Winter Haven, Fla. – Minnesota Crookston softball will be spending spring break in the Sunshine State next week as they travel to Winter Haven, Fla., for eight games, starting on Monday.
 
The Golden Eagles will look to rebound after losing a pair of non-conference games to Minot State on Sunday in Minot.
 
How to Follow
Monday
Minnesota Crookston vs Caldwell (N.J.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex B
9 A.M.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Wayne State (Mich.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex B
11:15 A.M.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Tuesday
Minnesota Crookston vs New Haven (Conn.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex C
1:30 P.M.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Southern Connecticut State
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex C
3:45 P.M.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Wednesday
Minnesota Crookston vs Saint Michael's (VT)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex E
9 A.M.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Purdue Northwest (Ind.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex C
1:30 P.M.
Live Stats - https://pnwathletics.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Friday
Minnesota Crookston vs Pace University (N.Y.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex D
3 p.m.
Live Stats - https://pnwathletics.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Shepherd University (W.Va.)
Winter Haven, Fla. / Diamondplex D
5:15 p.m.
Live Stats - https://pnwathletics.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video - https://www.flosoftball.com (Paid Subscription)
 
Minnesota Crookston (7-10)
The Golden Eagles will hope that some sunshine and 75 degree weather will end their five-game losing streak. Despite the losing streak, the Golden Eagles are off to the best start through 17 games in school history.
 
Offensively, the charge has been led by Alina Avalos (Jr., IF, Riverside, Calif.). The Californian has hit in a career-high 11 straight games and has four multi-hit games in that stretch. She leads the team in hitting (.407), OPS (1.013), hits (22), total bases (31) and slugging percentage (.574). It's been an unreal start in the box for Avalos. Whitnee Curry (Fr., UT, Lincoln, Neb.) has a .405 average on the season, but has missed the last three games. Jordan Peterson (R-Sr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) and Dana Zarn (Jr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) have 12 and 10 runs batted in, respectively. Minnesota Crookston is hitting .274 as a team.
 
In the circle, the Golden Eagles have been led by freshman Evie Stuck (Fr., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.). The first-year Golden Eagle is 5-3 in eight starts with six complete games and a 3.43 ERA. Minnesota Crookston has a 5.10 ERA as a staff.
 
Caldwell (20-11-1 in 2021)
As opposed to the Golden Eagles, who have already played in 17 games, this weekend in Florida will be the first games of 2022 for the Cougars of Caldwell University. Caldwell is coming off a 20-win shortened 2021 season.
 
The Cougars do return some good pieces on offense, including Taylor Mischler, the returning hitter for average after hitting .406 a season ago. Courtney Grundhouser is also back after driving in 25 runs, as is Chloe VanGorder, who hit seven home runs a season ago. VanGorder is a transfer from Division I Stony Brook University. A lot of nice pieces are back for the Cougars who hit .326 as a team last season.
 
For as good as their offense was last season, the Cougars return 3/4 of their pitching rotation from 2021. Mariah Culver returns after going 13-5 in 18 starts with a 2.45 ERA, while striking out 78. Lindsey Davis and Kayla Daly return as well after having sub-4.00 ERA's a season ago.
 
Wayne State (2-2)
Wayne State University (Mich.), not to be mistaken with Wayne State College, who is in the NSIC, is off to a 2-2 start in 2022, including a loss to Winona State and a victory over MSU Moorhead.
 
Although it is a small sample size, Wayne State has four players hitting over .300, including Rainey Psenicka and Gabby Kaple, who are each hitting .400 through four starts. Psenicka leads the team with five RBI. As a team, Wayne State is hitting .265.
 
The Warriors pitching staff has been unreal so far. Paige Ameel has led the way with a 1.31 ERA in three appearances, although she is 0-2 on the season. Alexis Bonk is 1-0 with 14 strikeouts on the season.
 
University of New Haven (1-1)
The Chargers kicked off their season on Monday, splitting with St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.). The Chargers were really good in 2021, falling in the Northeast 10 Championship game to Adelphi University and then making the NCAA East Region Tournament as a five seed.
 
Speaking of a small sample size, the Chargers don't have much to go on as they make their way down to Florida. Mya Case leads the team with her .333 average in two starts, while Nahtali Simpson has a home run and six total bases in two starts this season. As a team, New Haven is hitting .192, albeit in just two games.
 
