Joplin, Mo. - With a chance of rain to occur two of the three days during the HY-VEE tournament, the Missouri Southern softball squad adjusted its schedule and returns to Emporia, Kansas to take part in the Emporia State Softball Classic for the second time this year.
 
The Lions face off against five of the top six teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, starting tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with ranked opponents in back-to-back contests.
 
MSSU enters its final regular-season tournament with a 9-14 record, including a key victory over a nationally ranked Missouri-St. Louis in week number two.
 
Live stats will be available throughout the entire weekend and during every Softball home game LIVE on MSSU's campus. If you plan on making the trip, there is a $3/$5 admission charged per day at each site with tickets valid for both sites. Cash and check, only, will be accepted at the gate. 
 
Southern retained nine players from a season ago and added four freshmen and three transfers to build off what the Lions put together in a memorable 2017 campaign.
 
The Rundown

Friday

• No. 7 Winona at 10:00 a.m.
• No. 10 Minnesota State (Mankato) at 10:00 a.m.

 Saturday

• Minnesota Duluth at 10:00 a.m.
• Augustana at Noon

 Sunday

• Minot State at 10:00 a.m.

 
Stream: None
Radio: None
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/mssu/softball/
 
Beauty and Strength of the Pride

5. Faces off against the top-five teams from the NSIC according to the current standings.
5. Four All-MIAA selections return from last year's squad:
   • first-team senior outfielder Abi Corbett who led the MIAA in batting average (.438), at bats (224), hits (98, and stolen bases, to go along with second in on-base percentage (.457), runs scored (57), and tied for fourth in triples (4),
   • second-team senior utility player Shelby Friend in the role of a designated player
   • honorable mention recipient's junior catcher Angel Badalamenti and sophomore outfielder Elizabeth Windsor both received honorable mention after both batted over .300 and finished fourth and fifth on the team in fielding percentage (.987 & .976
5. Launched into the top-5 of different categories on its run to the MIAA tournament by finishing the 2017 season second in the MIAA in batting average (.313) and hits (512), third in put outs (1179), and fourth in on-base percentage (.368), runs scored (263), RBIs (237), and total bases (664).

5. Ranked opponents on the Schedule: No. 7 Winona State, No. 8 Southern Arkansas, No. 10 Minnesota State, No. 11 Texas A&M Commerce, and three teams that have received votes into this week's poll (Central Oklahoma (15), Cameron (3), and most recently Minnesota Duluth (1)), while defeating Missouri-St. Louis when it was No. 14.
5. Recorded three-straight shutouts for the first time since 2001 within its 4-0 sweep during their own tournament.

Leading the Hunt (current stats)
Batting Average: Abi Corbett (.393)
Hits: Abi Corbett (33)
Doubles: Erika Lutgen (8)
Triples: Lexi Ferrari and Abi Corbett (1)
Home Runs: Erika Lutgen (4)
RBI: Erika Lutgen (11)
Stolen Bases: Abi Corbett (15)
ERA: Natalie Hamm (2.03)
Wins: Taurean Guzman (4)
Strikeouts: Abby Atkin (39)
Shutouts: Abby Atkin and Taurean Guzman (2)
Fewest Walks Allowed: Mikaela Cox (1)
Opponent Batting Avg: Natalie Hamm (.196)
 
What the Opponents are Bringing to the Battle!
No. 7 Winona State (17-2)
            Series: WSU leads, 4-2
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference … Second (52-13 overall / 27-3 NSIC) … selected as a fourth seed heading into the NCAA tourney and dropped a close one to Harding (4-3) in the Central Region 1 championship after falling to Mankato in the conference championship game … picked to take first in the preseason poll for the third time in the previous three years … have all six All-NSIC recipients back (four first-team and two second-team), including right-handed pitcher Jordyn Kleman (20-8 - 1:79 ERA) , pitcher McKenna Larsen (26-5 - 1:12 ERA), utility Ali Nowak (.425 BA), shortstop Lani Van Zyl (.396 BA - 43 RBIs), second baseman Samantha McLean, and leftfielder Mariah Schultz to go along with eight others returning from 2017 …   three-time conference regular-season champion (2003, 2005, and 2007) and six-time tournament champion (1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2015) … head coach Greg Jones enters his 18^th season at the Helm of the Warriors and has registered a 650-236-4 (.737) record … achieved a 40-plus victory feat in ten of his 17 seasons during his tenue at Winona State.

No. 10 Minnesota State - Mankato (16-3)
            Series: MSU-M leads, 5-4
North Sun Intercollegiate Conference … First (64-7 overall / 28-2 NSIC) … 2017 National Champions after taking down Angelo State, 5-1, in both games …  picked to finish third by the coaches in the preseason poll … return five of eight All-NSIC (three first-team, one second team, and another golden glove), including first baseman Amber Kral, centerfielder Jessica Meidi (All-American), leftfielder McKenzie Paap (golden glove recipient), right fielder Carly Esselman, and catcher Cori Kennedy (golden glove recipient) … three NFCA and D2CCA as well (Kral, Meidi, and Paap) … loss two pitchers' in Coley Ries (All-American) and Libby Bemis with a combination of 64 wins between the two … eight players return from the title team … brings a 9-0 stand against the MIAA this season (four shutouts and two extra-inning games) …  played two games on the road thus far out of 19 total … won five of the last six North Sun conference titles (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017) and won the tournament for the first-time last season … head coach Lori Meyer heads into her 34^th year at the helm of the Mavericks compiling a record of 1,158-649-3 with 13 appearances in the NCAA tournament and ten 40-plus win seasons.
 
