WINONA, Minn. - The Warriors return to Loughrey Field for one more four-game series against Northern State (17-17, 10-12 NSIC). Recently concluding their final road trip of the season, Winona State (17-18, 16-12 NSIC) swept UMD at Wade Stadium and took one of four from Concordia-St. Paul at Barnes Field. The Warriors look to fine tune their game as they head into the NSIC Tournament next weekend. 

Friday's doubleheader begins at 1:30 p.m. in Winona with the final two games of the series slated to open on Saturday at 12 p.m.

NOTES 

SINCE WE'VE BEEN GONE:  Winona State closed out April on a six-game road trip where they won three games. First, heading up to Lake Superior to face UMD, the Warriors took two of two from the Bulldogs. Derek Martin had a career day going 7-for-9 on the day, highlighted by a five-hit performance in the finale. Last weekend Winona State won game two of the four-game series with the Golden Bears. The Warriors scored five unanswered runs and broke a tie in the 11th inning to win, 8-6.
 
TOURNEY WATCH: Sitting in the sixth position entering the final weekend of the regular season, the Warriors are on the verge of making the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2015. Winona State was picked to finish 10^thin the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll but has steadily climbed their way up the standings throughout this season, landing themselves inside the top eight coming into the final weekend of conference play. 
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVES: Northern State closed out their home schedule by taking three of four form Minnesota Duluth. Outfielder Jack Schmidt is the Wolve's biggest threat at the plate batting .403 on the year with 13 doubles and eight home runs. Hayden Hall, who is fourth on the team in batting average (.306), was named NSIC Player of the Week after posting a .500 batting average with four doubles and five RBI against Minnesota Crookston and UMD. Luke Chevalier leads the Wolve's starting staff with a 2.61 ERA in 51.2 IP, striking out a team-high 45 batters. 
 
LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Sophomore Sam Kohnle has asserted himself as a silent leader in the Warrior lineup. The first baseman has led the team with a .359 average throughout the majority of the season. Kohnle has collected a team-high 47 hits while also driving in the most runs (26). In the field, Kohnle is second on the team in fielding percentage (.988) and has only committed thre errors this season.
 
UNSUNG HERO:  Redshirt-sophomore Andrew Pliner has flown under the radar in his second season on the field for the Warriors. The Oregon, Wisconsin native has been one of Winona State's biggest threats on the bases with a team-high six stolen bases. Batting predominantly in the second spot in the lineup, Pliner has amassed a .304 batting average batting average while leading the team in home runs (4) and runs scored (31). 
 
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: The Warriors say goodbye to four seniors this weekend who will step onto Loughrey Field for the final time in their collegiate careers. Derek Masberg, Kipp Youngquist, Mitchell Heid, and Taylor Field. Masberg, the lone pitcher of the group has given the Warriors 12 innings over thirteen appearances as a reliever, striking out 10. Youngquist, an infielder was a career .257 hitter with 20 doubles and 56 RBI. As an outfielder, Heid batted .290 over his career as a Warrior with a .424 slugging percentage and 67 RBI. Field was a swiss army knife for the Warriors over his four years. Predominantly at catcher, he collected a .302 batting average, 106 RBI, and 249 total bases.