ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Golden Bear softball team (21-17, 15-9 NSIC) will close out the 2021 regular season with a pair of home games this weekend. CSP will host the University of Sioux Falls (20-19, 14-11 NSIC) on Saturday for a doubleheader and Southwest Minnesota State (25-15, 16-10 NSIC) on Sunday for a doubleheader to finish out the regular season. Both game one's are scheduled for a 12 p.m. first pitch. 
 
The NSIC Tournament is scheduled to start Thursday, May 13^th in Rochester, Minnesota. The NSIC Championship game will be played on Saturday, May 15^th in Rochester, Minnesota. 

CSP FAN POLICY
In accordance with MDH guidance, Concordia will be hosting spectators via home and visitor pass lists, submitted by each team. Family and friends must be pre-registered via player pass lists in order to attend. 
 
We ask that fans use the main entrance to Barnes Field only, located in center field of Barnes Field on the south side of the Gangelhoff Center, near Lot C. A designated check-in table will be provided. It is recommended that fans bring their own chair, as seating will be limited to the outfield area. Institutional Fan Protocol (PDF)

WATCH ONLINE - NSIC NETWORK
Powered by the NSIC Network, all Northern Sun home and away baseball games will be broadcast online, free of charge, weather permitting. Visit www.nsicnetwork.com/cspbears to watch the Golden Bears. Away games will feature production by the host institution, while home games are broadcast using BlueFrame Technology with the play-by-play call of Dan Flanagan, voice of the Golden Bears for over a decade. Flanagan is a St. Paul native who professionally trained in broadcasting at Fordham University in New York where he was the voice of the basketball and football teams, among other sports. NSIC Network Announcement & FAQ
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV
The NSIC Network, supported by BlueFrame Technology, is available to download on your favorite OTT providers like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. Simply search for "NSIC" or "NSIC Network" and download the app for a full listing of Northern Sun action on your TV.  NSIC Network Announcement & FAQ
 
WATCH ON THE GO
Download the NSIC Network app in the Google Play Store or the App Store on your Apple device to watch on your smartphone, a new feature from BlueFrame Technology.  NSIC Network Announcement & FAQ
 
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Not able to watch or keep an eye on live stats? Check in on social media by following our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds. Each platform will have different levels of engagement. Twitter will offer scoring updates, Instagram will feature live look-ins and engaging content and Facebook is a great place to get links to previews, recaps and more. Simply search for CSP Bears on any of the platforms and remember to #BeGolden!

LAST TIME OUT 
Concordia played just two games this past weekend. Due to COVID-19 testing protocols, CSP's scheduled games with Northern State (S.D.) were canceled this past Saturday. The Golden Bears traveled to Moorhead, Minnesota to take on the MSUM Dragons this past Sunday. 
 
Sunday, May 2^nd
The Golden Bears took on MSU Moorhead (8-31, 6-19) in a doubleheader this past Sunday. CSP jumped all over the Dragons in game one, they scored nine runs and collected 10 hits in their romp of MSUM. The Dragons awoke in game two, with a big fourth inning they defeated the Golden Bears and split the doubleheader. 
 
GAME ONE BOX SCORE AND RECAP
Concordia-St. Paul 9, MSU Moorhead 0
 
GAME TWO BOX SCORE AND RECAP
Concordia-St. Paul 4, MSU Moorhead 5
 
UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS SERIES HISTORY 
This will be the 17^th and 18^th meeting between the Golden Bears and the Cougars. USF currently holds a 12-4 record against CSP. Their first matchup was back in 2013 and Concordia is 2-8 in their last 10 matchups against Sioux Falls. 

LAST MEETING WITH SIOUX FALLS
4/9/19
GAME 1: SIOUX FALLS 5, CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 1
The Bears struggled to get much offense going in game one, as Sioux Falls held a 14-5 edge in hits allowing the Cougars taking home a 5-1 win. It was a one-run game through the first four innings, with USF holding a 2-1 lead, but the Cougars scored the final three runs of the game to secure the win.

GAME 2: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 10, SIOUX FALLS 5
Concordia's offense was much more active in game two, as every single player in the Bears' starting lineup tallied at least one hit, with five players recording multiple hits. CSP's 17 hits in the game were the most of any game this season leading to a 10-5 win for the Golden Bears.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Sioux Falls is currently 20-19 on the season and 14-11 in the conference. They have split with SMSU, swept Minnesota Crookston, got swept by Bemidji State, swept Wayne State (Neb.), split with Winona State, were swept by Upper Iowa, split with Northern State (S.D.), defeated MSU Moorhead in one game, split with Augustana (S.D.), swept UMary (N.D.) and Minot State (N.D.), swept Minnesota Duluth, and split with St. Cloud State.  
 
