MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State softball begins the week on the road in St. Cloud, Minnesota, facing St. Cloud State in a doubleheader on Friday, April 17 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Husky Stadium. The Mavericks then return home to host Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday, April 19 at the MSU Softball Complex, with game times set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., with both doubleheaders streamed live on the NSIC Network.
About the Mavericks
Minnesota State enters the week continuing NSIC play with a 12-6 conference record and a 25-17 mark overall, currently sitting fourth in the league standings. The Mavericks highlighted last week with a split against then-No. 23 Winona State, earning a 6-2 win in game one before a narrow 3-2 decision in the second. MSU also split its doubleheader with Wayne State on Saturday after facing Augustana earlier in the weekend.
Through 42 games, the Mavericks offense is hitting .302 with a .470 slugging percentage, highlighted by four home runs last week, including three in a single inning against Wayne State. In the circle, MSU's pitching staff carries a 3.95 ERA and recorded 20 strikeouts across six games.
Freshman catcher Avery Dorman put together an impressive week at the plate, hitting .455 (5-for-11) with a .727 slugging percentage. She led the team with four RBIs while also posting a .538 on-base percentage, highlighted by her first career home run against Wayne State.
Nyah Hulbert, a Norwalk, Iowa native, delivered a highly productive offensive week, batting .500 over her 10 at-bats. She led the Mavericks with nine total bases and posted a .900 slugging percentage, while also adding two RBIs and a stolen base. Hulbert also tallied her first career home run against Wayne State.
Hannah Tong continues to be one of the top hitters in the conference, ranking second in the NSIC with a .411 batting average and breaking into the top 100 nationally. She recorded two hits on the week and also made an impact in the circle, striking out two batters across 5.1 innings pitched.
About the Huskies
Riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping both Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls, St. Cloud State enters the week with a 31-11 overall record and a 13-3 mark in conference play, placing second in the NSIC standings.
Under head coach Mitch Roberts, the Huskies are hitting .290 as a team with a .424 slugging percentage, including 33 hits and 18 RBIs over their last four games. In the circle, the pitching staff has been strong with a 1.57 ERA, eight shutouts on the season, and has limited opponents to a .202 batting average.
Justyce Porter was outstanding in the circle for St. Cloud State, earning two wins while posting a 1.08 ERA over a pair of starts. She went the distance in both outings, highlighted by a no-hitter, and finished with 10 strikeouts across 13.0 innings of work. Opponents struggled to find success against her, managing just a .136 batting average.
Grace Frechette paced St. Cloud State offensively last week, compiling a .500 batting average with six hits in four games. She crossed the plate five times and added two RBIs, along with a double and two walks. Her consistent production helped power the Huskies to an unbeaten 4-0 stretch.
All-time against St. Cloud State, Minnesota State is 88-61 and has won four straight games in the series. The Mavericks average 4.04 runs per game against the Huskies and hold a 33-22 record on the road.
About the Golden Bears
Head coach Bob Bartel and Concordia-St. Paul enter the week with a 22-17 overall record and an 11-5 mark in NSIC play. Last weekend, the Golden Bears split doubleheaders against Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls, taking game one in each series before falling in game two.
At the plate, CSP is hitting .276 with a .361 slugging percentage on the season. In the circle, the Golden Bears have posted a 3.11 ERA while limiting opponents to a .276 batting average.
Gabby Martinez put together a well-rounded performance for Concordia-St. Paul last week, batting .500 across four games with five hits. She added a double, drove in two runs, and scored twice, while also drawing a pair of walks to finish with a .583 on-base percentage. Defensively, Martinez made a strong impact as well, recording 14 assists.
Emmy Bowne was dominant in the circle for Concordia-St. Paul, picking up two wins while posting a 1.40 ERA in two starts. She threw two complete games, covering 15.0 innings, and allowed just three earned runs while striking out nine batters. Opponents found little success against her, as she limited them to a .170 batting average.
Against Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State owns a 62-24-2 all-time record and took three of four matchups last season. The Mavericks average 5.59 runs per game against the Golden Bear pitching staff.
