For Immediate Release
Monday, April 24, 2017
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Softball Players of the Week

NSIC Player of the Week
#22 Taylor Mendez
(1B, 5-8, Sr., R/R, Los Banos. Calif. / Los Banos HS)
University of Mary
- Hit .600 for the week (9-for-15) with a .727 on base percentage and a 1.20 slugging percentage
- Had four doubles, a triple, a home run, seven runs scored and five RBI
- On Sunday she was 4-of-5 with two doubles, a triple and a home run while reaching base 7-of-8 times in UMary’s sweep of Upper Iowa
- Her team-high ninth home run is the 48th of her career, UMary’s all-time NCAA era record

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#1 Coley Ries
(RHP, Sr., R/R, Eagle Lake, Minn. / Mankato East HS)
Minnesota State
- Went 3-0 with a 0.00 era for the second week in a row
- Has a 23-2 record this season and has won her last 12 starts
- Earned her 100th career win throwing a perfect game with 15 strikeouts in the 4-0 win over Northern State
- Tossed her second perfect game of the weekend with 18 strikeouts in the 7-0 win over MSU Moorhead on senior day
- Has thrown a career-best 46.1 scoreless innings
- First player in program history to throw two perfect games
- Recorded 44 strikeouts over 20 innings while allowing only two hits last week
- Leads the NSIC batters struck out (304), and batters struck out looking (88) and wins (23)
- Named NSIC Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time this season (3/6/17, 3/13/17, 4/10/17, 4/17/17)
 

Augustana University Vikings

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 4-3 vs. WSU L 7-2 vs. WSU W 8-2 at UMC W 3-0 at UMC	33-11, 18-4 NSIC	W2	4th Overall
Team Notes
- Augustana went 3-1 last week and had its final two games of the weekend canceled due to snow - The Vikings opened the week with a home split against Winona State - Augustana used a pair of homers to win game one 4-3 before falling 7-2 in game two - The Vikings then went to Crookston, Minnesota to take on UMC and the Vikings walked out with a sweep - Senior shortstop Sarah Kennedy hit three doubles and set a new single season record to lead the Vikings to an 8-2 win in game one at UMC - Lexy Pederson had a big day in the circle in game one at UMC striking out 13 batters while allowing just three hits - Augustana pounded 15 hits in game two earning a 3-0 win in game two to earn the sweep - Augustana finished the UMC series with 28 hits while allowing just five in the doubleheader - Olivia Wolters tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout while striking out five in game two - Augustana head coach Gretta Melsted won her 499th career game in game two at UMC - Melsted owns a career record of 499-281, including 418-190 at Augustana
Top Performer(s)
- Sarah Kennedy batted .500 with seven hits in four games, including four doubles - Kennedy broke her own Augustana single season record for doubles with four doubles in the series at UMC - Kennedy went 4 for 4 with four RBI including a single game record three doubles in game one at UMC - The four doubles on the day gave her 26 for the season which is a new single season record passing her previous record of 25 which she set as a sophomore in 2015 - Lexy Pederson went 2-0 in the circle tossing two complete games for the Vikings - Pederson struck out 14 batters in 14 innings pitched, including 13 in a complete-game win over UMC on Saturday
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26 vs. USF – 3/5 p.m.

 

Bemidji State University Beavers

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 4-2 at MiSU L 5-3 at MiSU W 3-1 vs WSC W 5-1 vs WSC Cancelled vs Augie	22-15, 12-10 NSIC	W2	8th Overall
Team Notes
- Went 2-2 during the week and had series against Augustana cancelled due to snow - Beavers dropped both games on the road at Minot State - Rebounded by sweeping Wayne State at Bemidji
Top Performer(s)
- Angie Roberts led the Beavers with a .400 batting average - Kesley McAllister, Alayna Krejci and Brooke Phillips each led the team with two RBI - Jessica Yost led the Beavers in the circle by going 2-1 with a 1.24 ERA and 24 strikeouts
Up Next
Tuesday, April 25 at UMD - 2/4 pm Saturday, April 29 at Sioux Falls - 1/3 pm Sunday, April 30 at SMSU - 12/2 pm

 

