WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State softball team earned a six-seed in the Central Region of the NCAA Tournament and will play three-seed Central Oklahoma to begin the tournament.
The six-seeded Warriors (48-9, 26-4 NSIC) will start the double elimination regional of the NCAA Tournament with a match up against six-seeded Central Oklahoma (42-13, 18-6 MIAA) with first pitch scheduled for Thursday, May 14th at 4:30pm.
(6) Winona State Notes:
- Winona State entered the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll in second place and finished the season with a shared first place NSIC regular season title.
- The Warrior bats are hitting .321 as a team with a slugging percentage of .497 and an on-base percentage of .402.
- The NSIC Player of the Year, Alyssa Woelfel leads the team in batting average (.416), on base plus slugging percentage (1.175), hits (77), doubles (18) and total bases (124).
- Second Team All-NSIC pitcher Izzy Howe has an outstanding 1.15 WHIP and 2.37 ERA with a 19-4 record.
- Bryn Elsenpeter was another Warrior with First Team All-NSIC honors. Elsenpeter leads the team in home runs (12), RBI (51), and walks (32).
- Tiegan Mancuso has been a solid lefty bat for WSU with a batting average of .333 and an OPS of .789. Mancuso also holds 10 doubles and 13 walks this season including two HBPs.
- Lila McNeill and Ashlee Chantos both bat .324 and .325, respectively. McNeill has 56 hits this season with 13 doubles and two triples. Chantos has 22 RBIs and 53 total bases. Defensively, Chantos and McNeill have been lights out with only five errors collectively all season.
- Ashley Theisen has been the Warriors lock down relief pitcher as a freshman, holding an ERA of 2.74 and a WHIP of 1.16 and a undefeated 9-0 record.
- Braelee Jodarski was voted for the NSIC All-Tournament team after a two-homerun quarterfinal game along with leading Winona State with four triples this season.
(3) Central Oklahoma Notes:
- The Bronchos (42-13, 18-6 MIAA) are coming off a semifinal's loss to Rogers State in the MIAA Softball Championship.
- Central Oklahoma is led by pitcher Carleigh Kinnaird who holds a 17-4 record and a 2.80 ERA paired with a 1.26 WHIP.
- The UCO bats are led by Rylee Lemos who holds a .395 average with an OPS of 1.265, 70 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples and 12 home runs.
- As a team, The Bronchos bat .352 and have a team on-base percentage of .436.
Four teams will participate at each of the 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments, held May 14-16. Winners will advance to the super-regionals, slated for May 21-22. The finals will be held May 28-June 3 at Frost Stadium at Warner Park and will be hosted by Lee University, the University of North Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
