Photo courtesy of PhotoWorks The 2025 Marshall softball team includes Jennifer Lee, Claire Kruse, Naya Grahn, Brynlee Dieken, Taylor Frana, Sara Dallmann, Bailynn Parsons, Aaliyah Podratz, Aubrey Schaefer, MacKenzie Sieve, Haylee Kirchner, Justine Kirst, Jaylah Morgan, Alissa Moen. The team is coached by Stacey Baedke with assistant coach Ryan Baedke.

MARSHALL — Last season, the Marshall softball team put together a spectacular campaign. The Tigers came within one game of the section championship game, but fell one run shy of the win. Graduating nearly their entire starting lineup, the Tigers will look to grow and develop while led by a new cast of characters.

Marshall finished its last season 18-8 on the year. The Tigers started their Section 2AAA tournament run with wins over Worthington, Albert Lea and St. Peter before falling 1-0 to top-seeded New Ulm in the championship bracket semifinals.

In the elimination bracket, Marshall upset second-seeded Mankato West 12-0 in five innings, but lost their rematch to New Ulm 1-0 despite Morgan Bjella pitching a no-hitter in the loss.

Bjella was the Independent’s Softball Player of the Year last season, compiling an 0.50 ERA, an 0.62 WHIP and 168 strikeouts with just 10 walks over 83 2/3 innings on the hill. Harley Beek also compiled a 2.63 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 53 1/3 innings, but both have since graduated, leaving the Tigers without any varsity pitching experience.

Alissa Moen and Sara Dallman are the primary players the Tigers expect to rely on for pitching this season, Baedke said, noting that Dallman is just getting back into the swing of things after returning from a torn ACL. In order to be successful, Marshall’s pitching duo will have to work together to complement each other, Baedke said.

“Sarah can throw a little bit harder than Alissa, but we can throw teams off by getting them a couple innings in each game and working together as a pitching staff,” Baedke said.

On the offensive side, Naya Grahn is the Tigers’ lone everyday starter. The Marshall outfielder is one of two seniors on the team, alongside Justine Kirst, and is the lone returning Tiger to take 10 or more varsity at-bats last season. As a junior, Grahn put together a .354 batting average and a .764 OPS with six RBIs and a triple.

“She was voted in as captain this year by pretty much everyone but her, so we had to remind her that these girls are looking up to her for leadership,” Baedke said of Grahn. “She’s going to be held to a little bit higher standard this year, and we know that’s an adjustment from last year, but we know she can do it. She’s been playing for [assistant coach] Ryan [Baedke] and I for three years now, so we know her pretty well and she’s going to set the bar for us. She’s our leadoff hitter, she plays a vital role on defense and we just need her to be in every game.”

Marshall’s roster includes 14 players. Of those players, three are still in middle school and another two are freshmen. As such, growth is going to be a key focus point for the team and growing pains are expected.

“Our focus this year is controlling the controllables: Attitude, effort and energy,” Baedke said. “We can bring that to every game. We might not win every game, but as long as we have those things, I think we will improve.”

This year’s group has been particularly adept at bringing good energy to practice and games each day, Baedke said, adding that they always know how to find the positives and find areas that they’re able to improve on. As such, she feels good about the team’s potential for growth as the season progresses.

While the Tigers are 0-4 so far, there have been positives of note. Dallman has hit a team-best 1.625 OPS with a .625 batting average through her first eight at-bats while Brynlee Dieken and Bailey Parsons have hit .375 and .333, respectively. Errors have been a struggle on the defensive end, with the team committing 16 in four games, but the team certainly has the opportunity to clean up those defensive miscues it gains more varsity reps.