Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team continues the 2021 season this Thursday through Saturday at the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament in Joplin, Missouri. The Wolves will compete against Missouri S&T at 2 and 4 p.m. on Thursday, Missouri Southern at 2 and 4 p.m. on Friday, and Missouri Western at 9 and 11 a.m. on Saturday.
 
NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES

• The Wolves head south with a 3-1 record on the year, notching wins over Minnesota Crookston, UMary, and Bemidji State
• Northern is hitting .279 as a team with 29 hits, five doubles, five homeruns, one triple, 14 RBI, and 14 runs scored
• Makenzie Merritt leads the team hitting .455 this season with three homeruns and six RBI; she was named the NSIC Player of the Week for her efforts
• Rachel Reinke is second on the team hitting .357 with five hits, including two doubles
• The pitching staff posts a 1.81 ERA through 27.0 innings pitched with 39 strikeouts and a .212 opponent batting average
• Meghan Anderson leads the pitching staff with a 3-0 record, notching two complete game shutouts and 31 strikeouts with a 0.79 ERA

 
MISSOURI S&T STORYLINES

• The Miners will open the 2021 season tomorrow against NSU
• They went 3-13 overall in 2020 and were picked 14^th in the GLVC Preseason Coaches' Poll
• Missouri S&T is led by head coach Cathy Monroe in her sixth season

 
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STORYLINES

• The Lions open the season versus the Wolves
• Prior to the season cancelation, Missouri Southern went 11-9 overall in 2020
• MSSU was picked 11^th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll
• The Lions are led by head coach Hallie Blackney in her third season at the helm

 
MISSOURI WESTERN STORYLINES

• The Griffons will open the season on Friday versus Missouri S&T
• MWSU went 13-9 overall in 2020 and were picked third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll
• Missouri Western is led by head coach Jen Bagley Trotter in her 20^th season with the program

 
LOOKING BACK TO 2020

• Northern faced off against all three teams in 2020
• The Wolves swept Missouri S&T with scores of 8-0 and 10-8
• NSU fell to Missouri Southern 9-2 and 3-1
• Northern split with Missouri Western, taking game one 2-1 and falling in game two 9-0