THE Spring Games 2022 heads into the final weeks of competition with a busy St. Patrick’s weekend. Contenders from NCAA Div. II and Div. III as well as NAIA hit the diamonds for another jam-packed schedule of softball. 

Indianapolis Vs. Caldwell (Div. II) 

Thursday, March 17 

UIndy saw its 13-game winning streak snapped on March 15 against Le Moyne in a 2-1 pitchers’ duel at THE Spring Games. The Greyhounds aim to begin a new streak as they wrap up in Florida, concluding a St. Patrick’s Day doubleheader with Caldwell. 

Through its first four games, Caldwell is 3-1 behind the impressive power of Ashleigh Tavaska. Tavaska has two home runs and a .818 slugging percentage. Emma Cooney matches Tavaska’s team-leading three RBI. 

Lexy Rees has been on her own tear at the plate with four home runs and 26 RBI for Indianapolis. Emily O’Connor is batting .475 with 32 RBI to pace the Greyhounds, while pitchers Haylie Foster and Kenzee Smith both have ERA under 1.75 in more than 50 innings pitched. 

College of Saint Mary vs. St. Ambrose (NAIA)

Friday, March 18 

St. Ambrose coach Ron Ferrill reached 300 career wins prior to the Fighting Bees embarking on THE Spring Games. Ferrill’s squad looks to build on its strong start, including that landmark victory, opening up its four-day stint in Kissimmee. 

The Bees take on the College of Saint Mary twice over the weekend, the first of which is a midday start on Friday. Olivia McClintock is cooking early in the 2022 season with 13 hits in 28 at-bats and an incredible 13 stolen bases. 

College of Saint Mary boasts its own terror on the base paths in Izzy Monzon, who has five steals in 11 games. Rylee Scholl, meanwhile, paces the Flames with a .471 batting average and 10 RBI. 

The College of New Jersey vs. Hope (Div. III) 

Friday, March 18

No. 10-ranked The College of New Jersey concludes its run at THE Spring Games with Hope, which opened its season by splitting a series against Defiance. Friday’s doubleheader against St. Norbert and TCNJ are Hope’s first two games since then for a program looking to build on last year’s 25-win campaign. 

Senior Arinn King is off to a strong start with two home runs through the first two games, picking up where she left off from a six-homer campaign in 2021. Pitcher Chloe Haskins started 18 games in 2019 and pitched 97.1 innings. She’s opened her senior season with four strikeouts in five innings pitched. 

Hope’s pitching staff will have to contend with a hard-hitting TCNJ lineup including Victoria Aspiazu, who is batting .438 and slugging .688; Lauren Conroy, who hit four home runs a season ago; and Kaci Neveling with a .500 on-base percentage and five steals on the season. 

Saint Anselm vs. Wayne State (Div. II)

Saturday, March 19 

Preseason top 10-ranked Saint Anselm has faced a tough start to the season, including a 1-4 start at the Florida Tech Invitational. The Hawks aim to get their bats going on the last day of their stint at THE Spring Games, which starts with a morning matchup against Wayne State. 

Bailey Cain has been steady at the plate with a .400 batting average and .600 slugging. Only five Hawks have hit .200 or better on the year, however. 

Wayne State also concludes its run at THE Spring Games with a Saturday doubleheader. The Warriors opened with a win over New Haven on March 13, but lost to No. 8-ranked Augustana the same day.

Rainey Psenicka has been on a tear with 10 RBI off 14 hits and a .400 average to lead the Warriors.