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 0-8 (5) at USF L 2-3 at USF W 12-1 (5) vs MSUM W 6-5 vs MSUM L 4-11 vs NSU L 0-1 vs NSU	15-30, 7-17 NSIC	L2	12th Overall
Team Notes
- Out hit opponents .331 to .313 - Liz Jarosz finished six game stand with two home runs, 10 RBI and a .833 slugging percentage - Sarah Kivisto hit an impressive .563, leading the team with nine hits. - Despite a 1-2 record freshman pitcher Samantha Sullivan finished with a 2.03 ERA with seven strikeouts and holding opponents to a .291 batting average. - Finished with 13 hits in game one against MSU Moorhead. Five different players finished with multiple hits in the game and eight of nine starters recorded a hit.
Top Performer(s)
- Sarah Kivisto led team with a .563 batting average and nine hits. Finished with a .625 slugging percentage one RBI and one double. - Liz Jarosz finished with a .333 batting average and a team leading .833 slugging percentage. Added two home runs and 10 RBI. Leads NSIC with 14 home runs.
Up Next
Wednesday, Apr. 26 at Winona State – 2/4 pm Saturday, Apr. 29 at Minot State (N.D.) – 12/2 pm Sunday, Apr. 30 at U-Mary (N.D.) – 12/2 pm

 

University of Mary Marauders

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 10-2 vs UMC (6) W 8-7 (8) vs UMC L 6-0 at WSU L 8-0 at WSU (6) W 5-4 at UIU W 6-2 at UIU	18-31, 12-12 NSIC	W2	13th Overall
Team Notes
- Marauders are 12-6 in last 18 games - UMary has pushed its way into a tie for ninth with one week and six games remaining in the regular season - Swept Minnesota Crookston and Upper Iowa while dropping two games at regionally-ranked and second-place in NSIC Winona State - Four of final six games against teams below UMary in the standings (MSUM and CSP) - After playing at MSU Moorhead on Wednesday, the Marauders host Minnesota State and Concordia – St. Paul on April 29-30
Top Performer(s)
- Taylor Mendez hit .600 for the week (9-for-15) with a .727 on base percentage and a 1.20 slugging percentage with four doubles, a triple, a home run, seven runs scored and five RBI - On Sunday she was 4-of-5 with two doubles, a triple and a home run while reaching base 7-of-8 times - Amber Gamboa drove in eight runs, hitting 7-for-22 with a double - Brieann Backes was 2-1 on the week with a 2.07 ERA. She struck out 11 in 17 innings
Up Next
April 26 at MSU Moorhead April 29 vs. Minnesota State April 30 vs Concordia-St. Paul

 

University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 10-2 at U-Mary L 8-7 at U-Mary L 8-2 vs AUGIE L 3-0 vs AUGIE	11-32-1, 1-20-1 NSIC	L17	16th Overall
Team Notes
-    The Golden Eagles came close Wednesday against U-Mary, forcing extra innings, but they would fall short 8-7 with a walk-off hit by the Marauders - Minnesota Crookston put up a great effort on Saturday versus Augustana with strong pitching from Sammy Knudson and Heather Cunningham. However, the Vikings game through with the 3-0 win. - The Golden Eagles honored their senior class of Samantha LeMay, Sammy Knudson, Jozie Garner and Bailey Braatz on Saturday - Minnesota Crookston remains just one win shy of the school record of 12 wins, set during the 2004 season - Sunday’s doubleheader against Wayne State was cancelled due to frigid temperatures in the area
Top Performer(s)
- Sammy Knudson pitched 3.1 innings, limiting the Vikings to just two earned runs on nine hits with one strikeout - Heather Cunningham had 3.2 innings of strong relief against Augustana on Saturday, limited the Vikings to one earned run on six hits with one strikeout - Kassidy Klaphake was strong in relief for the U of M Crookston, limiting the Vikings to just one run on one hit with one strikeout - Khailyn Neumayer and Gabriel Antolak had back-to-back home runs on Saturday against Augustana
Up Next
- April 26 at St. Cloud State – 1/3 p.m. – St. Cloud, Minn. - April 29 at Southwest Minnesota State – 1/3 p.m. – Marshall, Minn. - April 30 at Sioux Falls – 12/2 p.m. – Sioux Falls, S.D.

