Saturday, February 3
St. Cloud, Minn.
10:00 A.M. CT
St. Cloud State
1-0
19
vs
3
Black Hills State (S.D.)
0-3
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Black Hills State
0
1
2
0
0
3
7
2
St. Cloud State
2
0
0
17
X
19
20
1
Photo by: Kaitlyn Zuehl
St. Cloud State Softball Sweeps 2024 Opening Weekend at Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament
2/5/2024 2:10:00 AM | Softball
Huskies took down Black Hills State and Sioux Falls Saturday, Northern State Sunday
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Softball (3-0, 0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) opened the 2024 season with a weekend sweep, beating Black Hills State, 19-3 (5 innings) and Sioux Falls, 3-1 on Saturday and Northern State, 3-2 on Sunday in the Husky Dome as a part of the annual Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament.
GAME ONE (F/5) (SATURDAY): ST. CLOUD STATE 19, BLACK HILLS STATE 3
In their first game of the new campaign, the Huskies forced Black Hills State to go three up-three down in the top half of the first inning and SCSU would waste no time putting the ball in play during the home half. Sioux Falls transfer and leadoff hitter, junior outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), got the Huskies their first base runner after she laced a double to center field. Freshman infielder, Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.) then singled up the middle in her first collegiate at-bat, advancing Holzhueter to third. Holmes then stole her first collegiate base. Fifth year outfielder, Holly Weinberger (Waconia, Minn.) knocked home Holzhueter for her first RBI of the season and junior first baseman, Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) singled to bring Holmes in to score, giving the Huskies an early 2-0 lead. SCSU had an opportunity to put up an even bigger number in the frame but left the bases loaded.
BHSU picked up one run in the second and two in the third, giving it a 3-2 lead and forcing junior right handed pitcher Molly Gross (Columbia Heights, Minn.) to be pulled after 2.2 innings of her Huskies debut. She allowed three runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Sophomore right handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) came in to relieve Gross and picked up the final out of the inning in her first matchup.
SCSU forced another three up-three down in the top of the fourth. The Huskies started the fourth with an early baserunner after senior outfielder Tenley Quesnell (Boise, Idaho) reached on an error. Holzhueter stepped up to the plate with confidence after hitting doubles in each of her first two at-bats. She crushed a home run to give the Huskies their lead back. After Holmes and Weinberger singled, Fitzgerald belted a three-run shot to extend the SCSU lead to four and forcing a pitching change.
Freshman catcher Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.) delivered a two-run shot just two batters later after senior designated player Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) singled, giving the Huskies three home runs in the span of six batters sending the lead to 9-3. SCSU made its way all around the lineup without an out. A bases loaded walk and two RBI single pushed the Huskies lead to 13-3. In her second at-bat of the inning, Fitzgerald crushed a ball over the left center fence, bringing in three more Huskies and giving her a two-home run, six RBI inning. The Yellowjackets then made another pitching change. The Huskies tacked on three more runs to bring their inning total to 17 on 16 hits.
The Huskies made quick work of BHSU in the top of the fifth, ending the game with a final score 19-3. Porter earned the win after tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. She only allowed two hits and struck out two.
TOP HUSKIES
GAME TWO (SATURDAY): ST. CLOUD STATE 3, SIOUX FALLS 1
SCSU's offense cooled off in its second game of the day and went into the bottom half of the fourth inning in a scoreless deadlock. Weinberger led the inning off with a single and Needham came in to pinch run for her. Needham advanced to second two batters later when Weiss sent a single into right center. Senior infielder Lydia Krueger (Appleton, Wis.) drove Needham in with a sacrifice fly, for the first run of the game. Frechette doubled during the next at-bat to score Weiss and double the Huskies lead.
Sioux Falls was able to cut its deficit back to one after a one-out double sent a run in during the top of the fifth. Porter came in to relieve junior Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.) and was able to escape the inning without any further damage being done. Eickhoff tossed 4.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits and a walk. She also recorded one strikeout.
The Huskies gained an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth after Holzhueter opened the inning with a double and was drove in by Weinberger after advancing to third on a Holmes groundout. The Huskies were able to load the bases but were unable to do any more damage. Porter ended her scoreless/hitless 2.2 innings of relief with three straight groundouts to earn her first save of the season.
TOP HUSKIES
Northern State got a leadoff double in the top of the second inning and the runner advanced to third on the subsequent at-bat. Then after a single and sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second, NSU got a two-run single to give them a 2-0 cushion early in the game. The Huskies went three up-three down in the bottom half.
In the bottom of the third, Krueger was hit by a pitch and was driven in two at-bats later by Quesnell who singled and advanced to second on a throw home, cutting the deficit to one. Holzhueter stepped up next and dug out a triple to bring Quesnell in and knot the game at one. A two-out single to right center from Weinbeger drove in Holzhueter, giving the Huskies their first lead of the day at 3-2.
