Mavericks Start Season Against the Lewis Flyers

Daniel McElroy ® Sports Editor |

The Minnesota State University softball team will kick-off their season tomorrow, Friday, with a couple-header against Lewis University.

The 2017 NCAA Division II Champions Mavericks will start their season being rated third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 194 points. Winona State rank second with 210 points and Augustana at first for the second straight season with 222 points. St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth round out the top five teams.

The Mavericks will play a series of non conference matches until conference play begins Tuesday, March 30, beginning with the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic this Friday.

Before COVID-19 cancelled the remainder of last season, the Mavericks held a 17-3 record, winning their last 10 straight games.

In 2019, the Mavericks finished with a record of 37-19, with their season coming to an end following a pair of losses to Augustana University and Winona State University.

The Lewis University Flyers were ranked at No. 10 among teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the GLVC Preseason Poll.

Last season before hit COVID-19 hit the United States and canceled the rest of the season, the Flyers were 13-6, winning their last nine out of 10 games played.

In their last full season played in 2019, Lewis University finished with a record of 22-30, finishing eighth in the GLVC.

Senior outfielder Carly Esselman will attempt to lead the team in their first series against the Flyers, starting it just how they ended it last season. Esselman led the team in several categories before the season was cancelled last year in batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI’s.