As a team the Cougars are hitting .282 with 17 home runs, 180 runs scored, .389 slugging and a .358 on-base percentage. As a team, they have stolen a total of 23 bases.  
 
Senior Katie Humhej is leading the pitching staff with a 4-9 record, a 2.46 ERA, seven complete games, 94 strikeouts in 79.2 innings of work, 14 starts and 16 appearances and she is holding batters to a .238 average. They are led by freshman Damaris Cuevas who is hitting .433 with eight doubles, a .589 slugging percentage and a .475 on-base percentage. Kylan Straight is leading the team with 43 hits and Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag leads the Cougars with five home runs and 31 RBI's. 
 
Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag also leads USF's pitching staff with a 11-8 record, 10 complete games, 107 strikeouts in 126.1 innings of work. 
 
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE SERIES HISTORY
The Golden Bears and the Mustangs will be playing for the 53^rd and 54^th time in program history. SMSU currently holds a slim 28-24 all-time record against CSP. The Golden Bears and Mustangs are 5-5 in their last 10 matchups. 
 
LAST MEETING WITH SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
4/24/19
GAME 1: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 3, SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE 1
The Golden Bears started the day with a 3-1 win over the Mustangs, with junior Samantha Sullivan pitching her ninth complete game of the season.

GAME 2: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 7, SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE 2
Concordia got more offense going in the nightcap, outhitting the Mustangs 9-7 while also capitalizing on two SMSU errors to claim their third straight NSIC sweep. CSP scored in four different innings in the game and pitcher Kali Kaestner held SMSU to only two runs to produce her fifth win in the past six games.

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
SMSU is currently 25-15 with a 16-10 conference record. They have split with Sioux Falls (S.D.), swept Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston, swept Upper Iowa, was swept by Winona State and Augustana (S.D.), split with MSU Moorhead and Northern State (S.D.), swept Wayne State (Neb.), split with Minot State (N.D.), swept UMary (N.D.), was swept by St. Cloud State and they swept Minnesota Duluth. They will play Minnesota State on Saturday before heading to St. Paul. 
 
The Mustangs are hitting .316 as a team with 21 home runs and 207 runs scored. They are slugging .447 with an on-base percentage of .359 as a team. They have stolen a combined 19 bases. They are led by senior Kali Tomlinson who is hitting .407 with 57 hits, 29 runs scored, 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 40 RBI's with a .764 slugging percentage and a .429 on-base percentage.
 
Shelby Bloemendaal leads the Mustangs pitching staff with 102.1 innings pitched and nine complete games. Megan Cull leads the staff with a 12-5 record and 88 strikeouts. 

GOLDEN BEAR TEAM LEADERS
Grace Beseman still leads the team with a .372 batting average which is also 18^th in the NSIC, she also leads the team with 45 hits and 11 doubles. She leads the team with nine home runs which is tied for third in the NSIC, leads the team with 37 RBI's which is 5^th best in the NSIC, carries a .683 slugging percentage which is eighth best in the NSIC, and she has a .398 on-base percentage along with 13 stolen bases. 
 
Clara Heislen is batting .325 with 32 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, five home runs and 18 RBI's, carrying a .512 slugging, .391 on-base percentage, 13 stolen bases and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. 
 
Kris McIntyre is hitting .319 with 31 runs scored, 37 hits and 10 stolen bases. Amanda Parsons has a .318 batting average, 35 hits, 21 runs scored, seven doubles, leads the team with two triples, has five home runs and 22 RBI's for a .555 slugging percentage and a .370 on-base percentage. She is carrying a .996 fielding percentage behind the plate. Aryka Knoche is hitting .291, three home runs and 22 RBI's for a .409 slugging percentage. Hanna Mortenson has driven in 14 runs with two home runs, tied with Parsons with two triples and has a .982 fielding percentage at first base. 
 
Kali Kaestner leads the pitching staff with a 10-6 record, 2.46 ERA in 94 innings of work, 10 complete games and 98 strikeouts with one save. Bryanna Olson is pitching to a 5-6 record with a 3.29 ERA, four complete games and one save in 76.2 innings of work and 76 strikeouts while holding batters to a .248 batting average. Aryka Knoche has a 6-4 record with a 4.16 ERA. Four complete games in 70.2 innings of work while striking out 52 batters.