St. Cloud State Softball Travels to Iowa for Pair of Nonconference Doubleheaders Against GLVC Opponents

Saturday, February 15

American State Bank Dome • Sioux Center, Iowa

7 p.m.

St. Cloud State

William Jewell (Mo.)

Sophomore outfielder Bree Beck takes an at-bat against Bemidji State on Feb. 2, 2025 in the Husky Dome in St. Cloud

Photo by: Nathaly Delgado

St. Cloud State Softball Travels to Iowa for Pair of Nonconference Doubleheaders Against GLVC Opponents

2/14/2025 3:48:00 PM | Softball

Huskies play William Jewell Saturday, Truman State Sunday in Sioux Center

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Softball (5-1, 0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) begins its 22-game out-of-state road trip this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders against Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opponents at the American State Bank Dome in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Huskies play William Jewell (Mo.) (0-4, 0-0 GLVC) on Saturday at 7 and 9 p.m. CT and Truman State (Mo.) (4-5, 0-0 GLVC) at 2 and 4 p.m. CT.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Links to each coverage option will be available on the SCSU Softball schedule page.

Game 7 vs. William Jewell (American State Bank Dome – Sioux Center, Iowa) – Saturday, Feb. 15 / 7 p.m. / Live Stats
Game 8 vs. William Jewell (American State Bank Dome – Sioux Center, Iowa) – Saturday, Feb. 15 / 9 p.m. / Live Stats
Game 9 vs. Truman State (American State Bank Dome – Sioux Center, Iowa) – Sunday, Feb. 16 / 2 p.m. / Live Stats
Game 10 vs. Truman State (American State Bank Dome – Sioux Center, Iowa) – Sunday, Feb. 16 / 4 p.m. / Live Stats

For in-game updates make sure to follow the Huskies on Twitter.

SERIES HISTORY
William Jewell
The Huskies lead the all-time series 4-0 over WJC. The teams have met just twice, once in St. Cloud in 2020, when SCSU won 3-2 in 10 innings and 8-0 in five innings and last year in Sioux Center when the Huskies won 4-3 and 2-0.

Truman State
SCSU is 6-7 all-time against the Bulldogs in a series that dates back to 1981. In the most recent matchups in 2021, the Huskies beat TSU, 8-0 and 17-0 (five innings).

LAST TIME OUT
SCSU swept its nonconference doubleheader against Regis (Colo.) at the Husky Dome in St. Cloud on Feb. 9. The Huskies beat the Rangers (1-8, 0-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), 12-2 (five innings) in the first game and 4-1 in the second game.

GAME ONE: ST. CLOUD STATE 12, REGIS 1 (5 INN.)
The Huskies scored three runs in the home half of the first inning, taking advantage of two hits and two Regis errors but also left the bases loaded. Sophomore infielder Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.) added another run to the SCSU tally after hitting a leadoff solo home run in the third inning.

St. Cloud State opened the floodgates in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs in the frame to take a 12-0 lead. In the inning, Holmes hit an RBI double to left field, graduate infielder Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) hit a 2-RBI single to left-center and senior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.) hit a 3-RBI double. Regis scored one in the top of the fifth to bring the game to 12-1.

TOP HUSKIES

Holmes – 2-2, 2B, HR (2), 3 RBI
Senior right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.) – CG, W (2-0), 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 K
Holzhueter – 2B, 3 RBI

NOTABLES

The Huskies won the first matchup between the two programs.
SCSU won its first run rule game of the season.
The Huskies set new season best marks in runs scored (12), RBIs (11) and doubles (3).
Holmes posted her fourth straight multi-hit game and first multi-RBI game of the season. She is one of four Huskies to have recorded a hit in every game this season. It was her second home run of the season and the fifth of her career.
The Huskies have won every game Eickhoff has started this season (3-0) and she lowered her season ERA to 2.27.
Holzhueter has a hit in every game this season and recorded her first multi-RBI game of the season.
Senior infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) and redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.) each have a hit in every game this season.

GAME TWO: ST. CLOUD STATE 4, REGIS 1
Regis took its first lead of the day, a 1-0 advantage, in the first inning of the second game. SCSU took its first lead of the second game in the second inning after a sacrifice fly from senior utility Rainna Stangle (Sartell, Minn.) and a bunt single from sophomore outfielder Bree Beck (Lakeville, Minn.) scored a run, making the score 2-1, Huskies. St. Cloud State added a run in the fourth inning after a bunt from redshirt freshman Kaylee Collins (Lakeville, Minn.) brought one home and fifth after a leadoff solo home run from sophomore catcher/infielder Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.).

Junior right handed pitcher Macey Clark (Winneconne, Wis.) had a no-hitter going through 3 2/3 innings and only allowed two total hits in 6.0 innings in her third start as a Husky.

TOP HUSKIES

Clark – W (2-1), 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Junior infielder/catcher Sydney Roe (Davenport, Iowa) – 2-3, 2 R
Weiss – HR (1)
Junior right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) – S (3), 1.0 IP, 1 K

NOTABLES

The Huskies improved to 2-0 all-time against Regis, sweeping the first meeting of the two teams
The Huskies tied its season best mark in stolen bases (2).
Clark lowered her season ERA to 3.27.
Roe tallied her first multi-hit game in a Huskies uniform.
Weiss hit her first home run of the season and sixth of her career.
Porter earned her 3^rd save of the season and 13^th of her career.
Holmes extended her hitting streak to six games to start the season.
Stangle and Beck posted a hit for the third straight game. Beck has gotten on base in each of the last five games.

PRESEASON POLLING
St. Cloud State has been selected to finish seventh in the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Additionally, senior infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) was named the Player to Watch, and junior right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) was named the Pitcher to Watch.

