Fever pitch: Mavs softball

Jake Rinehart
Staff Writer

The Minnesota State Mavericks softball team has been playing lights out this season.

The Mavs have begun the season with a perfect 9-0 record and have been ranked as the no. 1 team in the nation since the season began.

Minnesota State won the National Championship last season, the first national softball title in MSU history. With the perfect start to this season, the Mavericks have not lost a game since May 19, 2017.

The Mavs recent success has been sparked by sophomore outfielder Carly Esselman who was named NSIC Player of the Week for the first time this season on Monday.

Esselman recorded .600 batting average with 11 runs and nine hits last week. She posted a 1.000 slugging percentage with two doubles and two triples, as well as four stolen bases on four attempts. Esselman notched a season-high four hits, four runs, and two RBIs against Nebraska-Kearney.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that Esselman has only struck out one time in nine complete games.

The entire Maverick team has been playing well this season, with a team batting average of .372 and a team ERA of 1.89. To put this into perspective, opponents of the Mavericks have an average batting average of .281 and an average ERA of 7.62.

Minnesota State will compete in the NTC Spring Games beginning on Saturday in Clermont, Florida. The Mavs will face Urbana and Hillsdale in their first couple of matchups in Florida.

The Mavericks will begin regular season play on March 27 in St. Paul against Concordia – St. Paul. The Mavericks home opener is on April 3 when they will play Sioux Falls.

Photo: (Courtesy of msumavericks.com)