In the circle, Selena Aponte and Mia Iodice each earned a start in the doubleheader against St. Thomas Aquinas. Aponte picked up the win after going an extra inning for the complete game, striking out seven. Iodice dropped to 0-1 while giving up just three earned runs and striking out three.
 
Southern Connecticut State (14-15 in 2021)
Another Northeast 10 team that the Golden Eagles will face next week in Florida. The Owls finished 14-15 in 2021.
 
Jacqueline Dumont and Emily Lange both return this season and should lead the Owls offensively. Dumont led the Owls as a junior with a .374 batting average and an OPS of 1.020, with 11 doubles, four home runs and 25 RBI, which also led the team. Lange hit .303 as a freshman with five RBI in 20 starts. Jessica Perucki is also back as a do-it-all type player for the Owls. Perucki finished with 14 starts in the circle and hit three home runs as well. Jayden Delaporta is also back and should provide a spark as a graduate student.
 
Emma Gorham and Porucki should both lead the way for the Owls in the circle this season. Gorham had a 1.11 ERA in nine appearances, all of which were in relief as a freshman last year.
 
Saint Michael's (5-20 in 2021)
Another NE10 opponent lingers on the horizon for the Golden Eagles in Florida, as the Purple Knights will be the third of four opponents that hail from the Northeast 10 conference. The Florida trip will kick-off the regular season for Saint Michael's.
 
Underclassmen Grace Trautman and Hannah Aruda both had really good seasons in 2021, hitting five and four home runs, respectively. Trautman also led the way with 13 RBI's. The Purple Knights had just one senior on last year's squad, so Saint Michael's return a bunch of impact bats and will look to make a jump in 2022.
 
In the circle, Jackie Cherry finished last season with a 4-12 record in 13 starts, with 11 complete games. She also led the Purple Knights with 89 innings pitched. Hannah Arruda is also back and should make an impact spinning the ball for Saint Michael's after appearing in 11 games.
 
Purdue Northwest (5-1)
The Pride have gotten off to an unreal start in 2022, winning five of their first six games this season after finishing 2021 nine games under .500 at 17-26. The Golden Eagles will be one of two NSIC schools playing Purdue Northwest next week, with the other being Minot State.
 
Sophomore Allison Arnold leads the Pride with a .389 average and two home runs, including a long ball in a win over Upper Iowa earlier this year. The Tuscon, Ariz., native has three two-hit games this season, including back-to-back games against William Jewell and Hillsdale. Jocey Gault has been in a zone as well, leading the Pride with a 1.228 OPS and eight RBI. The junior also leads her squad in total bases with 14 and slugging at .778. Purdue Northwest is hitting almost .280 as a team through six games.
 
The trio of Madison Roop, Emma Hill and Gabby Paliska have combined to allow just four earned runs in 28.1 innings of work this season. Abbie May has been pretty good as well, going 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in two starts this season. The Pride have had phenomenal pitching so far throughout the young season.
 
Pace University (9-20)
The Setters will finish up their eight-game Florida trip with the Golden Eagles next Friday. Pace will look to better their nine-win season in 2021.
 
The Setters were a fairly experienced team last year, but they were led by freshman Kaylani Miller, the native of Los Angeles. Miller finished with a .385 average, an OPS over 1.000 and led the team in triples and runs batted in, as well as being tied for the team lead in home runs at three. Arianna Guarracino and Arielle Acosta are back and will look to take on expanded roles after starting 49 combined games in 2021.
 
The Setters will have to replace two of their top pitchers this season as both Emma Bernet and Mackenzie Garrick both graduated. Anna Acevedo and Maxibel Garcia are two arms that could slide into the starting rotation this season.
 
Shepherd University (3-4)
The Rams, who hail from West Virginia, will be the final game for the Golden Eagles down in Florida. The Rams have lost three out of their last four games.
 
Cameron Davis has been off to a blazing start this season. The junior from North Carolina is hitting .500 on the season with an OPS of 1.520 and has three home runs and eight RBI's through seven games and has a whopping 22 total bases. Leann Brown and Alex Mantz are also off to solid starts this season, both hitting over .300. Shepherd scored a season-high 13 runs earlier this season against Indiana University (Pa.).
 
Kourtney McNatt has started in three games this season, which leads the Rams pitching staff. Katie Lang leads her team with five appearances and a 2.00 ERA in those five outings. As a team, the West Virginia based school has a 4.11 ERA.