Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team will face off against No. 5 Winona State tomorrow in the winner's bracket of the NSIC Tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. from Bowden Field. Northern will then play at 2 p.m. (pending a loss) or 4 p.m. (pending a win) from Bowden Field as well.
 
The Wolves advanced in the winner's bracket after 9-3 win over St. Cloud State in the opening round. Kennady Thompson led the team going 4-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI, and a homerun. Courtney Sjerven and Katie Uittenbogaard each went 2-for-3, with Sjerven notching three runs scored, two RBI, and a homerun and Uittenbogaard recording a run scored and a double. Jamie Fisher earned her 22^nd win of the season throwing 7.0 complete innings. The junior gave up just two earned runs on ten hits with two strikeouts.
 
Fisher and Sjerven opened the week being named to the NSIC All-Conference first team, while Thompson was named to the Gold Glove team alongside Fisher. Northern enters the match-up hitting .316 with 413 hits, 229 runs scored, 79 doubles, four triples, 22 homeruns, and 211 RBI. They are fielding .956 on the year with 957 putouts, 480 assists, and 66 errors. The pitching staff holds a 3.49 ERA through 319.0 innings pitched with 138 strikeouts and a .286 opponent average.
 
Thompson is hitting a team leading .406, following by Sjerven hitting .396 this season. The pair have each tallied 63 hits, while Sjerven sits atop the Wolves with 34 runs scored and 38 RBI. Fisher holds a 22-12 record on the mound with a 2.75 ERA. She has thrown 68.7 percent of the innings for the Wolves this season, recording 105 strikeouts and a .269 opponent batting average.
 
About Winona State
- The Warriors won the NSIC Regular Season Crown, and enter the match-up after a victory over Southwest Minnesota State
- WSU is 42-5 overall on the year and is hitting .348 with 463 hits 322 runs scored, 87 doubles, eight triples, 35 homeruns, and 296 RBI
- Lani Van Zyl leads four players hitting above .400 this season with a .477 average, notching 74 hits, 18 doubles, 11 homeruns, and 56 RBI
- The Warriors are fielding .972 this season with 947 putouts, 392 assists, and 38 errors
- The pitching staff holds a 1.80 ERA through 315.2 innings pitched with 249 strikeouts and a .230 opponent batting average
- Jordyn Kleman, the NSIC Pitcher of the Year, has an 18-1 record this season with a 1.73 ERA and 146 strikeouts
- McKenna Larsen is 16-4 overall with a 1.88 ERA and 79 strikeouts
- Winona is led by head coach Greg Jones in his 17th season with the program
 
A Weekend Ago
- Northern concluded the regular season on the road at Winona State falling 2-1 and 7-3­­
- Madison Rutter led the team in the two games, going 3-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI
- Courtney Sjerven went 3-for-8 with two RBI
- The Wolves are 7-40 all-time against Winona State