Head Coach Mitch Roberts enters his fourth season at the helm of the Huskies Softball in 2025. He has record of 100-64 (.610) and led last year's team to a 30-26 overall record, including 12-16 record in NSIC play, to finish eighth in the standings. The Huskies took down ninth-seeded Sioux Falls in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament, 6-2, before falling to the hosts and eventual champions, Augustana, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Fitzgerald enters her senior season with the Huskies with lots of momentum, coming off a career year in 2024. Last season, she set new single-season best marks in games played (55), games started (55), batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.422), slugging percentage (.652), at-bats (155), runs (29), hits (49), doubles (10), home runs (14), walks (29), RBIs (53) and fielding percentage (.993). Fitzgerald ranked tied for third in home runs, fourth in RBIs, seventh in slugging percentage, tied for eighth in OPS (1.077) and tied for 10^th in fielding percentage among NSIC players last season.

Porter looks to build off her strong sophomore season where she appeared in 43 games, making six starts. She owned a 11-5 record with seven saves and one shutout while posting a 2.27 ERA in 138.2 innings pitched. She set new single season bests in appearances, starts, innings pitched, strikeouts (69), shutouts, wins and saves. Porter ranked first in saves, eighth in ERA, 10^th in innings pitched, 10^th in opponents' batting average (.248) and tied for 10^th in wins among NSIC pitchers last season. She was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week once last season.

SCSU returns 14 players from last season's roster – including one graduate student, five seniors, one junior, six sophomores and one redshirt freshman. The Huskies brought in seven newcomers including two junior transfers and five freshmen.

Key returners include senior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), who was named All-NSIC First Team honors and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Central Region Second team honors as a utility player. In her first season with the Huskies, Holzhueter made an immediate impact while splitting time behind the plate and in the outfield. Other returning starters inlcude sophomores Brooke Holmes (infielder, Savage, Minn.) Bethany Weiss (catcher/infielder, Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.). In the circle, SCSU also returns senior right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.).

For the sixth consecutive season, Augustana was chosen as the favorite in the NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. The Vikings, the four-time defending regular season champions, amassed 196 points and all 14 first place votes (coaches cannot rank their own team). Concordia-St. Paul was second with 174 points while Minnesota State was third with 163 points and the other first place vote.

The preseason coaches' poll is based off each coach ranking each team with the top team receiving 14 points, second 13, third 12, etc.

The 2025 NSIC Softball season gets underway with non-conference play on January 31, while the 28-game NSIC schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 22.

The 2025 NSIC Softball Tournament will have a 10-team single elimination format over four days played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 30 - May 3, 2025; hosted by Augustana University. The tournament will be streamed on the NSIC Network, with tournament passes or single game access available for purchase.

2025 NSIC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (first place votes) Points

Augustana (14) 196
Concordia-St. Paul 174
Minnesota State (1) 163
Minnesota Duluth 157
Winona State 155
Minot State 125
St. Cloud State 116
MSU Moorhead 100
Sioux Falls 86
Southwest Minnesota State 81
Northern State 70
Bemidji State 54
Wayne State 43
Minnesota Crookston 38
UMary 17

NSIC RELEASE

ROBERTS' REMARKS
On his 2025 team outlook...
"We are returning five starters and feel confident about the players stepping into the roles we've lost," said Roberts, "In addition, we've added depth in the circle, which strengthens our overall pitching staff. With solid improvements in all areas, we believe we have the right pieces in place to make a strong push and improve our standing in conference play."

On NSIC Player to Watch Maggie Fitzgerald...
"Maggie brings a presence to the plate and will be a cornerstone of our offensive production this year," said Roberts, "Her experience, professionalism, and strong work ethic have set her up for success this spring. We're excited to see what her senior year has in store and the impact she'll make on the field."

On NSIC Pitcher to Watch Justyce Porter...
"Justyce brings an invaluable quality to our team," said Roberts, "Her uniqueness is key to her consistent success. With her competitiveness and mindset, she excels in high-pressure situations, making her a perfect fit to come in late and close out games. We are excited to see the things she will achieve this year."

WELCOME TO THE PACK
SCSU welcomed seven newcomers over the offseason, including two junior college transfers – right handed pitcher Macey Clark (Winneconne, Wis. / Winneconne HS / Bryant & Stratton – Wisconsin) and infielder/catcher Sydney Roe (Davenport, Iowa / Assumption HS / Kirkwood CC) and five freshman – infielder Grace Dahmen (Jordan, Minn. / Jordan HS), catcher Morgan Honeycutt (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS), right handed pitcher Madeline Nutter (Elko New Market, Minn. / Lakeville South HS), right handed pitcher Madison Soule (Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee HS) and infielder Hannah Weckman (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS).

THE SENIORS
Six athletes will compete in their senior campaign in 2025 as fifth year infielder Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) is joined by true seniors right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.), infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.), catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), right handed pitcher Molly Gross (Columbia Heights, Minn.), and utility Rainna Stangle (Sartell, Minn.).

THE JUNIORS
The lone returning junior on the roster is right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.).

THE SOPHOMORES
Five true sophomores – outfielder Bree Beck (Lakeville, Minn.), outfielder Hannah Harms (Bartlett, Ill.), infielder Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.), outfielder Kori Needham (Milan, Ill.) and catcher/infielder Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.) are joined by redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt freshman utility Kaylee Collins (Lakeville, Minn.).

SCHEDULE LINKS
SCHEDULE RELEASE | 2025 SCHEDULE (WEB) | 2025 SCHEDULE (PDF)

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Softball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.