University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, March 22
Omaha, Neb. / Connie Claussen Field
1:00 p.m. Central
at
Omaha
Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Softball open Summit League play against reigning champion Omaha
3/21/2025 10:00:00 AM | Softball
The Tommies and Mavericks have the two best records in the Summit after 20+ games of non-conference play
ST. PAUL, Minn. – St. Thomas Softball's program-best nine game win streak came to an end after a pair of tight losses to the Iowa Hawkeyes last Wednesday. The Tommies are still off to their best start in program history with a 14-9 record, but things will not get easier this weekend as they open Summit League play with the Omaha Mavericks (19-5). The Purple will follow up their three-game series against Omaha with a one-game nonconference bout with Creighton.
The games with Omaha are scheduled for 12 & 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 22nd and 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 23rd. The Tommies' one-gamer with Creighton has a 4 p.m. first pitch on Monday, March 24th.
Although it is still relatively early in the 2025 season, the Tommies are on pace to smash every offensive record in their record book. Their program record in wins sits at 18 (set in 2023) and if the season ended today the team would have set single-season records in: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. The pitching staff has been much improved as well with record lows in WHIP, batting average against, and ERA (by nearly two and a half runs) with a program-high in K/9.
The Matchups
St. Thomas at Omaha – 12:00 & 2:30 PM – Saturday
Ella Cook has reached base safely in 23 games this season. The Tommies have played 23 games this season. The on-base streak is the longest of her career and the longest in program history.
The redshirt junior leads the team in batting average (.403), on-base percentage (.481), slugging percentage (.672), doubles (9), and RBI (17). She is also the Tommies' leader with an ERA of 2.18 in a team-leading 45 innings pitched. Her 40 strikeouts lead the way as well.
There is not a more talented two-way player in the Summit League right now.
It's a Whole Staff Kinda Thing
The Tommie pitching staff of Christina Crawford, Ella Cook, Keira Murphy, and Ava Kleinfeldt have combined for a program-best 2.82 ERA in 151.2 innings pitched this season.
Most notably, they have all recorded a complete game shutout this season. Ella Cook was the first to do it on 2/8 against Green Bay (10-0 in five innings) followed by Ava Kleinfeldt on 2/23 in a 3-0 win over Incarnate Word. Christina Crawford followed that up with a 6-0 win over Wagner on 2/28 and then Keira Murphy pitched the program's first no-hitter on 3/2 in a 14-0 five-inning win over Wagner.
Smashin' Cass
Cassidy Carby came into the 2025 season as the all-time home run leader for the Tommies with 13 and she currently leads the team with five round trippers this season. The redshirt junior smashed a program-record eight home runs back in 2022 and is on pace for nearly 11 this season.
Carby is having a career year with all-time bests in batting average, OBP, SLUG, OPS, and doubles. Her .605 slugging percentage is second only to her teammate Ella Cook.
Taking Down the Gophers
On March 2nd, the Tommies took down their crosstown rival Minnesota Gophers for the first time. They came away with an 8-6 eight-inning victory in what was an instant classic.
Freshman, Ava Kleinfeldt got the win after coming into the game during the fourth inning. She went 4.2 innings and allowed just two hits, one run, and two walks, with two strikeouts. Avery Wukawitz and Ella Cook had the only two extra base hits (both doubles) as the Tommies slapped eight singles and drew three walks to manufacture a Power 4 victory.
Mistake Free Softball
The Purple are 9-0 this season when they do not commit an error in a game. They are 27-31 all-time when they do not commit an error.
Before this season, the Tommies played 49 mistake-free games of softball out of 153 games or 32%. This season, they have nine games without errors, 39% of their 23 games, a considerable defensive improvement.
Fresh(man) Arm
The play of freshman Ava Kleinfeldt has been a revelation for the pitching staff and the Tommies as a whole. She has a 5-1 record and a 2.70 ERA in 44 innings pitched. That earned run average would be a program record if not for Ella Cook's tremendous 2.18 this season.
Kleinfeldt began the season 5-0 before losing her first career decision in a tight 3-1 ballgame against the University of Iowa over a week ago. She has allowed more than three runs in an appearance only once and already has one career complete game shutout.
Her nine strikeouts against New Mexico are a career high and the most by a Tommie true freshman since Christina Crawford's 19 strikeouts against Evansville in 2022.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Softball follow along on Instagram and Twitter at @TommieSoftball.
The games with Omaha are scheduled for 12 & 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 22nd and 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 23rd. The Tommies' one-gamer with Creighton has a 4 p.m. first pitch on Monday, March 24th.
Although it is still relatively early in the 2025 season, the Tommies are on pace to smash every offensive record in their record book. Their program record in wins sits at 18 (set in 2023) and if the season ended today the team would have set single-season records in: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. The pitching staff has been much improved as well with record lows in WHIP, batting average against, and ERA (by nearly two and a half runs) with a program-high in K/9.
The Matchups
St. Thomas at Omaha – 12:00 & 2:30 PM – Saturday
- Live Stats
- Watch
- Omaha has won six of the eight matchups with the Tommies since 2022. They came away with the season series win 2-1 last year in St. Paul. The Toms ended the Mavs long win streak in dramatic fashion with an Abbi Stierlen walk-off home run. Omaha is unbeaten at home in two games against the Tommies.
- Omaha has gotten out to the best start of any Summit League team this season with a 19-5 record and are the only team in the top 100 in the RPI. They are coming off a split with Kansas after a 4-0 weekend in Conway, Arkansas with wins over Illinois State and Central Arkansas. Headlining the talented lineup boasted by the Mavericks is senior, Sydney Thomason. She leads the way with a 1.114 OPS and 27 RBI. She has belted seven home runs and smacked six doubles this season. Dominant pitching has become a staple of Omaha squads and this year is no different with transfer Maddia Groff. The sophomore pitched at Southern Illinois last season but has returned to her hometown, Omaha, and dominated with a 10-2 record and 1.39 ERA in 72 innings of work.
- Live Stats
- Watch on FloSoftball
- The Bluejays hold the edge in the all-time matchup, 2-1, with wins in 2023 and 2024. The Toms' lone win came at the beginning of the 2023 season at the DePaul Dome Tournament.
- Creighton is 11-12 to begin the year but will play three games against Seattle before the lone matchup with St. Thomas. They were scheduled to play Kansas City but those games were postponed to April 29th. The Jays have not played a Summit League squad this season.
Ella Cook has reached base safely in 23 games this season. The Tommies have played 23 games this season. The on-base streak is the longest of her career and the longest in program history.
The redshirt junior leads the team in batting average (.403), on-base percentage (.481), slugging percentage (.672), doubles (9), and RBI (17). She is also the Tommies' leader with an ERA of 2.18 in a team-leading 45 innings pitched. Her 40 strikeouts lead the way as well.
There is not a more talented two-way player in the Summit League right now.
It's a Whole Staff Kinda Thing
The Tommie pitching staff of Christina Crawford, Ella Cook, Keira Murphy, and Ava Kleinfeldt have combined for a program-best 2.82 ERA in 151.2 innings pitched this season.
Most notably, they have all recorded a complete game shutout this season. Ella Cook was the first to do it on 2/8 against Green Bay (10-0 in five innings) followed by Ava Kleinfeldt on 2/23 in a 3-0 win over Incarnate Word. Christina Crawford followed that up with a 6-0 win over Wagner on 2/28 and then Keira Murphy pitched the program's first no-hitter on 3/2 in a 14-0 five-inning win over Wagner.
Smashin' Cass
Cassidy Carby came into the 2025 season as the all-time home run leader for the Tommies with 13 and she currently leads the team with five round trippers this season. The redshirt junior smashed a program-record eight home runs back in 2022 and is on pace for nearly 11 this season.
Carby is having a career year with all-time bests in batting average, OBP, SLUG, OPS, and doubles. Her .605 slugging percentage is second only to her teammate Ella Cook.
Taking Down the Gophers
On March 2nd, the Tommies took down their crosstown rival Minnesota Gophers for the first time. They came away with an 8-6 eight-inning victory in what was an instant classic.
Freshman, Ava Kleinfeldt got the win after coming into the game during the fourth inning. She went 4.2 innings and allowed just two hits, one run, and two walks, with two strikeouts. Avery Wukawitz and Ella Cook had the only two extra base hits (both doubles) as the Tommies slapped eight singles and drew three walks to manufacture a Power 4 victory.
Mistake Free Softball
The Purple are 9-0 this season when they do not commit an error in a game. They are 27-31 all-time when they do not commit an error.
Before this season, the Tommies played 49 mistake-free games of softball out of 153 games or 32%. This season, they have nine games without errors, 39% of their 23 games, a considerable defensive improvement.
Fresh(man) Arm
The play of freshman Ava Kleinfeldt has been a revelation for the pitching staff and the Tommies as a whole. She has a 5-1 record and a 2.70 ERA in 44 innings pitched. That earned run average would be a program record if not for Ella Cook's tremendous 2.18 this season.
Kleinfeldt began the season 5-0 before losing her first career decision in a tight 3-1 ballgame against the University of Iowa over a week ago. She has allowed more than three runs in an appearance only once and already has one career complete game shutout.
Her nine strikeouts against New Mexico are a career high and the most by a Tommie true freshman since Christina Crawford's 19 strikeouts against Evansville in 2022.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Softball follow along on Instagram and Twitter at @TommieSoftball.
Players Mentioned
C/UT
/ Softball
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INF
/ SoftballOF/SS
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