Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team will face Minnesota Duluth, Southwest Minnesota State, and Sioux Falls this week in NSIC action. The Wolves and Bulldogs will match up Wednesday from the Presentation Dome at 12 and 2 p.m.. The weekend games versus the Mustangs and Cougars were shifted inside to the PC Dome due to weather conditions in the region, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. on Sunday and 11 a.m. on Monday. 
 
QUICK HITS ON THE WOLVES

• Northern State enters the week with a 12-22 record overall and 4-8 mark in the NSIC
• The Wolves are hitting .313 as a team with 293 hits, 142 runs scored, 132 RBI, 39 doubles, and 19 homeruns
• Defensively they hold a .958 fielding percentage with 655 putouts, 294 assists, and 42 errors
• The pitching staff posts a 4.68 ERA through 218.1 innings pitched with 104 strikeouts and a .293 opponent batting average
• Rachel Reinke leads the team offensively hitting .411 with 39 hits, 21 runs scored, 18 RBI, eight doubles, and four homeruns
• Kennady Thompson is second on the team hitting .371 and leads the Wolves with seven homeruns and 23 RBI
• Makenzie Merritt and Andrea Cherney lead the pitching staff with five and four wins respectively
• Cherney holds a team best 4.14 ERA, 44 strikeouts, and .265 opponent batting average

 
ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH

• The Bulldogs enter the week with a 19-12 record overall and 10-2 mark in the NSIC
• UMD is hitting .266 as a team with 214 hits, 147 runs scored, 139 RBI, 44 doubles, 25 homeruns, and nine triples
• The defense holds a .958 fielding percentage with 600 putouts, 243 assists, and 37 errors
• The Bulldog pitching staff posts a 3.01 ERA through 200.0 innings pitched with 113 strikeouts and a .257 opponent batting average
• Jordyn Thomas leads the offense hitting .348 this season with 32 hits, 16 runs scored, 21 RBI, ten doubles, and six homeruns
• Sam Pederson and Breanna Swint lead the pitching staff with ten and nine wins respectively
• Pederson has a 2.70 ERA and leads the staff with a .241 opponent average, while Swint has 65 strikeouts in 2019
• Minnesota Duluth is led by fourth year head coach Jen Walter

 
A SEASON AGO

• The Bulldogs swept the Wolves with game scores of 14-2 and 10-0 in 2018
• Northern is 7-50 all-time versus Minnesota Duluth with their last victory coming in 2017

 
ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE

• The Mustangs enter the week with an 11-13 record overall and 6-6 mark in the NSIC
• Southwest will match-up with Minnesota State in a mid-week contest before facing the Wolves
• SMSU is hitting .290 as a team with 178 hits, 98 runs scored, 88 RBI, 25 doubles, 11 homeruns, and ten triples
• They have struggled some defensively with a .932 fielding percentage, notching 446 putouts, 156 assists, and 44 errors
• The pitching staff holds a 4.80 ERA through 148.2 innings pitched with 110 strikeouts and a .331 opponent batting average
• Emma Grote leads the offense hitting .443 this season with 31 hits and 22 runs scored
• Athena Golling leads the pitching staff with a 7-6 record, 3.14 ERA, and 58 strikeouts
• Southwest is led by first year head coach Bailey Bouman

 
A SEASON AGO

• The Wolves swept the Mustangs 6-0 and 8-2 in 2018
• Northern is 17-54 all-time versus Southwest and currently on a 4-game win streak

 
ABOUT SIOUX FALLS

• The Cougars enter the week with a 15-18 record overall and 5-7 mark in the NSIC
• USF will face Concordia-St. Paul in mid-week action before facing the Wolves
• The Cougars are hitting .272 with 241 hits, 159 runs scored, 140 RBI, 28 doubles, 28 homeruns, and three triples
• They hold a .966 fielding percentage with 634 putouts, 272 assists, and 32 errors
• The pitching staff posts a 3.97 ERA through 211.1 innings pitched with 145 strikeouts and a .305 opponent batting average
• Lexie Swift leads the starters with a .382 average, notching 34 hits, 20 runs scored, and 13 RBI
• Kerrigan Hoshaw and Courtney Mathews each have six wins in the circle for USF this season
• Hoshaw posts a team best 3.43 ERA and .263 opponent batting average with 64 strikeouts
• Sioux Falls is led by head coach Shannon Pivovar in her first season at the helm

 
A SEASON AGO

• The Wolves and Cougars split in NSIC play last season
• Northern took game one 3-2, and fell 13-4 in game two
• NSU is 10-6 all-time versus USF