Leesburg, Fla. – After a lengthy road trip last weekend in Missouri, Minnesota Crookston will head back on that road this weekend. The positive, it will be a plane trip, as the Golden Eagles will head to The Sunshine State for eight games starting on Friday afternoon.
 
Minnesota Crookston is coming off a fairly successful trip at the Drury Classic, winning two games, including an impressive win against Northeastern Oklahoma State (Okla.) in extra innings.
 
How to Follow
Friday, March 10
Minnesota Crookston vs Saint Thomas Aquinas College
8 A.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston vs College of Staten Island
10:30 A.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Saturday, March 11
Minnesota Crookston vs Shepherd University
1 P.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston vs University of Indianapolis
4:30 P.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Monday, March 13
Minnesota Crookston vs D'Youville University (N.Y.)
1 P.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston vs University of Illinois Springfield
3:30 P.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Tuesday, March 13
Minnesota Crookston vs University of New Haven
8 A.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Saint Michael's College
10:30 A.M.
Watch Live -- https://www.flosoftball.com/
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston (6-10)
The Golden Eagles will close out their 2023 non-conference schedule this weekend with eight games in the Sunshine State, all against Division II opponents. Minnesota Crookston will play doubleheaders on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday for their eight games.
 
A senior and true freshman have led the way this season for the Golden Eagles. Senior Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) has been outstanding, hitting .479 with eight extra base hits, including four home runs and 16 RBI. Avalos is second in the NSIC with those four home runs and currently fourth with 14 runs scored. Freshman Charlotte Dombrowski (Fr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) has done it all for the Golden Eagles. Dombrowski is hitting .419 on the season and has an OPS of over 1.000, while also starting five games in the circle for the Golden Eagles. Dana Zarn (Sr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) has also been really good, starting in all 16 games and hitting .327 with four doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI. Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) and Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) have been solid additions as transfers from Southwest Minnesota State. As a team, the maroon and gold hit .270, which is up from their average a year ago.
 
In the circle, Dombrowski and Evie Stuck (So., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) have each started five games and have combined for three complete games on the season and have combined for almost 60 innings. Thayda Houser (Jr., P, Seymour, Iowa) is 2-0 on the season and has one save.
 
Saint Thomas Aquinas College (0-0)
The Spartans have yet to play this season and had their games with Post postponed on Tuesday. The Spartans finished 28-21 on the season last year and lost in their conference tournament.
 
College of Staten Island (2-2)
The Dolphins are also a team that has not played much this season. The Staten Island based University is 2-2 on the season and did have a loss to Wayne State College at the Spring Games on Monday. The Dolphins will already have played seven times before they meet the Golden Eagles to wrap-up their Florida trip.
 
It is a very small sample size, but Alyssa Acosta leads her team with six hits in 12 at-bats. If my math is correct, that's a .500 average. The Dolphins currently have five players hitting over .500, including Mariah Carcano, who is hitting .455. Aileen Balderas and Elizabeth Moore have one home run apiece.
 
Alexis Miramontes and Alexandra Frenza have each pitched 8.0 innings on the season and have combined for both of their teams wins.
 
Shepherd University (3-3)
The Golden Eagles and Rams have met just once, last season, a 3-2 victory for Shepherd University down in Florida. This season, the Rams are 3-3 and have won two straight games.
 
Nicole Purtell has led a Rams offense that is hitting .327 on the season. The Graduate Student from Centreville, Va., is hitting .522 on the season with 33 percent of her hits being of the extra base variety. Purtell has a 3-5, 3-4 and a 4-4 game in three out of her four games. Lauren Moore and Lexi Clatterbuck also lead the Rams offense.
 
In the circle, Hannah Ruffner has been outstanding. The junior is 2-0 with two complete games and an ERA of .84, in 16 innings of work. Katie Laing, Kourtney McNatt, Sarah Lamper and Abby McBride have each started at least one game this season.
 
No. 8 University of Indianapolis (16-2)
Another ranked opponent for the Golden Eagles. The Greyhounds will be the third opponent of sort for the Golden Eagles and highest this season, being No. 8. The Hounds have won eight straight games and have a win over then-No. 23 Alabama Huntsville earlier this year.
 
Megan Nichols and Shelby Cook lead an outstanding UIndy offense who hits .324 as a team. Nichols is hitting .441 on the season with a home run and 14 RBI. Cook is hitting .426 with six doubles and three triples, both of which leads her team. It's a really good offense that includes Dominique Proctor, Lexy Rees, Sydney Perry and Emily O'Connor, who are all hitting over the .300 mark.
 
For as good as their offense is, their pitching might be better. Their team ERA of 1.87 currently ranks 28^th in the entire nation and third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, just behind Lewis University. Kaitlyn Brown has yet to give up an earned run in five appearances and three starts. Kenzee Smith is the work horse in the rotation. The junior from Indianapolis is 9-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 75 strikeouts, which ranks 16^th in the nation.
 
D'Youville University (New York) (1-3)
The meeting in Florida between the Saints and Golden Eagles will be the first time in both program's history that they have met. The Spring Games in Florida will be the first time in over a month that the Saints have taken the field in a game setting. The last time they played a game, they fell 11-10 to Converse down in South Carolina.
 
Catcher Jamie Bower leads the Saints offense, hitting .467 on the season, with four runs knocked in. The Saints have a pretty good offense through four games, as four hitters, including Bower are hitting over .400. Emily Przybysz and Hannah Bardeen lead the team with 5 RBI apiece.
 
In the circle, Sarah Parzych has appeared in three games and is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 11.2 innings of work, all of which leads her team.

University of Illinois-Springfield (12-5)
The Prairie Stars have 12 wins on the season, including seven of their last eight. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
 
All sophomore Ella Brinkley does is get on base. Brinkley is hitting .474 on the season and is getting on base at a .466 clip, which leads her team. Brinkley, Danielle Dennis and Isabella Wilson are the main hitters that will drive in runs. The trio have combined for 34 RBI, led by Dennis and her 13 RBI. The Prairie Stars have hit just two home runs on the season.
 
In the circle, it has been an awesome start to the career for Rosie Bartletti. The freshman has made five starts and has a 0.86 ERA, which is 30^th nationally and first in the GLVC. In her last four starts, the Springfield, Ill., native has allowed just one earned run and has struck out 24 hitters in that span. Taylor Zawacki and Reagan Miles are a combined 7-4 in 11 starts as well.
 
University of New Haven (0-3)
The Chargers are another team that have not played very many games this season. UNH has lost three games this season by a combined 25 runs, but have not played since Feb. 25. The Golden Eagles will be one of two Northern Sun opponents for the Chargers, joining UMary.
 
It is a very small sample size, but the Chargers hit just .169 as a team, which ranks 258 out of 266 NCAA Division II teams. Kylie Thorpe leads the team with her .286 average, while Ashley Veilette is hitting just .167, but has one home run and three runs knocked in. The Chargers do steal bases. They are currently first in the nation in stolen bases per game with 4.00 per game.
 
In the circle, Mia Iodice is 0-2 on the season with a 6.36 ERA and has struck out 13 hitters in 11.0 innings of work. Selena Aponte has also started a game this season and is 0-1.
 
Saint Michael's College (0-0)
The Purple Knights have yet to play this season.