 

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 3-2 at NSU W 4-2 at NSU L 2-0 vs SMSU W 3-2 vs SMSU W 2-1 vs USF W 5-4 vs USF	33-15, 17-7 NSIC	W3	2rd Overall
Team Notes
- UMD will make it final regular season home appearance of the 2017 season this Tuesday when it hosts NSIC rival Bemidji State University. That doubleheader was moved up from Wednesday. - The Bulldogs opened up a six-game homestand over the past weekend by going 3-1 - Two of those “home “ games – 2-1 and 5-4 wins over Sioux Falls -- were played at the College of St. Benedict on Sunday . - In the 2-1 victory against Sioux Falls, junior shortstop Becky Smith hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh for UMD’s fifth walk-off win of the 2017 season - UMD is  5-1 against NFCA II Top 25 clubs this season, with the latest triumph coming against No. 18 Minnesota State-Mankato on April 8 - The Bulldogs have five starters batting .308 or higher - UMD has won both of its extra inning games this season and has outscored the opposition 42-15 in the first inning so far in 2017
Top Performer(s)
- Junior center fielder Hannah Schmoll batted .381 last week, going 8-for-21 while junior shortstop Becky Smith went 6-for16 (.375) and posted an .875 slugging percentage after hitting a pair of homers and doubles, she also drove in four runs - Freshman pitcher Breanna Swint was 1-0 in three appearances the past week and allowed  no runs and three hits in  6 2/3 innings of work - Senior pitcher Sam Hartmann, who has not walked batter in her last seven appearances, need just two more starts to match the UMD career record of 93 set by Kristin Danielson between 2007-10
Up Next
April 25 – vs. Bemidji State - 12/2p.m.

 

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 8-0 vs SMSU W 2-0 vs SMSU W 4-0 vs NSU W 7-1 vs. NSU W 7-0 vs MSUM W 7-3 vs. MSUM	44-6 (22-2 NSIC)	W14	1st  Overall
Team Notes
- Went 6-0 last week - Have won their last 14 games - Shutout Southwest Minnesota State (8-0, 2-0), Northern State (4-0), and MSU Moorhead (7-0) - Ranked #11 in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll
Top Performer(s)
- Senior Coley Ries (23-2) went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA for the second week in a row - She pitched a perfect game in the 4-0 win over Northern State to earn her 100th career victory - Ries finished the week with her second consecutive perfect game downing MSU Moorhead, 7-0, on senior day - She recorded 44 strikeouts over 20.0 innings pitched and while allowing only two hits - Junior Jess Meidl posted a .444 batting average including eight hits, seven runs, three RBI, one double and one triple - Additionally, she stole seven bases on seven attempts - Freshman Carly Esselman notched a .357 batting average with five hits and four runs - She hit a grand slam in her second home run of the season in the 7-3 win over MSU Moorhead
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26 at Upper Iowa – 2/4 p.m.

 

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 1-0 vs SCSU L 4-0 vs SCSU L 12-1 (5) at CSP L 6-5 at CSP L 7-0 at MSU L 7-3 at MSU	8-33, 3-21 NSIC	L7	15th
Team Notes
- MSUM dropped three NSIC doubleheaders last week - Freshman DH Payton Gaber has a team-best .338 average with three doubles and five RBI - Senior 1B Lauren Meeker leads team with 19 RBI and is second on team with seven doubles - Freshman OF Madison Paige has a team-best 13 doubles this season, which is just one away from tying a school record for a single-season: she is hitting .327 despite missing nine games with injury - Freshman P Tori White leads with four wins on the mound
Top Performer(s)
- Senior 1B Lauren Meeker hit .333 on the week with a double, a homer and three RBI - Freshman 3B Emma Dummer hit .308 with a homer and RBI - Freshman pitcher Tori White had a solid week on the mound, going 0-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 15.2 innings
Up Next
April 26 – vs. Mary, 2 p.m. April 27 – vs. Concordia-Moorhead, 3:30 p.m. April 29 -- vs. Upper Iowa, 1 p.m. April 30 – vs. Winona State, Noon

 

