MSU Live Stats | CU Live Stats | CU Live Video
Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team is on the road this weekend versus Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul. The Wolves will match-up against the Mavericks at 2 and 4 p.m., on Friday. Northern will then travel to St. Paul for 12 and 2 p.m. games versus the Golden Bears Saturday.
 
After sweeping Minot State in Wednesday softball play, the Wolves improved to 20-15 overall and 7-5 in Northern Sun Conference play. Eryn Yancy continues to lead the team in average (.330), hits (35), doubles (11), homeruns (7), RBI (25), and slugging percentage (.632). Yancy has started all 35 games this season, and is third on the team with 16 runs scored. Rachel Albright and Brittney Lash are both hitting above 300 at .309 and .303 respectively on the year. Kelsey Gale leads the team with 20 runs scored, while Kalie Maiden is 11-for-12 in stolen base attempts. Kami Smesmo sits atop the NSU pitching staff with a 3.15 ERA and 13 wins this season. The senior has tallied 78 strikeouts in 129 innings pitched. Missy Elkins earned her sixth win of the season in Northern's game two victory over Minot State. Elkins has thrown 92.1 innings for the Wolves with 44 strikeouts.
 
About Minnesota State
 
The Mavericks are 25-15 this season and 10-4 in conference play after a mid-week split with Upper Iowa. Tatum Klein and Emily Bransky are hitting .422 and .404 this season in 40 games played. Kelin is leading the team with 37 runs scored and 62 hits. The Mavericks are hitting .304 as a team this season with 330 hits. Kara Lattery and Molly Sager led the team with four homeruns each this season, while Samantha Buhmann has tallied a team leading 24 RBI. Libby Bemis and Coley Ries have notched 13 and 12 wins respectively this season. Bemis has a season ERA of 2.51, with four shutouts in 111.2 innings pitched. Ries leads the MSU staff with 200 strikeouts this season in 147.1 innings pitched.
 
About Concordia-St. Paul
 
The Golden Bears are 13-24 overall this season, and 7-7 in NSIC games after falling twice to Winona State earlier this week. Nicole Thompson leads the team with 52 hits and a .413 average. Jamie Fleischhacker and Liz Jarosz each have tallied four homeruns, while Fleischhacker leads the team with 29 RBI on the year. The Concordia offense is hitting .295 this season, while their opponents are .322 in 37 games played. Stephanie Kappes has tallied seven wins this season throwing 111.1 innings for the Golden Bears. Kappes is also leading the team with a 4.40 ERA, 67 strikeouts, and two saves this season. The CU pitching staff holds a 5.18 earned run average, giving up 327 hits this season.