two to its final three strikes. Tong took over in the pitcher's circle, and after a line out to Behrends, a walk and a fielder's choice put two runners on for the Golden Eagles. Tong wrung up the next batter on a strike three looking, then ended the game on another strikeout. The Mavericks completed the sweep with a 6-0 win in game two.
The heart of the batting order was where the Mavericks found success in game two. Behrends, Hycnar and Helin each had two base hits a-piece against Minnesota Crookston the second time around. Hycnar drove in two and the other three drove in one RBI. Tong also had an RBI, as well as two strikeouts in the circle.
Stone allowed just one hit and struck out seven, which tied her career-high.
"Our pitchers did a really nice job today, allowing just four hits across two games," said Minnesota State head coach Lori Meyer. "Hall and Stone were both solid and did a good job of not overthrowing. Behrends had a nice day at third base. I was pleased with how our offense came out with 18 hits which poured into 11 runs while we held Minnesota Crookston to just four hits on the afternoon. We made the most of what they were giving us."
The Mavericks have another double header tomorrow, Sunday, April 6 at noon and 2:00 p.m. against Bemidji State (15-20, 2-9 NSIC). Those games will be played at Thomas Park at Mankato East High School.
