WINONA, Minn. – No. 8 Winona State University opens a six-game stretch to close the regular season with a doubleheader at Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Warriors (35-5, 14-2 NSIC) begin the final week of the regular season sitting in the pole position of the conference standings. Winona State currently holds a one game lead in the NSIC over Augustana (33-9, 15-3 NSIC). Minnesota Duluth (34-9, 16-4 NSIC) sits in third place. All three teams play six games this week with Augustana and Duluth facing off in a doubleheader on Sunday to close the regular season.
Winona State is ranked currently ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II Central Region. The second of three regional rankings will be released on Wednesday. The top two teams in the region will serve as hosts during the NCAA Regional Playoff round with the top remaining team hosting the Super Regional.
The Warriors have won at least 35 games for the 18th time in program history and the 17th straight year under head coach Greg Jones (737-223).
Winona State leads the NSIC in team ERA (1.82) and fielding percentage (.972). The Warriors rank fourth in batting average (.334) and OBP (.406), and are fifth in the league in runs (256) and slugging (.473).
Jordyn Kleman (15-1) leads the NSIC in strikeouts (111) and ranks fifth in ERA (1.65). Her 15 wins rank fourth and her .213 batting average against is fifth in the league. In six April appearances (five starts), Kleman is 5-0 with four shutouts and a 0.60 ERA. Her 5.55 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks 16th in the country.
McKenna Larsen (12-4) owns a 2.01 ERA and is coming off her third shutout of the season at U-Mary on Sunday. The senior ranks fifth all-time in WSU history in shutouts (17) and sixth in career wins (50). At the plate, Larsen ranks 12th in program history with 129 RBI and 14th in career hits (207).
Larsen's .423 batting average this season ranks second on the team to Lani Van Zyl (.436). Van Zyl ranks third in the NSIC in slugging (.767) and homers (10), fourth in RBI (47), sixth in runs (42) and eighth in OBP (.500).
Alison Nowak (.390), Carly Kordich (.370), Mariah Schultz (.330), Katelyn Kolb (.323), Samantha McLean (.322) and Rylee Stout (.308) are each hitting over .300 in the Warriors' balanced offensive attack. Stout, a freshman, ranks second on the team in homers (9) and RBI (37).
SCOUTING CONCORDIA
The Golden Bears (26-18, 11-11 NSIC) enters Wednesday's twinbill riding a three-game win streak. Winona State leads the all-time series with CSP, 33-22. The Warriors have won each of the last eight meetings.
CSP ranks fifth in the NSIC in team batting average (.328) and seventh in ERA (3.33). Carlie Hart leads the Golden Bears in batting average (.452), doubles (11) and RBI (30). Nicole Thompson owns a .419 batting average with 21 RBI. Kali Kaestner (8-5) leads the pitching staff with a 2.96 ERA and Aryka Knoche leads the team with 12 wins.
CSP currently sits in seventh place in the NSIC standings, one game ahead of Minot State for the eighth and final spot in the playoffs.
