Grand Forks Spitfires' Ally Hetzel (11) is celebrated in the dugout after scoring in the team's inaugural game on Tuesday, June 9. ERIC HYLDEN / Grand Forks Herald

The Minot Honeybees opened the regular season with a chance to spoil an historic night in Grand Forks against the Northwoods League’s newest softball franchise.

Unfortunately for the Honeybees, the Grand Forks Spitfires weren’t going to let the league’s eldest team from the Peace Garden State ruin their night. Grand Forks scored the game’s first five runs in the second inning and never looked back, securing the franchise’s first victory in a 16-6 win in six innings over the Honeybees on Tuesday, June 9, in front of 936 fans at Albrecht Field.

Former Honeybee Makenna Alexander haunted her former team, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a double, two RBIs and four runs scored. The Spitfires joined La Crosse, Mankato and Wausau as teams that won in their debut in the league. Minot and Madison both recorded wins on their second attempt.

Fans were treated to a fireworks display postgame, but the Spitfires provided plenty of offensive fireworks during the game. Alexander opened the scoring with a double to left field, plating Anna Elliott. Alexander would come around to score when Sofia Meer singled to center to give Grand Forks an early 2-0 lead. Alex Graham delivered an RBI double and Mattison Kwarta followed with a two-run single, ending Minot starting pitcher Nadia Andarowski’s night after 1 2/3 innings.

The Honeybees (1-1) scored runs across the final four innings, but couldn’t catch up to the Spitfires, as the home team continued to pile up hits and runs as well. The Spitfires finished with 13 hits, scoring four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to end the contest early.

Minot got on the board with a pair of runs in the third. Cayden Thomas supplied both with a two-run single, scoring Jill Halas and Clare Rettler.

But Grand Forks (1-1) had a response each time the Honeybees would put runs on the board. Minot never got closer than three runs of the lead. When the Honeybees closed the gap to 7-4 entering the bottom of the fifth, Grand Forks received run-scoring hits from Meer and Hetzel to grow the lead to 11-4. Graham cleared the bases in the sixth with a three-run double to center.

The Honeybees finished with five hits. Rettler doubled and drove in a run while scoring twice. Bridget Chapman, Olivia Hernandez and Sara Simon all recorded an RBI.

Kwarta picked up the win in the circle for Grand Forks. In three innings of work, she allowed three runs on two hits, striking out three and walking three. Madison Wihlm picked the final three innings.

While the Spitfires can forever say that they earned their first win against the Honeybees, Minot can forever say they handed the new franchise its first loss. The Honeybees’ offense broke out in a big way in the series final, scoring nine runs in the top of fourth and four in the fifth en route to a 14-1 victory over Grand Forks in five innings on Wednesday, June 10.

Minot fell behind 1-0 after one, but tied the game in the third with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Chapman, allowing Alex Serbio to tag and score from third.

That was just an appetizer for what was to follow in the ensuing inning. The Honeybees strung together nine runs on five hits, while Grand Forks committed an error. Simon got the offense going right away, crushing a leadoff home run over the fence in left field. The Honeybees scored back-to-back runs on wild pitches and Chapman doubled home Alyssa DeMaio. An error at shortstop allowed Chapman to score later in the inning for a 6-1 lead.

Sara Simon cleared the bases with a three-run double to right. Simon finished 3-for-4 with a home run, double, five RBIs and three runs scored.

Grand Forks pitcher Sadie Kahl needed 59 pitches to get through the inning.

Minot pitcher Parker Rowden went all five innings, allowing one run on eight hits, striking out seven and walking four.

The Honeybees host Madison in their home-opener at Corbett Field on Friday, June 12, at 6:35 p.m.