Aberdeen, S.D. – After going 10-4 from the NTC Games, the Northern State University softball team will continue nonconference action on the road this weekend, competing in the HyVee Classic. Northern will face No. 18 Missouri Western State, Northeastern State, Northwest Missouri State, Central Missouri, Nebraska at Kearney and Missouri Southern State. The Wolves look to add to their current 13-5 overall record in the 2017 season.

As a unit, NSU is hitting .325 with 24 doubles, 19 homeruns and 110 RBIs for an average of 6.2 runs per game. Freshman Kennady Thompson leads the team with an average of .417 and a team-high 20 hits and six doubles from the plate. Junior Katie Dawson is atop the team with a slugging percentage of .875 and five homeruns. Dawson is also coming off her first career NSIC Player of the Week accolade.

From the mound, the three Northern State pitchers have a combined ERA of 2.88 and have held their opponents to a batting average of .251. Both Jamie Fisher and Missy Elkins have collected two shutouts on the year. Jamie Fisher has tallied five wins with 28 strikeouts, while Missy Elkins has held opponents to just 11 walks in 47.0 innings pitched. Senior Rachel Albright has gone 3-0 as a starter this season, allowing just eight total earned runs.

First pitch from the HyVee Classic will be at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 17^th against Missouri Western State.

About No. 18 Missouri Western State

• The Griffons are currently 18-4 overall on the year with a pair of wins against Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State.
• As a team Missouri Western averages .319 from the plate with 22 homeruns.
• Shelbie Atwall leads the Griffons with a batting average of .453, while Barbara Billingsley leads the team from the mound with 11 wins and 43 strikeouts.
• Entering this week, head coach Jen Bagley Trotter has 553 career wins in 16 seasons with MWSU.

About Northeastern State

• The RiverHawks are 11-12 overall in the 2017 season, taking down NSIC opponents Concordia- St. Paul 12-2 and Upper Iowa 12-6.
• NSU is batting .268 as a team with an average of 5.4 runs scored per game.
• Paige Gann leads the team with a batting average of .406 with nine homeruns.
• The Northeastern defense has seen starts from five different pitchers, led by Silver Collins who has picked up six wins with an ERA of 3.98.
• Clay Davis is in his fifth season with the program.

About Northwest Missouri State

• The Bearcats are currently 10-6 overall on the year.
• As a team, NMSU has batted .325 with 18 homeruns through 16 games.
• Kaitlin Weis leads the Bearcat offense with a batting average of .411 with six homeruns and 18 RBIs, while the team's pitching staff has held a combined ERA of 2.42.
• Ryan Anderson enters his 11^th season as Northwest Missouri State's head coach.

About Central Missouri

• The Jennies are 7-14 overall in the 2017 season, with a 2-1 loss to Minnesota State.
• Central Missouri has struggled from the plate, being held to a team batting average of .236 with just five homeruns.
• Hailey Crabtree leads the Jennies with 19 hits, while Katie Giacone remains atop the pitching staff with 34 strikeouts in 45.0 innings pitched.
• Susan Anderson begins her 11th season as head coach at Central Missouri with a 312-229 record.

About Nebraska, Kearney

• The Lopers are currently 1-21 overall early in the year, falling to conference rivals Augustana, Sioux Falls, Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth.
• UNK is batting .242 with an average of 2.1 runs scored per game.
• Macey Nelson lead the team with a batting average of .350, while Sara Sempek has earned the one win from the mound.
• Holly Carnes is in her 16^th year with the Lopers and has compiled 305 career wins.

About Missouri Southern State

• The Lions are currently 9-16 overall in the 2017 season.
• MSSU currently holds a team batting average of .306 with an average of 4.96 runs scored per game.
• Abi Corbett is atop the team with a batting average of .436, while Tauren Guzman leads the team from the mound with 38 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.
• Melissa Chmielewski enters her second season with the Lions after two seasons as a graduate assistant at MSU Moorhead.