WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State softball team opened NSIC play with a doubleheader sweep over Northern State by scores of 15-7 and 10-0.
The Warriors combined a successful offense and efficient pitching to pick up their first conference victories of the 2026 season after starting 21-4 in nonconference games.
Game One: WSU (15) – NSU (7)
Winona State opened the first game with five runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Taylor Bloohm walked in the first run scoring
Alyssa Woelfel. Later in the first, a
Nicole Weinberger hit by pitch and
Jenna James RBI single would help extend the lead. In the bottom of the fourth, a Weinberger single would score
Bryn Elsenpeter followed up by an electric
Ashlee Chantos triple in which she would end up scoring on off a throwing error.
To finish the game, Winona State's
Braelee Jodarski would bring the book on a home run shot to left center scoring
Madi Rowe. Chantos and Teigan Mancuso would add the final insurance runs off a double and triple, respectively ending the game in the fifth inning.
Izzy Howe would receive her 10th win of the season, moving her to a 10-1 and finished the game with six strikeouts.
Game Two: WSU (10) – (0)
After a quick 1-2-3 inning from
Jayda Berg in the top of the first, Winona State would create chaos for the Wolves pitchers scoring four runs the bottom of the third, including a no doubter three run home run from Elsenpeter. In the bottom of the fourth inning,
Whitley Wischmeier would get the charge rolling with a well hit single scoring Jodarski. Next, Chantos would triple scoring Wischmeirer, followed by a
Hannah Soderbeck 3 RBI double to give the Warriors a 10-0 lead.
WSU would end the game in the fifth inning, with Berg racking up her ninth win of the season and totaling five strikeouts. Elsenpeter led the WSU lineup with a pair of hits and three RBIs, with five others recording one or more hits each.
Winona State now travels West to Mankato, Minn. tomorrow for a match up against the NSIC newly added Jamestown Jimmies in a doubleheader at the Maverick Sports Dome. First pitch of game one is set for 2:00pm.
