WINONA, Minn. – For the second straight season, and fourth time overall, Winona State University hosts the NCAA DII Central Regional at Maynard R. Johnson Field. The Warriors are the No. 2 seed in the Central 2 Bracket and welcome No. 3 Augustana University, No. 6 Missouri Western State University and No. 7 St. Cloud State University to scenic Winona on May 9-11.
Winona State opens play against St. Cloud State on Thursday, May 9 at 1 p.m.
All four teams have played each other at least once during the 2019 regular season. WSU owned a 6-2 record against the Central 2 Bracket participants this year. The Winona Regional is the only in the country that features a 50-win team – boasting two in WSU and Augie.
Winona State is playing in its 14th NCAA Regional and seeking its first sub-regional crown since 2013. The Warriors also won in 2009 and advanced victoriously through the Super Regional and onto the program's first-ever World Series appearance. The winner of the Central 2 Bracket will face the winner of the Central 1 Bracket with the highest remaining seed hosting the best-of-three Super Regional on May 16-17.
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ABOUT WINONA STATE: The Warriors led the NSIC this season in pitching (1.39 ERA) and fielding percentage (.975), and ranked second in hitting (.340). In the circle, the Warriors' 21 shutouts rank third among all Division II programs and their ERA is fourth. WSU ranks fifth nationally in fielding percentage, 12th in batting average and 19th in OBP (.409).
SCOUTING ST. CLOUD: Winona State opens play on Thursday against NSIC foe St. Cloud State. The Warriors went 3-0 against the Huskies this season, including an elimination game win in the NSIC Tournament. WSU leads the all-time series 49-39-1 with the last loss coming in 2018. St. Cloud led the NSIC with 176 stolen bases this year and ranks fifth in the country in steals/game (2.98). WSU cut down an NSIC-best 47% of stolen base attempts this season. Collectively, the Huskies are hitting .332 with 139 extra-base hits (49 HR) – all which ranked near the top of the NSIC. Maya Keating, Jasmin Estrada and Brooke Bowlin are each hitting at least .390. Estrada, a true freshman, has launched 11 homers and ranks ninth in the country in RBI (62). Keating's 74 hits are 19th in the country. The Huskies have a team 2.46 ERA and rank fifth in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.69). St. Cloud is making its ninth Regional appearance and first since 2004.
SCOUTING AUGUSTANA: The Vikings outlasted the Warriors for the 2019 NSIC Tournament Championship last weekend for their lone win of the year vs. WSU (3-1 record). Augie sports one of the most well-balanced teams in the country – ranking fourth in slugging (.578), sixth in batting average (.351), seventh in homers/game (1.27) and 10th in ERA (1.58). The Vikings 1-2 punch in the circle consists of Amber Elliott (18-4, 1.67 ERA) and Ashley Mickschl (23-5, 1.60 ERA) with Olivia Wolters (1.44 ERA) looming in the bullpen. Maggie Kadrlik and Kara McDougall are each hitting well over .400 this season as Kadrlik ranks ninth in the country in slugging (.850). Mary Prado is one of four Vikings with at least 10 homers and ranks fourth in the country in total bases (137). Augie is making its third straight NCAA Regional appearance and 26th overall.
SCOUTING MO WEST: The Griffons earned an at-large bid to the Winona Regional after finishing as the regular season and tournament runner up in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) behind Central 1 host Central Oklahoma. MWSU defeated St. Cloud, 9-8, and Winona St., 1-0, earlier this year but was defeated by its opening round opponent, Augustana, 10-2. The Griffons were 23-13 away from home this season. MWSU ranks fifth in the country in doubles/game (1.98) and is paced by Morgan Frost offensively who has the most doubles among Division II players (22). Emma Hoffart leads the way with eight homers and 41 RBI. Kaili Hinds is the Griffons' workhorse in the circle (16-4, 3.07 ERA) and has 11 complete games this year in 21 starts. The 2019 season marks the Griffons' 11th Regional appearance in program history.
