WINONA, Minn. – After spending the past 48 hours in Forest City, Iowa for a pair of rescheduled doubleheaders, No. 17 Winona State University has a quick turnaround when Concordia, St. Paul travels to Maynard R. Johnson Field for a twinbill on Tuesday afternoon. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.
The midweek doubleheader will open a six-game homestand for the Warriors who host Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State this weekend. WSU enters play Tuesday atop the NSIC standings and is riding an 18-game winning streak.
Tuesday's action will have live stats available, but no live video stream.
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SCOUTING CSP: The Golden Bears (22-16, 9-9 NSIC) enter the final two weeks of the regular season sitting in the eighth and final postseason spot. CSP has dropped six of its last eight games and is most recently coming off a split with Duluth on Sunday. The Golden Bears rank fifth in the NSIC with a 2.83 ERA and are seventh with a .300 batting average offensively. Kris McIntyre ranks fourth in the league in OBP (.487) and is seventh in average (.404). Carlie Hart is fourth in runs scored (38) and fifth in hits (52). Samantha Sullivan (10-7) owns a 2.70 ERA in 17 starts for CSP. Winona State has won 10 straight meetings with the Golden Bears. The Warriors have outscored CSP over the last six matchups, 51-5.
INSIDE THE STREAK: Last season, the Warriors put together an impressive 17-game winning streak from Feb. 23-March 16. WSU has topped that with its current 18-game streak that began with the start of conference play last month. A sweep on Tuesday would match the program record with 20 consecutive victories. Over this current span, Winona State has outscored its opponents, 125-30, while batting .376 and posting a 1.57 ERA. The pitching staff has registered eight shutouts, including three in the last four games, and the offense has produced six run-ruled victories.
POWER SURGE: Winona State has been firing on all cylinders during its winning streak and the offense has flexed its muscle since NSIC play began. Twenty-one of the Warriors' 29 homers this season have come over the last 18 games with Alison Nowak (9) leading the charge. Redshirt junior Alexis Kelsey is hot on her heels with six of her own. The duo has combined for 51 RBI over the 18-game stretch. Lani Van Zyl (3), Ann Smolenski (2) and Jen Giesey (1) have each also contributed to the recent home run derby. Giesey connected on her second grand slam of the year on Monday.
PUZZLED: Junior Alison Nowak is producing a career year at the plate, having already set a new career high in doubles (12) and doubling her career home run total (10) from the past two seasons combined. The Rubik's Cube expert has puzzled opposing pitchers all year long and enters play Tuesday leading the NSIC in slugging percentage (.784) and homers. Nowak ranks second in the league in RBI (45) and is third in batting average (.448), OBP (.504) and hits (56).
LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Senior Lani Van Zyl is at it again this year after a breakout junior campaign in which she proved to be one of the best offensive players in the country while setting a WSU single-season record with a .473 batting average. The veteran shortstop enters play Tuesday ranked 20th in the country in average (.467) and is second in the NSIC in OBP (.519). Van Zyl leads the team with 22 multi-hit efforts this year.
SET THE TABLE: With the heart of the WSU lineup manufacturing runs by the bunches, Katie Kolb has served as the catalyst for the Warrior sluggers. The junior leadoff hitter has shown great discipline and leads the NSIC in walks (28) while ranking seventh in runs scored (35). Kolb has reached base at a .439 clip (25-for-57) when leading off an inning this season and enters play Tuesday having reached base safely in 34 straight ballgames. Kolb has also done her part by driving in runs with 20 RBI, which is just one shy of her career high.
PAIR OF ACES: Winona State currently ranks fifth in all of Division II and leads the NSIC with a 1.46 ERA. The Warriors' 13 shutouts rank 11th in the country. The 1-2 punch of Jordyn Kleman and Liz Pautz have baffled opposing hitters all season long. Kleman (17-1) leads the league in wins and opponent batting average (.161), and ranks second in strikeouts (148). Pautz (12-2) ranks second in the country with a 0.64 ERA. The reigning NSIC Pitcher of the Week has allowed just two earned runs over her last 38.2 IP while striking out 60 batters in that span.
