ROSEMONT, Ill. - Playing in Rosemont, Illinois, the Winona State University softball team turned in several impressive performances over the weekend, going 4-1 at the Lewis University Dome Invitational. 

Starting pitcher Liz Pautz was a strikeout machine, recording three wins that had double-digit strikeout totals over the weekend while sending over forty batters back to their respective dugouts. 

Pautz registered 18 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over William Jewell College to cap the weekend for WSU, coming up on the right side of a pitchers duel with WJC's Sammie Welt.

Over the course of the three-day tournament, Pautz had strikeout totals of 12, 14, and 18 in her three complete-game outings and added one more strikeout in her one and 1/3 innings of relief against nationally ranked Grand Valley State.   

At the plate, the Winona State offense delivered clutch hits at key times, with Winona State winning three games by just one run and playing in only one contest where the winning margin was more than a single score.

In the power department, Libby Neveau added to her team-leading home run total with a solo shot against Ursuline College on Saturday. Marissa Mullen picked up three RBI over the weekend, leading the Warriors with seven runs driven in so far this year. As a team, Winona State hit five doubles against Ursuline, with Sam Keller and Mullen both collecting two versus the Arrows and Ann Smolenski adding one.

The 4-1 weekend provides Winona State and head coach Greg Jones a strong springboard into the upcoming WSU Florida spring break trip, where the Warriors are scheduled to play a full schedule of 10 games in five days.  Read on recaps of each Warrior contest this past weekend at the Lewis University Dome Invitational.

Winona State 2, Wayne State 0 | In a battle of the two WSU Warrior programs in NCAA Division II, Winona State wound up in the win column to start the weekend. Liz Pautz went the distance, racking up 12 strikeouts while walking only one. Sam Keller and Abbie Hlas had all the offense the Greg Jones' side needed, as Keller blasted a triple in the fifth inning, scoring Logan Anderson and then came home moments later on a Hlas sacrifice fly. Liz Pautz earned the win, striking out 12, walking one in seven innings of work. 

Winona State 4, Saginaw Valley State 3 | Saginaw Valley State drew first blood with two runs in the first inning, but Winona State responded in the second when Teaghen Amwoza scored on a Cardinal miscue. Although SVSU added a run in the fourth, Winona State doubled their run total over the next two innings.  Sam Keller hustled home on a passed ball in the fourth and both Amwoza and Libby Neveau took advantage of a misplay in the SVSU outfield to score WSU's third and fourth run, respectively. Warrior starter Emiliee Erickson earned the win for Winona State, scattering eight hits over seven innings.

Winona State 5, Ursuline College 4 | In the first-ever meeting between the Arrows and the Warriors, Winona State built up a 5-0 cushion early on and survived a Ursuline rally late to take the win. WSU enjoyed a three-run first inning when Abbie Hlas, Marissa Mullen and Logan Anderson all delivered RBI's in their opening at-bats. Neveau then hit a solo home run in the third while Sam Keller's double drove in Corinna Loshek in the fifth. The Arrows aimed to make a comeback, however, scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth and two more times in the bottom of the seventh.  However, with a UC runner in scoring position to tie and the potential winning run at the plate, Liz Pautz closed the door on Ursuline, striking out Tara Backherms to end the game.

#9 Grand Valley State 6, Winona State 5 | Facing a top-ten team in Grand Valley State, Winona State went toe-to-toe with the unbeaten Lakers, stretching the game to extra innings. WSU battled back from a two-run deficit with two scores in the fifth inning, while adding one each in the sixth and seventh frames.  Marissa Mullen had a single and double over that stretch, while Kayla Kerkman and Abbie Hlas each claimed RBI as well. Up 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Winona State saw Grand Valley rally to tie the contest with a pair of runs.  With the international tie-breaker rule invoked and a runner on second to start the eighth, Winona State plated Libby Neveau on a Kayla Kerkman single to go up 5-4. Unfortunately, Grand Valley responded with two runs in the bottom of the extra inning, claiming the win in a well-fought game. For GVSU, it marked their fifth straight win of 2022, while Winona State saw their four-game winning streak snapped. Coming on in relief, Liz Pautz took the loss; Abbie Hlas had the start and went six and 1/3 innings, scattering eight hits and conceding four runs, all earned.

Winona State 1, William Jewell College 0 | In their only game of the day, Winona State and starter Liz Pautz found themselves in a pitching duel with William Jewell and Sammie Welt.  While Pautz provided a day off for her teammates much of the time - striking out 18 batters in the seven-inning game - Welt was able to coax the Warriors into a lackluster day at the plate, scattering six WSU hits.  The game was scoreless through six innings and neither team saw a runner further than second base to that stage. Down to their final out, Winona State's Ann Smolenski singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Cammi Riemer. Kayla Kerkman advanced Reimer on a base hit and Sam Keller delivered a double, scoring Riemer for the Warrior win.  The three-hit bottom of the seventh was the only frame to have more than one hit from either team and came at a most opportune time for Winona State, clinching the 5-1 record over the weekend.  Pautz earned the victory, moving her record to 5-1 on the year and 5-0 as a starter. 

At 8-3, Winona State is slightly less than halfway through their 2022 non-conference schedule.  The Warriors will see 10 different teams in Florida next week, including rematches with #9 Grand Valley State and Saginaw Valley State. Later in March, WSU is also scheduled to travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the Missouri Western Classic on March 18 thru March 20.  The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) slate will start on Tuesday, March 29 when Winona State hosts Upper Iowa University.