The Spitfire Thursday Takeover: The Thursday Sports Feature and The Spitfires Sweep The Habaneros!
The picture below is of the team celebrating the Sweep of the Habaneros!
Good Afternoon and Happy Thursday July 23rd, 2026 Spitfires! Hey everyone! I hope your day. is off to an incredible start and is filled with positive energy, excitement, and winning moments! Welcome back to From Stands To The Spotlight, where we bring the passion, the dedication, and the stories behind the athletes and teams we love. Get ready to jump into today's action-packed blog because we're bringing the energy from the stands straight into the spotlight! In today's blog I'm bringing you some Grand Forks Spitfire action and the Thursday Sports Feature.
**Grand Forks Spitfires vs. Mankato Habaneros Series Summary**
The Grand Forks Spitfires defeated the Mankato Habaneros in the first three games of four in the series held July 18–20, 2026.
**Game 1 – Saturday, July 18th (Mankato, Minnesota)**
Final Score: Spitfires 12, Habaneros 11
**Game 2 – Sunday, July 19th (Mankato, Minnesota)**
Final Score: Spitfires 10, Habaneros 5
**Game 3 – Monday, July 20th (Grand Forks, North Dakota)**
Final Score: Spitfires 11, Habaneros 9
The Habaneros opened with a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run by Katy Olive. The Spitfires tied the game immediately and scored five additional runs to lead 6-1. In the third inning, Taylor Larson and Makenna Alexander each scored to extend the lead to 8-1. Mankato responded with three runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth inning to narrow the gap to 8-5. Both teams scored three runs in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 11-8. Valerie VanZant scored in the seventh inning for Mankato, but the Spitfires held on for the 11-9 victory.
On Tuesday, July 21st, 2026, the Grand Forks Spitfires faced the Mankato Habaneros in a competitive matchup in Grand Forks. Mankato established early momentum, leading 5-0 after two innings and extending to 6-0 in the third. Grand Forks responded in the third inning with 2 runs from Emma Peeples and Shannon Cunningham, closing the gap to 6-2. The Spitfires added 1 run in the fifth inning to reach 6-3. Mankato scored 1 run in the sixth inning to lead 7-2; however, Grand Forks answered with 5 runs to secure an 8-7 lead. The seventh inning saw no scoring. Final result: Grand Forks Spitfires 8, Mankato Habaneros 7.
This week's Thursday Sports Feature is on Fighting Hawk and Grand Forks Spitfires Softball player Makenna Alexander. Makenna Alexander is originally from the charming city of West Fargo, located in North Dakota. When she plays for UND, she takes on the role of an infield player and proudly wears jersey number 23, but when she plays for the Spitfires, she shifts to playing second base and wears the distinctive jersey number 1. Alexander is currently pursuing a major in Commercial Aviation at North Dakota, demonstrating her commitment to both athletics and academics. Throughout her time so far with the Fighting Hawks, she has impressively played in a total of 94 games, and she has also participated in 21 games for the Spitfires. During her career at North Dakota, she has achieved a career high of 39 runs and has accumulated 68 hits. Additionally, for Grand Forks, Alexander has recorded 23 runs and 29 hits, showcasing her consistent performance and dedication to Softball.
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