The final four innings produced six hits but left all six stranded as no runs were scored, securing the Huskies sweep of the opening weekend. Eickhoff hurdled 4.0 innings allowing just two runs on five hits. In Porter's relief appearance, she threw 3.0 scoreless innings, only allowing two hits, coming up huge down the stretch, time after time. Eickhoff and Porter each recorded two strikeouts.
TOP HUSKIES
The Huskies return to action on Friday, Feb. 16 for an exhibition against the College of Saint Benedict at 4 p.m. in the Husky Dome in St. Cloud. Following the exhibition, SCSU plays a pair of double headers in Sioux Center Iowa. On Sunday, Feb. 18, St. Cloud State will take on former NSIC foe, Upper Iowa (1-3, 0-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference) at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and will come back on Monday, Feb. 19. to play William Jewell (Mo.) (0-0, 0-0 GLVC) at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Softball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
GAME ONE (F/5) (SATURDAY): ST. CLOUD STATE 19, BLACK HILLS STATE 3
In their first game of the new campaign, the Huskies forced Black Hills State to go three up-three down in the top half of the first inning and SCSU would waste no time putting the ball in play during the home half. Sioux Falls transfer and leadoff hitter, junior outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), got the Huskies their first base runner after she laced a double to center field. Freshman infielder, Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.) then singled up the middle in her first collegiate at-bat, advancing Holzhueter to third. Holmes then stole her first collegiate base. Fifth year outfielder, Holly Weinberger (Waconia, Minn.) knocked home Holzhueter for her first RBI of the season and junior first baseman, Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) singled to bring Holmes in to score, giving the Huskies an early 2-0 lead. SCSU had an opportunity to put up an even bigger number in the frame but left the bases loaded.
BHSU picked up one run in the second and two in the third, giving it a 3-2 lead and forcing junior right handed pitcher Molly Gross (Columbia Heights, Minn.) to be pulled after 2.2 innings of her Huskies debut. She allowed three runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Sophomore right handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) came in to relieve Gross and picked up the final out of the inning in her first matchup.
SCSU forced another three up-three down in the top of the fourth. The Huskies started the fourth with an early baserunner after senior outfielder Tenley Quesnell (Boise, Idaho) reached on an error. Holzhueter stepped up to the plate with confidence after hitting doubles in each of her first two at-bats. She crushed a home run to give the Huskies their lead back. After Holmes and Weinberger singled, Fitzgerald belted a three-run shot to extend the SCSU lead to four and forcing a pitching change.
Freshman catcher Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.) delivered a two-run shot just two batters later after senior designated player Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) singled, giving the Huskies three home runs in the span of six batters sending the lead to 9-3. SCSU made its way all around the lineup without an out. A bases loaded walk and two RBI single pushed the Huskies lead to 13-3. In her second at-bat of the inning, Fitzgerald crushed a ball over the left center fence, bringing in three more Huskies and giving her a two-home run, six RBI inning. The Yellowjackets then made another pitching change. The Huskies tacked on three more runs to bring their inning total to 17 on 16 hits.
The Huskies made quick work of BHSU in the top of the fifth, ending the game with a final score 19-3. Porter earned the win after tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. She only allowed two hits and struck out two.
TOP HUSKIES
- Fitzgerald – 3-3, 2 HR, 7 RBI, BB
- Holzhueter – 3-3, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI
- Holmes – 4-5, 2 RBI
- Weiss – 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI
- Porter – W, 2.1 IP, 2 K, 0 ER
- Fitzgerald tied single-game school records for home runs (two) and RBIs (seven).
- Holmes tied the single-game singles record (four) in her first collegiate game.
- After the win, SCSU is 9-0 all-time against BHSU.
- Holzhueter (Sioux Falls), junior utility player Rainna Stangle (Sartell, Minn. / St. Cloud Technical & CC), redshirt freshman infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn. / Colorado Christian) and Gross (Anoka-Ramsey CC) all made their Husky debuts.
- Freshmen: Holmes, outfielder Kori Needham (Milan, Ill.), outfielder Hannah Harms (Bartlett, Ill.), Weiss and outfielder Bree Beck (Lakeville, Minn.) made their collegiate debuts.
- Fitzgerald hit her eighth and ninth career home runs.
- Holmes stole her first collegiate base.
- Porter earned her fifth career win.
- Harms scored her first collegiate run.
- Stangle scored her first run for the Huskies.
- Weiss hit her first collegiate home run.
- Beck and Frechette recorded the first hit and first run of their college careers.
