Softball Game Preview: Sartell-St. Stephen Sabres vs. Willmar Cardinals

Sartell-St. Stephen has gone 9-1 against Willmar recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Sabres will welcome the Cardinals at 4:30 p.m. Sartell-St. Stephen's pitching crew has only allowed 2.8 runs per game this season, so Willmar's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Sartell-St. Stephen will bounce into Thursday's contest after beating Rocori, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Sabres came out on top against the Spartans by a score of 7-3 last Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Sabres.

Marni Koosmann

Batters Struck Out

04/22/25 vs Rocori	11
04/21/25 vs Elk River	6
04/17/25 @ Sauk Rapids-Rice	16
04/10/25 vs Sauk Rapids-Rice	12

Marni Koosmann spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on three hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Lauren Morse, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. She also scored a run, marking her first of the season.

Meanwhile, Willmar lost 9-2 to Brainerd on Tuesday. The Cardinals have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Sartell-St. Stephen pushed their record up to 3-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average this season. As for Willmar, their loss dropped their record down to 3-6.

Sartell-St. Stephen took their win against Willmar when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 16-1 score. Do the Sabres have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.