Minot State University Beavers

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 4-2 vs. BSU W 5-3 vs. BSU L 6-7 at UIU W 4-2 (8) at UIU L 0-3 at WSU L 0-8 (5) at WSU	20-17, 12-12 NSIC	L2	14th Overall
Team Notes
- Earned a huge sweep of Bemidji State to start the week, winning 4-2 and 5-3 at home - Split a pair of games at Upper Iowa, coming up just short with a big rally in the seventh in game 1, falling 7-6 and rallying for two runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Peacocks 4-2 in game 2 - Minot State is tied for ninth in the NISC with a week to go in the regular season
Top Performer(s)
- Lauren Cowden batted .455 (10-for-22) on the week including a 4-for-4 performance in game 1 against BSU, driving in four runs - Jordan Grant had 10 hits (10-for-19) and ran her season stolen base total to 34, stealing 5 of 6 - Jenn Spencer pitched in all six games, earning wins over Bemidji State and Upper Iowa and locking down a save in game 2 against Bemidji State
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26 at Northern State 2/4 p.m. Saturday, April 29 vs. Concordia-St. Paul 1/3 p.m. Sunday vs. Minnesota State 12/2 p.m.

 

Northern State University Wolves

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 3-1 UMD L 2-4 UMD L 4-0 MSU L 7-1 MSU W 11-4 CU W 1-0 CU	27-20-1, 12-11-1 NSIC	W2	9th Overall
Team Notes
- Came away with three victories in six NSIC match-ups, including a sweep on the road versus Concordia- St. Paul - Combined for eight doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI as a team on the week - Went 34-of-160 from the plate for a team average of .213 - Held opponents to 3.50 earned runs each game
Top Performer(s)
- Katelynn Dilts tallied a team-high six hits in 20 at bats as the lead-off hitter - Lauren Kunz led the team from the plate, connecting for two homeruns, a double and eight runs batted in - Shayla Steinley followed up with five hits, including a 2-for-3 day versus Minnesota State
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26th vs. Minot State-  Aberdeen, S.D. – 2/4 p.m.

 

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 8-0 vs CSP W 3-2 vs CSP L 3-2 at SCSU W 13-4 at SCSU L 2-1 vs UMD L 5-4 vs UMD	26-23, 13-11 NSIC	L2	5th Overall
Team Notes
- Split six games last week, sweeping Concordia-St. Paul at home before splitting with St. Cloud State on the road and falling twice against Minnesota Duluth in Sunday’s neutral site games - Kerrigan Hoshaw threw USF’s first Division II perfect game in USF’s 8-0 win over CSP on Friday - USF batted .273 as a team and posted a 2.65 ERA in the circle for the week - Three different Cougars combined for four homeruns over the week as USF finished with .394 team slugging percentage
Top Performer(s)
- Kerrigan Hoshaw led the Cougars offensively and as a pitcher - Hoshaw threw a five-inning perfect game, striking out four of the 15 CSP batters she faced on Tuesday - Hoshaw posted a 2-1 record in the circle, finishing week with 1.17 ERA and 12 strikeouts - At the plate, Hoshaw batted .500 (9-18) with two homeruns, a double and nine RBI - Sydney Nieveen was 8-for-18 with a homerun, two doubles and seven RBI - Ashley Meyer hit her first career homerun, a solo shot to tie the game with CSP in the seventh inning
Up Next
Tuesday, April 25 at Augustana – 3/5 p.m. Saturday, April 29 vs. Bemidji State – 1/3 p.m. Sunday, April 30 vs. Minnesota Crookston – 12/2 p.m.

 

Southwest Minnesota State University

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 0-8 vs. MSU L 0-2 vs. MSU W 2-0 at UMD L 2-3 at UMD W 8-7 at SCSU L 0-5 at SCSU	19-21, 10-14 NSIC	L1	10th Overall
Team Notes
- SMSU went 2-4 for a second straight week as they dropped two games at home to Minnesota State before rebounding with a pair of doubleheader splits at UMD and St. Cloud State - SMSU has now matched its win total from last season with six games still to play on the year - The Mustangs are now three wins out of qualification for the conference tournament with six games to play - SMSU’s pitching staff had a combined 2.97 ERA last week despite a total of 25 runs allowed for the Mustangs for the week - The Mustangs won their second extra innings game of the season in an 8-7 win over SCSU. SMSU is now 2-0 in extra innings this year
Top Performer(s)
- Abbie Decker led SMSU with a .357 average last week and a .526 on base percentage and also had the game winning RBI on Sunday at St. Cloud State - Alex O’Connor pitched three complete games going 2-1 with 22 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched - Sam Flack had a .357 batting average during the week and a .714 slugging percentage with a triple and a home run over the six-game stretch
Up Next
Wednesday, Apr. 26 at Wayne State, 2/4 p.m.