Augustana (11-4)
            Series: AUGIE leads, 13-7
North Sun Intercollegiate Conference … Third (40-16 overall / 21-5 NSIC) … made it to the Central Region 2 finals and loss to Mankato 4-3 twice to end the season …picked second in the NSIC coaches preseason poll … return two of three All-NSIC (one first-team and one second team), including catcher Shannon Peterson (NSIC homerun leader (16)) and pitcher Lexy Pederson (new comer of the year) … lost D2CAA player of the year in shortstop Sarah Kennedy … return preseason player of the year Maggie Kadrlik (catcher) , who suffered a season-ending injury after nine games last season, along with 10 others from last year's squad … besides Mankato, the Vikings are the only team to win the regular-season conference championship outright since the beginning of the decade (2010, 2011, and 2015) and took the tournament title in 2011 as well … won the national title in 1991 before finishing as the runner-up in 1993 … is also undefeated against the MIAA in the early going with a 5-0 record, three of those without allowing a run … come into Fridays action on a 12-game winning streak and face UCM prior to the Lions … head coach Gretta Melsted is in her 13^th season with a record of 425-195 record at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, while recording seven NCAA tournament appearances and six 40-plus win seasons in the last eight seasons.
 
Minnesota Duluth (15-3)
                Series: UMD leads, 0-2
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference … Fourth (35-20 overall / 18-10 NSIC) … fell to Bemidji State to be eliminated from post-season play … chosen to wrap up the 2018 season in fourth according to the preseason poll … retain all three of its All-NSIC honorees (one first-team and two second-team), including second baseman Natalie Wright (Gold Glove), center fielder Hannah Schmoll (Gold Glove), and shortstop Becky Smith … each finish the season with an above .300 batting average to lead the Bulldogs … also return ten others from last year's squad … on a nine-game winning streak and 4-2 against the MIAA thus far … have secured the regular-season NSIC championship in 14 seasons with the last one coming in 2013 and the tournament title in four (1984, 1996, 2000, and 2002) … head coach Jen Walter is in her third season as the leader of the Bulldogs and has led them to back-to-back 35-plus winning seasons.
 
Minot State (12-4)
            Series: First meeting between the two teams
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference … Ninth (25-22 overall / 15-15 NSIC) … picked to finish 11^th in the preseason poll … advanced to the NSIC tournament and posted wins against Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud … bring back ten players from last year's team, but lose first-team center fielder Jordan Grant … the Beavers hired Dave Kivett as the new head coach and graduated from MSU back in 1985 … spent his last 31 years coaching Yucaipa High School in California as well as the Sudden Impact Travel squad (2000-2012).

NFCA Coaches Poll
RANK    SCHOOL                                               POINTS                 RECORD               PREVIOUS
1              Colorado Mesa (12)                                22-0                       394                          1
2              North Georgia (2)                                    26-1                       385                          2
3              Dixie State (2)                                          18-0                       373                          3
4              Angelo State                                           24-1                       350                          4
5              Chico State                                             23-2                       329                          5
6              North Alabama                                        20-2                       325                          6
7              Winona State                                        17-2                        303                          8
8              Southern Arkansas                             19-3                        280                           7
9              Saint Leo                                               20-7                       235                          10
10           Minnesota State                                  16-3                        231                            9
11           Texas A&M-Commerce                       17-3                       220                           11
12           Lenoir-Rhyne                                        19-4                       214                           12
13           Palm Beach Atlantic                              16-2                      198                           13
14           Sonoma State                                        17-7                      178                          15
15           West Texas A&M                                    19-3                      173                          16
16           Indianapolis                                            14-4                      168                          20
17           Concordia Irvine                                      14-5                      131                         19
18           Harding                                                    14-4                      111                         17
19           Queens (N.C.)                                          23-3                       88                         23
20           Southern New Hampshire                       10-0                        87                         NR
21           West Florida                                             14-8                       80                          24
22           UC San Diego                                          19-4                       69                           25
23           Grand Valley State                                   13-5                       66                           NR
24           Merrimack                                                 11-1                       53                           22
25           California Baptist                                      16-3                       37                           NR
 
Receiving Votes:  Valdosta State (22), Tarleton State (22), Southern Indiana (19), UVA Wise (17), Coker (17), Central Oklahoma (15), Cameron (3), Shepherd (2), Le Moyne (2), UAH (2), Minnesota Duluth (1)
 
MIAA Teams and 2017-18 opponents in Bold; Central Region Teams Italicized.
 
Next Stretch
The Lions continues on the road to Warrensburg, Missouri to take on the University of Central Missouri Jennies in MIAA action on Wednesday, March 21 for a double header beginning at 3:00 pm.