Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team will hit the road tomorrow from an 8-game stretch finishing off the regular season. The Wolves will face Minot State at 2 and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, MSU Moorhead at 2 and 4 p.m. on Thursday, Upper Iowa at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and Winona State at 1 and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Heading into the final week of the regular season the Wolves sit fifth overall in the league standings with a 23-17 record overall and 13-7 mark in conference action. Northern is hitting .304 as a team with 315 hits, 169 runs scored, 58 doubles, three triples, 16 homeruns, and 157 RBI. They are fielding .954 with 784 putouts, 396 assists, and 57 errors. The pitching staff posts a 3.43 ERA through 261.1 innings pitch with 111 strikeouts and a .279 opponent batting average.
 
Courtney Sjerven leads five starters hitting above .300 this season with a .381 average, notching a team high 48 hits, 21 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, and 27 RBI. Katie Dawson and Kennady Thompson lead the team with five and four homeruns respectively. Jamie Fisher leads the pitching staff with an 18-10 record overall, notching 87 strikeouts, four saves, and a .256 opponent batting average. The junior is also hitting .337 and fielding 1.000.
 
About Minot State
- The Beavers enter the week with a 23-18 record overall and 10-10 mark in the NSIC, sitting eighth in the league standings
- Minot is hitting .330 as a team with 379 hits, 263 runs scored, 88 doubles, 26 triples, 24 homeruns, and 230 RBI
- They are fielding .948 with 809 putouts, 366 assists, and 64 errors
- The pitching staff posts a 5.45 ERA through 269.2 innings pitched with 94 strikeouts and a .352 opponent batting average
- Tori Zimmerman and Isis Cabral lead the team hitting .462 and .422 this season with 66 and 49 hits respectively
- Kylie Patrick leads the team with a 5.02 ERA, while Laura Mendez has a team best 12 wins on the year
- MSU is led by head coach Dave Kivett in his first season at the helm
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves split with the Beavers in 2017 falling 6-2 and winning 5-4
- Shayla Steinley led the team in the game one loss going 2-for-3 with an RBI
- Jamie Fisher led the team in the win, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Jenna Helgeson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI
- Northern is 10-6 all-time against Minot State
 
About MSU Moorhead
- The Dragons enter the week with an 11-23 record overall and 4-12 mark in the NSIC, facing off against Concordia Moorhead and U-Mary this week
- Moorhead is hitting .274 this season with 246 hits, 128 runs scored, 48 doubles, one triple, 13 homeruns, and 120 RBI
- They are fielding .952 with 662 putouts, 292 assists, and 48 errors
- The pitching staff posts a 6.09 ERA through 220.2 innings pitched with 104 strikeouts and a .364 opponent batting average
- Madison Paige leads four players hitting above .300 this season with a .365 average, notching a team leading 38 hits, eight doubles, and 22 RBI
- Becky Berth leads the staff with six wins on the year, while Tori White holds a 5.40 ERA
- MSUM is led by head coach Kelsey Fehl in her seventh season with the program
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves swept the Dragons 8-1 and 3-2 at home in 2017
- Shayla Steinley and Jenna Helgeson each notched two hits in the game one victory, while Fisher picked up her seventh win of the season
- Katie Dawson went 1-for-2 in game two with a double and an RBI
- Northern is 16-34 all-time against MSUM with a current 3-game win streak
 
About Upper Iowa
- The Peacocks enter the week with an 18-20 record overall and 5-13 mark in the NSIC, and will face Minnesota State in mid-week action prior to the match-up with the Wolves
- Upper Iowa is hitting .293 this season with 311 hits, 177 runs scored, 47 doubles, seven triples, 22 homeruns, and 149 RBI
- They are fielding .958 this season with 763 putouts, 286 assists, and 46 errors
- The pitching staff holds a 3.85 ERA through 254.1 innings pitched with 201 strikeouts and a .267 opponent batting average
- Jordyn Brennan leads four starters hitting above .300 with a .364 average, recording 40 hits and 22 runs scored
- Kate Crogan is hitting .321 with a team high 34 RBI, seven homeruns, and nine doubles
- Emily Kisch leads the pitchers with a 9-8 record and 3.51 ERA, notching 89 strikeouts in 101.2 innings pitched
- UIU is led by head coach Amanda Bradberry in her fifth season at the helm
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves split with the Peacocks in 2017 winning 5-2 in game one and falling 5-4 in game two
- Jenna Helgeson went 3-for-3 with a run scored, two RBI, and a double in the victory
- Jamie Fisher picked up a win on the mound giving up just two earned runs and striking out two
- Steinley led the team in game two going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Helgeson and Madison Rutter each notched two hits
- Northern is 9-13 all-time against Upper Iowa, splitting the last four season doubleheaders
 
About No. 8 Winona State
- The Warriors enter the week with a 35-5 record overall and 14-2 mark in the league, sitting atop the NSIC standings
- WSU will face Concordia-St. Paul and MSU Moorhead prior to the match-up with the Wolves
- Winona State is hitting .334 this season with 380 hits, 256 runs scored, 65 doubles, eight triples, 26 homeruns, and 233 RBI
- They are fielding .972 on the year with 821 putouts, 358 assists, and just 34 errors
- The pitching staff posts a 1.82 ERA through 273.2 innings pitched with 196 strikeouts and a .229 opponent batting average
- Lani Van Zyl leads eight starters hitting above .300 this season with a .436 average, notching 58 hits, 42 runs scored, ten homeruns, and 47 RBI
- Jordan Kleman leads the pitchers with a 15-1 record overall, followed by McKenna Larsen with a 12-4 record
- Kleman posts a 1.65 ERA with 111 strikeouts and a .213 opponent average, while Larsen tallies a 2.01 ERA with 61 strikeouts and a .244 opponent average
- Winona is led by head coach Greg Jones in his 17^th season with the program
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves were swept by the Warriors a season ago, falling 1-0 and 3-1
- Shayla Steinley led the team in game two, going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI
- Northern is 7-38 all-time against Winona State, with their last two wins coming in 2016