 

St. Cloud State University Huskies

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 1-0 MSUM W 4-0 MSUM W 3-2 USF L 13-4 USF L 8-7 SMSU W 5-0 SMSU	29-21, 13-11 NSIC	W1	11th Overall
Top Performer(s)
- The Huskies had a 4-2 week with a team batting average of .301 along with 50 hits and 17 RBI - Jessica Goerger hit a pair of home runs and drove in seven on the week - Maya Keating led the team with her nine hits and .500 batting average -Abby Bunnell had nine hits and scored five runs - Kate Kopeck won two games and threw shutouts in both contests - Kopeck struck out a career-high 12 against MSU Moorhead - Kopeck has now thrown four shutouts this season - Alyssa Coletto leads the team on the season with her .357 batting average and 12 doubles - Bunnell is hitting .353 with 37 runs, 61 hits, three triples, 17 RBIs and 31 stolen bases - With two home runs on the week, Goerger now sits at fifth on the school’s all-time home run list with 25
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26 vs. Minnesota Crookston – Crookston, Minn. – 1/3 pm Saturday, April 29 at Wayne State – Wayne, Neb. – 12/2 pm Sunday, April 30 at Augustana – Augustana, SD – 12/2pm

 

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 8-5 at WSC W 3-0 at WSC W 7-6 vs. MiSU L 4-2 (8) vs. MiSU L 5-4 vs. UM L 6-2 vs. UM	17-29, 9-14 NSIC	L3	7th
Team Notes
- The Peacocks went 2-4 in their six-game week, including a 1-4 record at home on Senior Weekend - UIU picked up a split at Wayne State, using an Emily Kisch complete game to win game two - On Saturday, the Peacocks held a 7-1 lead going to the 7th inning against Minot State, and held off a ferocious comeback to pick up the win - Minot State then rallied in the eighth inning to win 4-2 in game two - The Peacocks dropped a pair of Sunday games to U-Mary, with a 7th-inning comeback coming up short with the bases loaded and two outs in game one
Top Performer(s)
- Riley Kruel tallied 10 hits for the week, leading the Peacocks on offense - Emily Kisch pitched two complete games, going 1-1 in the two games - UIU honored its five seniors: Kruel, Katie Sammons, Tara Walls, Sammy Garrett, and Serenity Higgins, who have combined for 101 wins as a program, the second most by a senior class in UIU history
Up Next
Wednesday, Apr. 26 vs. Minnesota State - 2 p.m.

 

Wayne State College Wildcats

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W vs. UIU 8-5 L vs. UIU 3-0 L at BSU 3-1 L at BSU 5-1	11-35, 5-17 NSIC	L3	6th Overall
Top Performer(s)
- Senior Monique Alyea was 9 for 14 with one double and two RBI in four games - Junior Rachel Shumaker was 5 for 11 with two doubles and four RBI - Junior Katelyn Wobken went 5 for 14 (.357) with two runs scored
Up Next
Wednesday, April 26 vs. Southwest Minnesota State - 2/4 p.m. Saturday, April 29 vs. St. Cloud State - 12/2 p.m. Sunday, April 30 vs. Minnesota Duluth - 12/2 p.m.

 

Winona State University Warriors

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 3-4 at AUGIE W 7-2 at AUGIE W 6-0 vs Mary W 8-0 vs Mary W 3-0 vs Minot W 8-0 vs Minot	40-9, 21-3 NSIC	W5	3rd Overall
Team Notes
- Won 40 games in a season for the tenth time - The Warriors hit .331 with ten extra-base hits - The pitching staff had a 1.11 ERA and struck out 45 batters - Winona State drew 16 walks and got hit four times, on-base percentage of .403 - Committed just one error in 157 chances in the field
Top Performer(s)
- Jordyn Kleman went 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA and struck out 32; she had two shutouts - Shaye Witte led all Warriors with a .471 batting average. Three doubles and eight hits - Samantha McLean hit .429 and drove in five runs - McKenna Larsen led the Warriors with six RBIs and six runs scored - Larsen was 2-1 in the circle with two shutouts
Up Next
April 26 vs Concordia St. Paul April 29 vs Northern State April 30 vs MSU-Moorhead