CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team will continue non-conference play as they head to the Minot State University Invitational, which has been moved to the Presentation College Dome in Aberdeen, S.D. The tournament was originally scheduled to be played in Minot, N.D., but was moved due to the facility in Minot, N.D. not being ready to play in yet.

Minnesota Crookston comes in with a 1-3 record. They picked up a win last weekend in the Presentation College Indoor as they upended Dakota Wesleyan University 4-3. The Golden Eagles will have even familiarity with the facility as they play four more games in the PC Dome this weekend.

The Golden Eagles are led in the circle by Bailey Braatz (Sr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.), who had a strong weekend going 1-1 with a 3.07 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched. Minnesota Crookston will look for more consistency from their other pitchers as they head into the weekend.

Minnesota Crookston was led at the plate by Maggie Morales (So., OF/1B, Tucson, Ariz.), who hit .429 with three doubles. Jozie Garner (Sr., OF, Eureka, Kan.) batted .364 on the opening weekend with one run scored and one RBI/ Gabriel Antolak (Jr., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.) was the power bat in week one for UMC as she hit .333 with a .667 slugging percentage. Antolak had two doubles and one triple with two RBI's on the weekend.

Golden Eagles open up Thurs., Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. against Minot State. The Beavers have a 1-4 mark on the season with their lone coming Feb. 3 over California State University, Dominguez Hills. Minot State is led by Ashley Hill, who is hitting .444 with two runs scored, two home runs and six RBI's. In addition, Jordan Grant is batting .400 with two runs scored on the year.

The Beavers are led in the circle by Jenn Spencer, who is 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 17.2 innings pitched.

UMC will continue play Thurs., Feb. 16 as they face Minnesota State University Moorhead at 12 p.m. They will also take the Dragons on Fri., Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. MSU Moorhead officially opens up the season this weekend. The Dragons have to replace a good amount of production from last season's team that went 16-30. The leading bat returning for MSU Moorhead is Carly Williamson, who hit .248 with 19 runs scored, five doubles, three triples and eight RBI's.

In the circle, the Dragons will rely on brand new pitching as they lost all 305.2 innings of pitching from last year's team.

The Golden Eagles will take on Black Hills State University Fri., Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. The Yellow Jackets have posted a 0-4 mark this season. Black Hills State is led by Kindall Bethke, who is batting .500 with one run scored and one RBI. Katelyn Odle is hitting .385 with one runs scored and two RBI's.

In the circle, the Yellow Jackets look to Stefanie Witman's 0-2 mark with a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched.