Crookston, Minn. – After almost a month on the road, Minnesota Crookston softball is finally scheduled to be back at home this week for a pair of conference doubleheaders against Minnesota Duluth on Wednesday and Bemidji State on Thursday. The Golden Eagles will celebrate their five players this week as well, who are finishing their Golden Eagle career:
Hannah Macias (Sr., OF, West Covina, Calif.),
Leah Macias (Sr., OF, West Covina, Calif.),
Jordan Peterson (R-Sr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.),
Kamryn Frisk (R-Sr., P/1B, Anchorage, AK),
Alyssa Stillman (Jr., SS/2B, Hortonville, Wis.) and
Allison Martinson, who was a student-assistant coach this season.
How to Follow
Minnesota Duluth @ Minnesota Crookston (Senior Day)
Wednesday, April 27
2 / 4 PM
Crookston, Minn. / UMC Softball Field
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Bemidji State @ Minnesota Crookston
Thursday, April 28
2 / 4 PM
Crookston, Minn. / UMC Softball Field
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Minnesota Crookston (14-33, 5-17 NSIC)
The Golden Eagles will be at home for the first time since April 4, when they swept Minnesota State University Moorhead. The Golden Eagles are 3-1 at home this season.
The Golden Eagles offense has been led by
Alina Avalos (Jr., IF, Riverside, Calif.). The junior from the Golden State leads the Golden Eagles in average (.361), at-bats (144), runs scored (33), hits (52), doubles (17), RBI (32) and is tied for the team lead in home runs with five. She also has 86 total bases this season. Peterson is hitting .350, while
Dana Zarn (Jr., UT, Winnipeg, Manitoba) has been on fire lately, raising her season average to .316 with five home runs and 29 RBI.
Shaelyn Grant (So., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) and
Jenna Parfeniuk (R-So., UT, Winnipeg, Manitoba) have combined to make 84 starts and 32 RBI.
Whitnee Curry (Fr., UT, Lincoln, Neb.) is hitting .329 and is third on the team with 20 runs scored.
Thayda Houser (So., P, Seymour, Iowa) and
Evie Stuck (Fr., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) have combined to make 37 starts on the season. Houser has a 4.94 ERA and is 6-10 on the season in 83.2 innings of work. Stuck has 11 complete games in 21 starts. The freshman is 7-15 and leads the team with 64 strikeouts. Stuck leads the staff by a wide margin with 122.1 innings pitched on the season.
Minnesota Duluth (33-12, 18-6 NSIC)
The Bulldogs are showing their best bark right now. UMD has won seven out of their last eight games, including six in a row. The 'Dogs are coming off of a sweep of Southwest Minnesota State, when they scored 18 runs in the two games.
UMD has one of the best offenses in the NSIC, hitting above .300 as a team. The Bulldogs have seven hitters above the .300 mark, led by Jordyn Thomas, who is hitting .382 with nine home runs and 41 runs knocked in. Kat Burkhardt and Kiana Bender both have averages of over .300 and have an OPS of over 1.000. Sydney Zavoral has 44 hits on the season and is third on her squad with a .344 average. As a team, UMD has stolen 68 bases on 79 attempts.
Lauren Dixon leads a Bulldog staff that has an ERA of just 2.72. The sophomore from Sobieski, Wis., is 15-6 on the season with an ERA of just 1.87 and 17 complete games, as well. Dixon has also struck out 175 hitters on the season. Sam Pederson has made 18 starts, which is second on the staff and is 11-3 with a 3.99 ERA. Christin Hartman and Mady Stariha are good relief options for first-year head coach Lynn Anderson.
Bemidji State (10-32, 7-15 NSIC)
BSU has lost four games in a row, but are just a week removed from a sweep of The University of Mary in Bemidji last Thursday. Bemidji State defeated Minnesota Crookston earlier this season by a score of 11-5, in Minot.
The Beavers have a team average of .237 this season and are led by Mariah Stevenson, who leads the Beavers with a .317 average in 41 starts. Stevenson has 11 doubles and 18 RBI, both of which lead her team. Alexa Christenson and Emmarie Yeager are each hitting over .260 as well. Elaina Christiansen leads the Beavers with four home runs.
Kaidron McClafferty leads the Beavers' staff, who has a 4.78 team ERA. McClafferty is 4-12 with 16 starts and has seven complete games. Stella Doan is 5-14 in 18 starts and 29 appearances and she leads her team with 78 strikeouts. Doan also has 10 complete games, including earlier this year against the Golden Eagles, when she gave up just eight hits in the 11-5 win.
