For Immediate Release
Monday, March 13, 2023
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#14 Ashton Dorman (C/IF, 5-7, Fr., R/R, Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS) - Augustana
- Batted .500 as the Vikings went 3-0 
- Recorded five hits in 10 at bats with two home runs and a double
- Added three RBIs
- Went 3-for-4 with a RBI in a 12-6 win over Missouri S&T
- Owned a 1.200 slugging percentage over the three games

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#16 Kristi Pilz (RHP, 5-9, Jr., R/R, Stacy, Minn. / North Branch HS) – Concordia-St. Paul
- Owned a 0.68 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched over two appearances
- Gave up one earned run and held opposing batters to a .184 average
- Held Wheeling University to one run on four hits while striking out three over 7.0 innings 
- Pitched 3.1 innings in relief against Ferris State, giving up three hits and no earned runs

Other Top Performances - Players
#17 Alexa Christenson (BSU) paced the Beavers in hits (10), runs scored (7) and steals (3), while adding four RBI in helping lead BSU to a 6-2 past week down in Florida. The sophomore outfielder had a hit in all seven games that she played in, including three multi-hit games and a pair of multi-run contests. Christenson now has an 11-game hitting streak. She had a big game in the win over Kentucky Wesleyan with two hits, a triple, four RBI and three runs scored. Christenson added two hits and two runs scored against Saint Anselm and two more hits to close the week against Saint Michael’s that included a double. She swiped a pair of bases in the win over California (PA).
#2 Sydney Pelzer (CSP) went 7-of-16 in six games for a .438 batting average. She had a on base percentage of .526 while slugging .688. She had two doubles, a triple and two walks. She scored five runs while picking up for RBI. She went 2-for-2 in a 4-1 win against Cedarville with a triple and two runs scored.
Kylie Sullivan (MSU) batted .368 with seven hits, four RBI, three runs scored and two home runs. She hit back-to-back solo home runs against Lynn in her first two at bats.
#3 Lexie Swift (USF) maintained a .545 batting average going 6-for-11 with a double and three RBIs in four games. She led USF with a .636 slugging percentage and held a 100% fielding average with nine putouts in the field. 
#2 Riley Holmberg (WSC) hit a team-high .406 in Florida (13-for-32) with three multi-hit games. She was 2 for 4 with a triple, a double and three runs scored in 12-4 win over Staten Island (NY). She also went 3 for 4 vs. Lewis (Ill.) and 2 for 2 vs. Northwood (Mich.).
#25 Carly Engelhardt (WSU) was a key factor in the Winona State 8-2 record on their Florida spring break trip. She went 10-for-36 with two doubles, a home run and 7 RBIs.

Other Top Performances - Pitcher
#10 Stella Dolan (BSU) was on fire in the circle for the Beavers going 4-1 the past week down in Florida. The left-hander tossed three complete games in 28.2 innings, allowing just eight earned runs while striking out 29 and walking six. She held a 1.95 ERA in five appearances that included four starts and one relief appearance that later became a victory. Dolan threw a pair of seven inning complete game efforts over her final two games of the trip allowing just two earned runs in each. She ended the week striking out a career-high nine in the win over Saint Michael’s working all seven innings and scattering five hits and two earned runs. Dolan held Ashland to just one earned run and four hits in a five inning win with six strikeouts. Then came up big in her relief effort logging 3.2 innings with one run (unearned) allowed, no hits, with a strikeout and a walk to record the victory against California (PA).
Sophia Del Vecchio (MSU) went 2-0 this last week with a 1.29 ERA. She threw 14.0 innings in four appearances and allowed just two earned runs. She held opposing batters to a .259 batting average for the week.
#44 Kait Van Der Zwaag (USF) went 2-0 on the week in four appearances. She finished USFs 10-game week in Florida with a 5-0 record and 1.9 ERA. She helped lead USF to a 6-4 week overall. She finished the week with a 5-0 no-hitter against Edinboro with just one walk.
#23 Abbie Hlas (WSU) produced a strong week in the pitchers circle for Winona State during their 8-2 run on the Warrior Spring Break trip. She pitched 30 2/3 innings pitched. She allowed 10 runs on 20 hits, only seven of which were earned. She racked up 10 strikeout on the week. She also threw a shutout vs. Cal (Pa.).
NSIC Softball Players of the Week
2/7/23
Player: #3 Ellie Tallman – Minnesota State
Pitcher: #26 Allyssa Williams - Minnesota Duluth
2/14/23
Player: #5 Sidney Zavoral – Minnesota Duluth
Pitcher: #15 Trinity Junker – St. Cloud State
2/21/23
Player: #10 Avery Steffen – MSU Moorhead
Pitcher: #9 McKayla Armbruster - Minnesota State
2/27/23
Player: #14 Maggie Fitzgerald – St. Cloud State
Pitcher: #26 Allyssa Williams – Minnesota Duluth
3/6/23
Player: #21 Clara Heislen – Concordia-St. Paul
Pitcher: #15 Trinity Junker – St. Cloud State (2)
3/13/23
Player: #14 Ashton Dorman - Augustana
Pitcher: #16 Kristi Pilz – Concordia-St. Paul

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 105 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.