THE STREAK: Winona State University and winning streaks have become synonymous, after the men's basketball team rattled off 57 straight victories from 2005-07. Following a 2-3 stretch for the softball team in late March that concluded with a loss to Missouri Western, WSU rattled off a program-best 31-game winning streak from March 27-May 3. Included in that remarkable streak was a perfect 30-0 regular season NSIC mark. The Warriors' 30 wins set a new highwater mark in conference history. It was the first undefeated NSIC regular season since 2006, and 11th overall, but none coming with more than 14 victories. During their torrid run, the Warriors outscored opponents, 210-45, batted .371 with 39 of their 51 homers this year, and posted a 1.41 ERA. WSU recorded 11 run-rule victories and fired 14 shutouts in the circle.
BACK-2-BACK: The 2019 campaign marked the first time in program history Winona State won consecutive NSIC regular season titles. It marked the fifth overall regular season crown for the Warriors with the others coming in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2017. Keeping with the theme of back-to-back, Jordyn Kleman (NSIC Pitcher of the Year) and Lani Van Zyl (NISC Player of the Year) both repeated as the conference's top players. Kleman joined WSU/NSIC Hall of Famer, and current coach, Cyndy Jones as the only other two-time NSIC Pitcher of the Year, while Van Zyl becomes the first Warrior in program history to earn Player of the Year twice.
AWARD SZN: After completing the first 30-0 regular season in NSIC history, Winona State was handsomely rewarded with conference postseason awards. Six Warriors earned All-NSIC First Team honors with Alexis Kelsey, Alison Nowak, Liz Pautz and Ann Smolenski joining Kleman and Van Zyl. Pautz was named the NSIC Newcomer of the Year, while Smolenski (3B) and Van Zyl (SS) earned Gold Gloves for their stellar defensive work. Earlier this week, Kleman was named the D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year and Van Zyl the Central Region Player of the Year. Nowak was also named First Team All-Central Region while Kelsey and Pautz were named to the Second Team.
PICK YOUR POISON: The Warriors feature perhaps the most lethal starting pitcher combination in the country this season. Kleman (26-3) owns a 1.62 ERA and an NSIC-leading .171 opponent batting average. The junior has fired two no-hitters this season, adding to her astounding seven career no-hitters (program record). Kleman ranks third in the country in wins and 11th in hits allowed/7-inn. (4.16). Pautz (20-2) leads all Division II pitchers with a minuscule 0.68 ERA and ranks second in strikeouts/7-inn. (10.5). The sophomore fired back-to-back complete game shutouts on Saturday of the NSIC Tournament against Mankato and Augie. The duo has stuck out 214 batters apiece this season which is the 10th-best mark in the country.
HEARTBEAT: Winona State has offensive weapons up and down the lineup and is currently challenging the program record for team batting average (.343 – 2014 & 2018). With speed at the top and bottom of the order, the heart of the lineup has feasted all season long. At the top of the lineup, Katie Kolb is hitting .418 when leading off an inning to set the table for the sluggers. The junior leads the team in walks (38) and is second in runs (44). The middle of the order in Van Zyl, Nowak, Kelsey and Smolenski have combined to hit .415 with 49 doubles, 43 homers and 194 RBI. The quartet is batting .418 with runners in scoring position and has accounted for 80 two-out RBI. Van Zyl ranks seventh in the country in total bases (132) and is 10th in hits (79). Nowak's 60 RBI rank 11th in the country. Nowak and Smolenski have posted career highs in every offensive category this season while Kelsey has returned from a two-year stint of injuries to bolster the heart of the order.
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING: With the streak taking on a life of its own, Winona State has been in playoff mode for over a month with every game having implications. The Warriors have developed a flair for the dramatic over the last three weeks with five of their wins coming in walk-off fashion. Carly Kordich has delivered the game-winning hit twice with Kelsey, Kolb and Jen Giesey each playing hero once which helped keep the 31-game winning steak alive.
COACH'S CORNER: Skipper Greg Jones also repeated as the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2019, earning the award for the fourth time in his 19-year WSU tenure. Jones has led the Warriors to all 14 of their NCAA appearances, seven conference tournament titles and five regular season championships. He owns a 797-263-4 career record entering the weekend and his .751 winning percentage ranks seventh among active DII coaches. Under Jones, the Warriors have won at least 35 games in 18 straight seasons, 40 games 12 times and 50 wins on three occasions, including twice in the past three years.
