Bismarck, N.D. -- At 3-1 in the conference, Minnesota Crookston softball will head on the road for a quick Thursday doubleheader against UMary, then return home for four games on Saturday and Sunday as they look to build on their three-game win streak in NSIC play. The Golden Eagles are coming off of their first NSIC sweep since 2012 after sweeping MSUM, 15-1 and 6-1.
 
How to Follow
Minnesota Crookston @ University of Mary
Thursday, April 7
2 / 4 PM
Bismarck, N.D. / University of Mary Softball Field
Live Stats -- https://goumary.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goumary/
 
Winona State @ Minnesota Crookston
Sat., April 9
1 / 3 PM
Crookston, Minn. / University of Minnesota Crookston Softball Field
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
 
Upper Iowa @ Minnesota Crookston
Sun., April 10
1 / 3 PM
Crookston, Minn. / University of Minnesota Crookston Softball Field
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
 
 
Minnesota Crookston (12-17, 3-1 NSIC)
Minnesota Crookston used the home-field advantage the best they could this past weekend, getting off to a 3-1 start in NSIC play, their best start in program history. Their lone loss was a one-run defeat to Northern State, 11-10. The Golden Eagles will now travel to Bismarck for a pair of conference games with UMary, a team who they have beaten twice already this season.
 
Minnesota Crookston had an offensive output in their first four NSIC games this weekend, scoring 37 runs against Northern State and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Alina Avalos (Jr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) has been really good this season, hitting .382 with 11 doubles, four home runs and 25 runs knocked in, all of which lead the team. Avalos had a five RBI game with a home run against Northern State on Sunday. Besides Avalos, the Golden Eagles have three other hitters hitting higher than .300 that have started 15 games or more. Sydney Huwe (Fr., UT, Carver, Minn.) is hitting .362 with 13 runs scored, while Jordan Peterson (R-Sr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) and Shaelyn Grant (So., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) are hitting .345 and .304, respectively. Whitnee Curry (Fr., IF, Lincoln, Neb.) made her return to the lineup this past weekend and hit .304 with five RBI. The Golden Eagles have raised their team average to .280. The Golden Eagles currently rank fifth in the NSIC with 136 runs scored.
 
In the circle, the Golden Eagles have used the duo of Evie Stuck (Fr., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) and Thayda Houser (So., P, Seymour, Iowa) to a combined 22 starts. Stuck and Houser have combined for 12 complete games. Stuck leads the team with a 3.59 ERA, while Houser has lowered her ERA after giving up just four earned runs and a 2-0 weekend against the Wolves and Dragons. Minnesota Crookston has a team ERA of 4.44, which currently ranks 10^th in the NSIC.
 
University of Mary (2-24)
The Marauders have had a difficult season under first-year head coach and alum, Dre Frantz. UMary is currently 2-24 overall and 0-6 in the NSIC.
 
UMary lost a pair of tight games against St. Cloud State on Saturday. The Marauders are led by Haley Berube, who is hitting .438 in 20 games started and has seven doubles, four triples and three home runs, all of which lead the team. Erin Murphy is also hitting .418 as a freshman. Sariah Perez is a dangerous hitter as well, hitting .373 with 13 RBI, which is tied with Berube for the team lead. Brook De Jonge is the other Marauder hitting over .300 with 17 starts. UMary is hitting .288 as a team.
 
The Marauders pitching staff has a team ERA of 9.75 and have allowed opponents to score double-digit runs nine times this season, including allowing the Golden Eagles to score 14 earlier this year. Nicole Eckhardt has appeared in 20 games and has a 5.96 ERA in 83.0 innings pitched and 49 strikeouts, all of which leads her team. Emari Evans and Hannah Chambers each have ERA's of over 10 this season.
 
Winona State University (18-10)
Dating back to 2011, the Warriors have had the Golden Eagles number, winning 17 straight, with the closest games being a pair of one-run games in 2011 and 2015. The Warriors are 18-10 on the season and were swept by nationally ranked Augustana on Tuesday.
 
The Warriors are a very good offensive team. Winona State hits .317 as a team and is led by Sam Keller, who is hitting .402 and Abbie Hlas, who is hitting .398. Kayla Kerkman is the last part of the trio, hitting .397. Rylee Stout and Marissa Mullen are hitting .317 and .315, respectively for the Warriors. Mullen leads the way with five home runs, while Stout has four. Teaghan Amwoza and Libby Neveau are hitting just .219 and .213, respectively, but they each have four home runs on the season.
 
Senior Liz Pautz is 12-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 18 appearances (15 starts) and leads the team in innings pitched and strikeouts at 176. Pautz leads the NSIC in strikeouts with those 176 punch outs and has 10 games with double-digit strikeouts, including an 18-strikeout performance against William Jewel earlier this season. The Warriors have a team ERA of 4.60.
 
Upper Iowa (10-13)
Upper Iowa has won the previous 13 out of 15 games in the series, but the Golden Eagles won the last meeting between the two programs a season ago, 3-0, in Fayette.
 
Katie Crogan leads a dangerous Peacock offense. The graduate student from Watertown, Wis., leads the Peacocks hitting .470 with eight home runs and 37 RBI, all of which lead the team. Crogan leads the NSIC with those 37 runs knocked in. Amelia Fitzgerald has an OPS of 1.059 and a .435 average to go along with 23 runs batted in. Sara Jessie and Kaylee Frenette are each hitting over .350 on the season. Upper Iowa has a game where they scored 21 earlier this season against Stonehill College.
 
Sydney Wilcox leads the Peacocks pitching staff with a 5-7 record in 13 starts. The senior from Wisconsin has a 3.23 ERA with 11 complete games and 38 strikeouts in 82.1 innings of work. Abby Buckman and Rylee McGonigle have appeared in 18 total games and have combined for over 65 innings of work.