GAME TWO (SATURDAY): ST. CLOUD STATE 3, SIOUX FALLS 1
SCSU's offense cooled off in its second game of the day and went into the bottom half of the fourth inning in a scoreless deadlock. Weinberger led the inning off with a single and Needham came in to pinch run for her. Needham advanced to second two batters later when Weiss sent a single into right center. Senior infielder Lydia Krueger (Appleton, Wis.) drove Needham in with a sacrifice fly, for the first run of the game. Frechette doubled during the next at-bat to score Weiss and double the Huskies lead.
Sioux Falls was able to cut its deficit back to one after a one-out double sent a run in during the top of the fifth. Porter came in to relieve junior Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.) and was able to escape the inning without any further damage being done. Eickhoff tossed 4.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits and a walk. She also recorded one strikeout.
The Huskies gained an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth after Holzhueter opened the inning with a double and was drove in by Weinberger after advancing to third on a Holmes groundout. The Huskies were able to load the bases but were unable to do any more damage. Porter ended her scoreless/hitless 2.2 innings of relief with three straight groundouts to earn her first save of the season.
TOP HUSKIES
- Eickhoff – W, 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER
- Weinberger – 3-3, RBI
- Holzhueter – 2-4, 2B, R, SB
- Porter – S, 2.2 IP, 0 H
- Frechette – 1-3, 2B, RBI
- After the win, SCSU is 17-10 all-time against USF.
- Eickhoff tallied her 20th career win.
- Porter recorded her fifth all-time save.
- Needham scored her first collegiate run.
- Holzhueter stole her first base as a Husky.
Northern State got a leadoff double in the top of the second inning and the runner advanced to third on the subsequent at-bat. Then after a single and sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second, NSU got a two-run single to give them a 2-0 cushion early in the game. The Huskies went three up-three down in the bottom half.
In the bottom of the third, Krueger was hit by a pitch and was driven in two at-bats later by Quesnell who singled and advanced to second on a throw home, cutting the deficit to one. Holzhueter stepped up next and dug out a triple to bring Quesnell in and knot the game at one. A two-out single to right center from Weinbeger drove in Holzhueter, giving the Huskies their first lead of the day at 3-2.
The final four innings produced six hits but left all six stranded as no runs were scored, securing the Huskies sweep of the opening weekend. Eickhoff hurdled 4.0 innings allowing just two runs on five hits. In Porter's relief appearance, she threw 3.0 scoreless innings, only allowing two hits, coming up huge down the stretch, time after time. Eickhoff and Porter each recorded two strikeouts.
TOP HUSKIES
- Porter – S, 3.0 IP, 2 K, 2 H
- Eickhoff – W, 4.0 IP, 2 K, 2 ER
- Polsfuss – 2-3
- Holzhueter – 1-3, 3B, RBI
- Weinberger – 1-3, RBI
- Quesnell – 1-2, RBI
- After the win, SCSU is 38-10 all-time against NSU.
- Eickhoff picked up her second consecutive win.
- Porter earned her second straight save.
- Needham stole her first collegiate base.
The Huskies return to action on Friday, Feb. 16 for an exhibition against the College of Saint Benedict at 4 p.m. in the Husky Dome in St. Cloud. Following the exhibition, SCSU plays a pair of double headers in Sioux Center Iowa. On Sunday, Feb. 18, St. Cloud State will take on former NSIC foe, Upper Iowa (1-3, 0-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference) at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and will come back on Monday, Feb. 19. to play William Jewell (Mo.) (0-0, 0-0 GLVC) at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Softball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Porter, Justyce (1-0)
L: Tuschen, Shayla (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Lee, Kayla 1
RBI: Tuschen, Shayla 1 ; Haley, Gianna 1 ; Wong, Alyssa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lee, Kayla 1 ; Whitlock, Tyler 1 ; Tuschen, Shayla 1
Batting:
2B: Holzhueter, Reese 2 ; Weiss, Bethany 1
3B: Beck, Bree 1
HR: Holzhueter, Reese 1 ; Fitzgerald, Maggie 2 ; Weiss, Bethany 1
RBI: Holzhueter, Reese 3 ; Spah, Madison 1 ; Holmes, Brooke 2 ; Weinberger, Holly 2 ; Fitzgerald, Maggie 7 ; Weiss, Bethany 3 ; Beck, Bree 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Holzhueter, Reese 3 ; Holmes, Brooke 3 ; Weinberger, Holly 2 ; Fitzgerald, Maggie 2 ; Harms, Hannah 1 ; Stangle, Rainna 1 ; Weiss, Bethany 2 ; Krueger, Lydia 1 ; Frechette, Grace 1 ; Quesnell, Tenley 2 ; Beck, Bree 1
SB: Holmes, Brooke 1
HBP: Krueger, Lydia 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
4
RBI
2
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
7
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC/OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
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