WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team opens up an important NSIC weekend when they host the University of Mary today, Saturday April 23, in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Winona State and head coach
Greg Jones will honor their 2022 senior class in between contests against the Marauders.
The Warriors (27-11 / 13-3 NSIC) are led by the NCAA Division II leader in strikeouts-per-seven innings, pitcher
Liz Pautz, who has sent opposing batters back to the dugout 242 times already this season. Pautz has notched 18 wins on the season so far, second-most in the NSIC and the fourth-best mark currently in the NCAA Division II ranks.
At the plate,
Abbie Hlas leads WSU with a .462 batting average and 55 total hits. Catcher
Rylee Stout has seven homers to pace Winona State, while
Carly Engelhardt and
Marissa Mullen have six apiece. Mullen's 35 RBI rank as seventh in the NSIC.
As a team, Winona State has hit 44 home runs on the year so far and in hitting the 27 win mark earlier this week with a sweep at Wayne State, are tied with Minot State for the second-highest win total in the league.
On the regional scene, Winona State is currently ranked ninth in the current NCAA Division II Central Region poll, released on April 20.
The Warriors welcome UMary (5-29, 3-11 NSIC) to Johnson Field in Winona with the Marauders on a three-game losing skid, most recently dropping a doubleheader to Bemidji State University.
For the most up-to-date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
