Springfield, Mo. – Once again it is back on the road for Minnesota Crookston softball. This weekend, they will head 14 hours south to Springfield, Mo., for four games at the Drury Classic, hosted by Drury University.
 
Through 11 games, the Golden Eagles have had a tough schedule. Two weekends ago at the D2 Cactus Classic in Arizona, the Golden Eagles played three teams that went to the NCAA Tournament last season, going 2-1 in those games. Last weekend, they played a top-25 team in Washburn University, taking the Ichabods to extra innings. They also played Pittsburg State, who has won seven games in a row.
 
This weekend, that trend will continue. Minnesota Crookston will play the University of Central Oklahoma, who is currently ranked in the top-ten of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II rankings.
 
How to follow
Saturday, March 4
Minnesota Crookston vs Central Oklahoma
10 A.M.
Springfield, Mo.
 
Minnesota Crookston @ Drury University
12 P.M.
Springfield, Mo.
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Evangel University
6 P.M.
Springfield, Mo.
 
Sunday, March 5
Minnesota Crookston vs Northeastern State University
9:30 A.M.
Springfield, Mo.
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Cottey College
11:30 A.M.
Springfield, Mo.
 
Minnesota Crookston (4-7)
The tough schedule has the Golden Eagles playing some pretty good softball. The Golden Eagles went 2-3 last weekend in Topeka, Kan., and they will look to continue that solid stretch this weekend.
 
Offensively, the Golden Eagles have been led by a pair of seniors. Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) is currently hitting .486 on the season with an OPS over 1.400, which leads the NSIC. Avalos is also top 100 in the nation in a number of categories, including home runs (leads the NSIC), slugging percentage, total bases and RBI. It's been an unbelievable start for the senior from California. Dana Zarn (Sr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) is hitting .351 on the season with two home runs and 10 runs knocked in. As a team, Minnesota Crookston has nine home runs on the season, which is third in the NSIC. Sisters Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) and Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OG, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) have combined to start 20 games and are each hitting over .250.
 
The Golden Eagles have had 16 different position players that have started at least one game this season, with four of those starting in all 11 games.
 
Pitching wise, the Golden Eagles have struggled this season. Charlotte Dombrowski (Fr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) has started in four games and has a 7.00 ERA in 18.0 innings of work, while striking out 13. Evie Stuck (So., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) and Thayda Houser (Jr., P, Seymour, Iowa) will look to get the pitching staff on the right track.
 
No. 9 Central Oklahoma (8-3)
Another week, another ranked opponent for the maroon and gold. The Bronchos are 8-3 on the season and have a pair of wins over top-20 teams in No. 3 UT-Tyler and No. 18 Angelo State. The 2013 National Champions are one of the best teams in the nation and will be a great test for the Golden Eagles.
 
Offensively, UCO has four hitters that have an OPS of over 1.000 and five hitters that are hitting over the .300 threshold. Shayla Harper is hitting .387 on the season with five extra base hits and six runs knocked in. Emily Deramus has four home runs and 14 RBI on the season, as well as 29 total bases. The Bronchos are outscoring their opponents 77-46 through 11 games this season.
 
Jordyn Pipkin, Terin Ritz and Corrina Rivas have all pitched more than 20 innings this season. Pipkin, the sophomore from Jenks, Okla., has an ERA of 2.40 and has two complete games this season. Ritz leads the pitching staff with 28.2 innings of work and has struck out 16.
 
Drury University (7-9)
The Panthers are currently 9-9 on the season and have won five straight games, including a shutout victory over Minot State last weekend.
 
Drury isn't a particularly great offensive team, hitting .257 as a team and averaging 4.2 runs per game. Sophia Luetticke leads the way with a .357 average and has four extra base hits on the season as well. Reagan Hight and Megan Parsley are also hitting over .350, but they have had just 28 and 17 at-bats, respectively. Drury has an on-base percentage of .322, so they do put pressure on the defense.
 
In the circle, Kristina Bettis has been outstanding. The senior from Illinois is 5-5 in 10 starts this season and has seven complete games as well. She has struck out 74 in 58.0 innings of work. Bailee Nixon has also been good, albeit mainly in relief. The junior is 2-0 on the season. The Panthers have a number of solid arms that can spin it.
 
 Evangel University (6-2)
Evangel is a solid NAIA from the state of Missouri. The Valor are currently 6-2 on the season and have won three straight games. Evangel will have a 'home' game, as their campus is also in Springfield.
 
Evangel University can really put pressure on the defense. The Valor have 11 doubles, one triple and a whopping eight home runs in just eight games this season. Their team average is .290. Ali Raley and Megan Stone are off to outstanding starts, as they are both hitting over .425 on the season. Raley has two home runs and 10 runs knocked in, which leads the team. Mariah Hanner brings the hammer to the plate, leading her team with three home runs. Three of her seven hits have gone over the fence.
 
In the circle Micaiah Cordell is 4-0 on the season and has an ERA of 2.77. All three pitchers for Evangel that have logged innings have an ERA of less than four.
 
Northeastern State (11-5)
The Riverhawks are another team that is off to a really good start this season. NSU has won four straight games and has won those games by a combined 32 runs. NSU is a good program, having won 30 games twice since 2016.
 
Savannah Evans and Addy Wolfe have been outstanding. The juniors have combined to hit six home runs and have driven in 23 runs between the duo. They lead the Riverhawks in terms of average, but the Riverhawks are led by Chloe Bohuslavicky. Another junior, the Piedmont, Okla., native is second in the nation with nine home runs and has a home run in two straight games. Bohuslovicky has scored 14 runs as well. The juniors have been a huge part of the NSU offense, who ranks third in the nation in home runs and first in the MIAA.
 
The Riverhawks can also pitch. They have a team ERA of 2.89 and are led by Madison Heinle and Evans. Heinle is 5-2 on the season and has struck out 54 in 49.2 innings of work, with four complete games in six starts. Evans is 3-2 with nine starts and has an ERA of 3.20.
 
The Riverhawks might be a sleeper team later in the season.
 
Cottey College (7-6)
Cottey College is another solid NAIA program that the Golden Eagles will face this weekend. The Comets are 7-6 on the season, but have lost four out of their last six games.
 
As a team, the Comets hit .310 and have a team slugging percentage of .484. Offensively, Aryana Palencia has nine extra base hits, including five home runs and 14 runs knocked in. Lauren Johnson has 12 runs knocked in and is hitting .306.
 
Lacey Cruz leads the Comets in appearances with seven and has five starts. The senior is 3-3 on the season and has four complete games, while striking out 48. Cruz has stuck out 8.54 hitters per seven innings, an astonishing number. The Comets have a number of seniors leading the way for them in the circle, including Cruz, but Amelia Gassman has gotten off to a solid start as a freshman.