Topeka, Kan.—The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team heads south to Topeka, Kan., for four games this Saturday and Sunday. This will be the first time the Golden Eagles will be playing outside on the season and the final time playing until March 16, when they travel down to Florida.
 
In Head Coach Travis Owen's second season, the Golden Eagles are off to their best start through 12 games, currently sitting at 6-6 on the season.
 
Saturday, Feb., 29
vs Washburn (10:30 a.m.)
Live Stats- https://wusports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
vs Pittsburg State (1 p.m.)
Live Stats- https://wusports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Sunday, March 1
vs Emporia State (9 a.m.)
Live Stats- https://wusports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
vs Fort Hays State (11 a.m.)
Live Stats- https://wusports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston
So far through 12 games, Minnesota Crookston has one of the best in the NSIC. The Golden Eagles are led by Malia Pula (Sr., UT, Gilroy, Calif.), who is hitting an astonishing .511 in 47 at-bats, with nine runs scored, 11 knocked in and leads the team with 24 hits. Pula leads the NSIC with those 24 base-hits on the season and is third with her .511 average. Cassie Querry (Jr., C, Cassville, Pa.), the reigning NSIC Player of the Week has been outstanding in her first few games as a Golden Eagle. The Pennsylvania native is first in the NSIC with 17 RBI's and tied for first with four homeruns, including two homeruns and 10 RBI's last weekend.
 
Jordan Peterson (Jr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) and Hannah Macias (So., OF, West Covina, Calif.) are also leading the charge for the Golden Eagles offensively, each hitting over .300 on the season.
 
In the circle, it's no surprise that Paige Pitlick (Sr., P, Jordan, Minn.) leads the charge for the Golden Eagles. The senior is top 10 in the NSIC in a number of categories, including ERA (2.36), innings pitched (32.2), strikeouts (44) and wins (3). Pitlick had her best outing of the season and maybe of her career last weekend, going 6.0 innings, while giving up just two hits and striking out a season-high 12. She is just eight strikeouts away from breaking the school record for most career strikeouts.
 
Washburn (8-10)
The Ichabods got off to a bit of a slow start to the season, starting 0-6 on the season, but have won eight out of their previous 12 games, including two wins over NSIC programs, Concordia-St. Paul and Wayne State College.
 
Washburn isn't going to wow teams in the power department, hitting just four homeruns in 18 games, but they do have four hitters hitting over .300. Ashton Friend and Winter Henry lead the way with a .375 and .364 average, respectively, while Jenna Moore is hitting .340 and leads the team with 11 RBI's.
 
In the circle, the Ichabods are led by Raegen Hamm. Hamm is the ace for Washburn, leading the team with a 2.05 ERA, is 6-4 in 71.2 innings pitched and has struck out 72 batters.
 
Pittsburg State (5-13)
The Gorillas come into Topeka this weekend with a 5-13 record, including losing six in a row at one point during this season.
 
Makenzie Goswick leads a Gorilla offense that has five hitters with 10 or more RBI's. Goswick leads the team with a .410 average and 25 hits. Madison Szymanski and Kaity Kukowski are each hitting over .300 on the season as well.
 
Pitching wise, Pitt State has struggled out of the gate with a 6.84 team ERA. The Gorillas are led by Shelby Smith, who is 1-5 with a 6.02 ERA and is second on the team with 16 strikeouts. Kaylee Burnett leads the team with 25 strikeouts.
 
Emporia State (8-5)
Emporia State is 8-5 on the year, but is playing some good softball, winning six out of their previous eight games.
 
The Hornets have a dangerous hitter in the form of Hannah Steeby, who leads her team with a .436 average and five homeruns and 17 RBI's, including a game against Harding when she went 2-3 with five RBI's. Gabby Biondo, Abbey Ward and Rachel Kauss are each hitting above .360 and each of them have an on-base percentage of north of .400.
 
Sydney Righi and Kelsey Phillips form a dynamic 1-2 punch spinning the ball for Emporia State. The duo has combined to start seven games, appearing in eight, with a 4-2 record on the season. The duo has combined for 22 strikeouts, while walking just nine.
 
Fort Hays State (10-6)
The Tigers are winners of two straight after defeating Midwestern State and St. Mary's University last weekend in Oklahoma.
 
Kristen Reed and Terran Caldwell lead a dangerous attack that has scored 66 runs on the season. Caldwell has just three RBI's on the season, but leads the team with a .447 batting average and 11 runs scored, while Reed leads the team with 16 RBI's. Alexis Velasquez and Elise Capra lead the team with two homeruns on the season for FHSU.
 
Haley Chapman and Michaelanne Nelson have gotten majority of the starts for FHSU, starting in seven apiece. Each have 50 strikeouts on the season, which leads the team, but Nelson is 4-2 with a 2.53 ERA on the season.