The Minot Honeybees took on the Mankato Habaneros for their first game of the 2025 season.

The Honeybees were visiting the Hababeros’ home stadium in Mankato for Thursday night’s game. The Honeybees started at bat and only scored one run in the top of the first.

The Honeybee’s No. 15 Virginia Mambelli hit a single past the Habaneros’ short stop with bases loaded to bring home No. 13, Bella Cimino with two outs on the board. Olivia Hernandez struck out during the very next at bat to end the top of the inning at 1-0.

Ashleigh Heiderscheit started off pitching for the Honeybees. The Habaneros were able to score a single run during the bottom of the first, but a double play and strike out ended the inning before they could get any further.

The Honeybees were able to widen the gap by four runs during the course of the top of the second. Trinity Gregg was walked to load the bases once again. Cimino was also walked at the next at bat, allowing Olivia Lenzen to take an easy stroll home.

Carly Cumming, at third after Cimino’s walk, was able to steal home off of a dropped pitch to batter Shayna Myshrall. Myshrall was able to make contact with the ball and was thrown out at first, but not before Gregg could run safely home.

Cimino scored the last run of the half off a single into left field hit by Taylor Chillingworth. Mambelli hit her second single of the night, and Hernandez was thrown out at first during the next at bat to end the top of the second.

A single home run brought the score to 5-2 for the Honeybees before a caught line drive ended the inning.

The Honeybees scored again in the third inning after a base hit from Cimino brought Cummings home. The Honeybees were unable to snag another run before a caught foul ball cut the top short.

Neither team scored another run through the fourth or fifth innings. The game picked up once again in the sixth inning with the Honeybees widening the gap even further off a single home run hit by No. 23, Shayna Myshrall. The Honeybees were unable to capitalize on the momentum, so the top ended with a 7-2 score.

The Habaneros scored another run themselves during the bottom of the sixth before the inning ended.

The game was then delayed heading into the seventh due to lightning in the area. The teams waited just under twenty minutes before the game was delayed even further. Finally the game was called before the seventh inning could begin due to the inclement weather. The final score of the game was 7-3 for the Honeybees.

The Honeybees will play in a double header against the Habaneros in Mankato Friday evening. The first game will begin at 5:05 p.m. and the second will start at 7:35 p.m.

The Honeybees will enter the double header with a record of 1-0 and the Habaneros will go in with a record of 0-2.

The Honeybees will play their first home game of the season at Corbett Field on Saturday, June 14 in a double header against the La Crosse Steam.