Minot, N.D. – This weekend, Minnesota Crookston will make the second of their four trips out to Minot, N.D., for four games. By the end of the season, Minnesota Crookston will know the way to Minot like the back of their hand.
 
The Golden Eagles will look to rebound after going 1-3 in the Presentation College Classic in Aberdeen this past weekend.
 
The Golden Eagles have been led offensively by Jordan Peterson (R-Sr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) and Alina Avalos (Jr., IF, Riverside, Calif.). Peterson is hitting .450 on the season, leading the team in RBI's, slugging percentage, doubles and OPS in six starts. Avalos is hitting .400 on the season with a home run and six RBI's. Dana Zarn (Jr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) has hit two home runs on the season. The Golden Eagles have outscored opponents 44-40 through eight games on the season.
 
In the circle, Evie Stuck (Fr., P, Papillion, Neb.) continues her outstanding start to her Golden Eagle career. Stuck has a 1.94 ERA through four appearances and three starts. In her only start of the weekend, Stuck went the distance and picked up the win, while striking out a career-high 10 against Dordt College. Kamryn Frisk (R-Sr., P/1B, Anchorage, AK) has also been really good. The third-year Golden Eagle is 1-0 on the season with a 1.14 ERA and has struck out four in four appearances.
 
How to Follow
Minnesota Crookston vs Minot State
Fri., Feb. 18
5 P.M.
Minot, N.D. / Minot State Bubble
Live Stats -- https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Saturday
Minnesota Crookston vs UMary
Sat., Feb. 19
9 A.M.
Minot, N.D. / Minot State Bubble
Live Stats -- https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Bemidji State
Sat., Feb. 19
11:30 A.M.
Minot, N.D. / Minot State Bubble
Live Stats -- https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Sunday
Minnesota Crookston vs Montana State University Billings
Sunday, Feb. 20
8 A.M.
Minot, N.D. / Minot State Bubble
Live Stats -- https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minot State University (7-2)
The Beavers are off to a fast start in 2022, starting 7-2 through nine games this season. The only Beaver blemishes this season came in Arizona, including a one-run loss to Northwest Nazarene, a team who has been receiving votes in the polls this year.
 
To say that Jamie Odlum has been off to a blazing start with the bat would be doing a disservice to the senior from Manitoba. Odlum is hitting .607 on the season, with four doubles, three triples and 10 RBI's, which leads the Beavers. Odlum's .607 batting average is 15^th in the nation and 2^nd in the NSIC. Maggie Mercer and Kiera Shwaluk also help lead a dynamic Beaver offense, each hitting .500 or above. As a team, the Beavers have hit just two home runs, both coming off the bat of Izzy Penner, who hit a pair of home runs against The Academy of the Arts earlier this year.
 
Leading the way in the circle has been Trinity Valentine, who has made four starts and has a 1.11 ERA. Her best start of the young season came earlier this year, when the Las Vegas native shutout the Golden Eagles, giving up just two hits and striking out ten. Jazmine Blizzard and Gabi Dawyduk have both been awesome in the circle as well, giving the Beavers a solid pitching trio.
 
University of Mary (0-4)
The Marauders are off to a slow start on the season, losing all four games in Minot last weekend, including a 14-8 loss to the Golden Eagles.
 
The Marauders were outscored by 19 runs in the opening weekend, but do have a duo of nice hitters in Sariah Perez, who leads the NSIC with her .625 batting average and Kaylee Kannegeiser, who is hitting .600 through four games. Haley Berube and Erin Murphy are each hitting above .400 as well. Those four also have an OPS of over 1.000 this season.
 
Pitching has been an issue for the Marauders, who have a team ERA of just under 10. Nicole Eckhardt has appeared in three games, starting one and leads the team with a 6.58 ERA and 13 strikeouts. The Marauders pitching staff gave up double-digit runs in three out of the four games in Minot.
 
Bemidji State (1-4)
Bemidji State kicked off their 2022 season this past weekend in St. Cloud State at the Kelly Laas Softball Tournament, hosted by the Huskies. Bemidji State lost their first four games of the tournament, but was able to finish with a solid 8-4 victory over Southwest Minnesota State.
 
As a team, the Beavers are hitting just .245, but Alexa Christenson has eight hits in her first 16 at-bats. Jennifer Smith is also off to a solid start, hitting .400 through five games as well. Ashley Herald and Elaina Christenson each have a home run this year as well.
 
Stella Dolan and Kaidron McClafferty have been solid in the circle for the green and white this season. Dolan and McClafferty have each started two games this season and have combined for 24 strikeouts in just under 29 innings of work. Dolan is 1-1 on the season, while McClafferty is 0-2 in four appearances.
 
Montana State University Billings (4-8)
The Yellowjackets have already played a whopping 12 games already this season and are 4-8 in those games. The Jackets have played No. 10 Concordia-Irvine this season in a doubleheader and were swept in Irvine, Calif.
 
Maycen O'Neal and Morgan Quimby each lead the way with 10 hits on the season, while O'Neal is tied with Sydney Pollard for the team lead with 12 RBI's. Brittanee Fisher leads the team with her 1.022 OPS in 23 at-bats. MSUB does have eight home runs as a team, led by Pollard and Lauren Blaschak, who each have two through 12 games
 
The Yellowjackets pitching staff has been solid this season, collecting a 3.97 team ERA this season. Sophomore Julia Qualteri has led the way with five starts and is 3-1 with two complete games. The Parker, Colo., native has a 2.74 ERA in seven appearances. Alyssa Etheridge leads the staff with her 23 strikeouts in 24.1 innings of work on the season.