Tucson, Ariz. – At long last, spring is in the air. Birds chirping, green grass and Golden Eagle softball set to kick-off their season this weekend down at the D2 Cactus Classic in Arizona for six games.
 
The Golden Eagles join Mercyhurst University and Franklin Pierce University as the teams down in Arizona who have yet to play any games in 2023.
 
Under the direction of head coach Nick Weinmeister, the Golden Eagles set a record with 15 wins on the season, while also beating Concordia-St. Paul for the first time in program history.
 
How to Follow
Feb. 17
Minnesota Crookston vs Western Oregon University
Friday, Feb. 17
2 P.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Franklin Pierce University
Friday, Feb. 17
4 P.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Feb. 18
Minnesota Crookston vs Simon Fraser University (British Columbia)
Saturday, Feb. 18
12 P.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Mercyhurst University
Saturday, Feb. 18
2 P.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Feb. 19
Minnesota Crookston vs Western Oregon University
Sunday, Feb. 19
11 A.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Georgian Court University (New Jersey)
Sunday, Feb. 19
1 P.M.
Tucson, Ariz.
 
Minnesota Crookston (0-0)
The Golden Eagles will debut a fairly new team and a sharp new look in the sunshine of Arizona. This is the latest the Golden Eagles have started a season since 2015.
 
Offensively, Minnesota Crookston will still rely on some key parts from last season to produce this season. Dana Zarn (Sr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) are both seniors who should produce this season for the Golden Eagles. Avalos led the team with a .355 average and hit six home runs. She and Zarn combined to hit 11 balls over the fence in 2022. Avalos and Zarn also led the way in run production; Avalos drove in 35 runs, while Zarn knocked in 33. Shaelyn Grant (Jr., C/IF, Grand Junction, Colo.) and Jenna Parfeniuk (R-Jr., P/1B, Winnipeg, Manitoba) are also expected to be key cogs in the lineup. Whitnee Curry (So., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) hit .322 as a freshman and Southwest Minnesota State transfers Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) and Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) could make big impacts as well.
 
In the circle, it will be Evie Stuck (So., P, Papillion, Neb.) who will more than likely get the most innings for the Golden Eagles. Freshmen pitchers Charlotte Dombrowski (Fr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) and Alexa Guilford (Fr., P, Crystal City, Manitoba) should also make positive impacts in the circle.
 
Western Oregon University (5-7)
The Wolves jumped out to a fast 3-0 start on the season, but have won just twice in their last nine games. WOU has played three ranked opponents on the season, including a pair of wins over Cal State San Marcos and Concordia University (Calif.) on the same day. Most recently, they were swept by No. 3 UT Tyler.
 
Offensively, the Wolves have struggled so far. As a team, WOU has hit just .215 on the season and are led by Natalie Willoughby and Kirah McGlothan, who are hitting .320 and .317, respectively. Sophie Franklin is hitting just .148 in 27 at-bats, but she does lead her team with two home runs on the year.
 
Spinning the ball, the Wolves have the dynamic duo of Chelsea Smith and Maddie Mayer, who have both been fantastic. Smith has a 1.85 ERA in five starts and has struck out 35 hitters in 30.1 innings pitched. The senior Mayer has a 3-3 record in six starts, with a 2.76 ERA. She leads her team with 38 innings pitched.
 
Franklin Pierce University (0-0)
Much like the Golden Eagles, the Ravens will open up their season in Arizona. The Ravens were really good last season, finishing 30-12 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, where their season was ended by Georgian Court University, who the Golden Eagles will also play this weekend. FPU was picked second in the Northeast 10 Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll.
 
Four of the Ravens' top five hitters are back, including Ashley Congiano, who hit .425 on the season and hit five home runs, while also swiping 11 bases. Lita Vorseth, Bella Williams and Melissa Konopinski all return after hitting over .300 a season ago. The Ravens love to steal bases, as they led the NE10 with 87 stolen bases.
 
Their top two pitchers are also back, as Sabrina Gonzalez and Madison Labrie are both back after combining to toss more than 140 innings on the season.
 
Simon Fraser University (2-4)
The Red Leafs and Golden Eagles will meet for the first time ever this Saturday in Arizona. SFU is 2-4 on the season, after competing in the South Central Regional Challenge two weekends ago in New Mexico.
 
It may be early, but the Red Leafs have been nothing short of impressive with the sticks this season. Megan Duclos leads her team in average (.593) and hits (16), while Cassidy Affeldt is hitting .522 with three home runs and eight RBI's. Abby McGlynn is hitting .462 with 12 runs knocked in, which leads the team. The trio, along with Janique Balcean, pace the Red Leafs who hit .351 as a team through six games.
 
SFU has struggled somewhat in the circle, combining for a 5.77 ERA. Nevada Johnson is the lone pitcher with a sub-three ERA, with just one start. Shaneika Hollingworth and Julia Hanson have each made two starts and have combined for an ERA of over 15.
 
Mercyhurst University (0-0)
The Lakers are one of three Golden Eagles opponents this weekend that made the NCAA Tournament a season ago. Mercyhurst was 32-16 in 2022 and lost to Fairmont State to end their season. The Lakers were picked to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
 
The Lakers return Allison Dejidas, who hit .329, with eight home runs and 45 runs batted in, with a .976 OPS. Madison Fry and Eliza Reynolds are also impact hitters that will return to the lineup. Fry hit an impressive .505 on the season.
 
The dynamic duo of Morgan Hilty and Mikaela Schramski are back after combining to make 47 starts and 29 complete games on the season. Hilty and Schramski each finished with an ERA of less than three, winning 14 games apiece and struck out a combined 187 hitters, led by the 126 from Schramski. Mercyhurst had the sixth best pitching staff in the PSAC a season ago.
 
Georgian Court (0-0)
The third and final NCAA Tournament team the Golden Eagles will play. The Lions won 40 games and were two wins away from a Super Regional, falling to Wilmington University.
 
A whopping seven Lions hit higher than .300 a season ago, with five of those hitters returning. Kaitlyn Stufft is back after being one of the best hitters in the nation, hitting 19 home runs and 68 runs batted in, both of which ranked top-six in the entire nation. Adriana Mungo, Jadalynn Rodriguez, Kiara Meikle and Alyssa Herrera are all back after each hitting five home runs. As a team, the Lions hit 61 home runs.
 
In the circle, GCU is going to have to replace Mikayla Gilgert, who went 27-9 a season ago, while pitching 199 innings on the season. Sarah Clancy and Haley Korsak are each candidates to step up and give the Lions quality innings.