Mayville opens season with comeback win vs. KML

Mayville went into the final inning needing to make things happen.

Senior Addie Anderson and sophomore Lilian Mansueto both stepped up and delivered in Mayville's 6-5 nonconference road win at Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Thursday afternoon.

Anderson started the rally with one out by beating out a sharply-hit ground ball to second base, her speed to beat the throw foreshadowed what was to come in the seventh.

After KML (1-1) recorded the second out, Mansueto singled on a hard grounder through the left side. KML pitcher Charis Winkeman then hit Janel Youngbeck to load the bases.

Mayville (1-0) tied the game on the next pitch, which went well over the catcher's head and to the backstop, allowing Anderson to sprint home and narrowly beat the tag.

Just three pitches later, Winkeman threw another pitch to the fence and Mansueto slid headfirst into home, sneaking her hand in ahead of the tag.

In the bottom of the seventh, senior Allie Schwirtz was able to close out the win, stranding a runner on third to end the game. The win was the first in the career of coach Ashley Krueger, who is in her first year.

Lilian Mansueto slides in safe at home with what proved to be the winning run.

"This group of girls, they see a challenge and they're going to take it and they're going to run with it," Krueger said. "We started out great, we got down, [but] they didn't get down though.

"They knew how to come back from that and we came out victorious."

Both Anderson and Mansueto were on base three times.

Anderson had two hits and also reached on an error when her speed rushed KML's Makenzie Luehring into a high throw. Madison Justman scored on that play.

"I just wanted to make contact and I knew that I could do damage on the bases," Anderson said. "So that's my whole point and I know I have people behind me that can hit me home, so that's my goal to get on base and let my team do the work for me."

Mansueto walked twice in addition to her seventh-inning hit. She stole second in the fifth. She made it to third all three times she was on base.

Mayville was aggressive on the bases, but did not run themselves out of any opportunities. Mansueto said the coaches stress smart base-running.

"The coaches always say like being smart base-running and stuff, so you just always have the mindset of what you're doing next, always being prepared for everything," Mansueto said. "I think that's really important."

Schwirtz, who was the conference player of the year last season, picked up the win, gave up just a single earned run and struck out 11 batters.

The Cardinals survived some early-season rust defensively, for they committed four errors, leading to four unearned runs.

Mansueto had three of those errors, playing third base for the first time in her career. She said even though she made mistakes, the team backed her up.

"On third base, I'm like, 'I've got to get this run in to just make it up for my few errors,'" Mansueto said. "But even still, like Izzy McFadden, she said, 'Just shake it off, Lilian, you've got the next one.'

"I think it's always important just being there for your teammates."

McFadden had a nice day at the plate from her leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a double, walk and run scored.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mayville at KML softball - 3/28/2025