ST. PAUL, Minn. - Following a program-best non-conference season with a 17-2-1 start through 20 games, Concordia-St. Paul will turn its sights to Northern Sun play, starting this Tuesday with a 10:30 a.m. doubleheader at #16 Minnesota State (18-6), with the game staying on MSU's campus but relocating indoors to the Maverick All-Sport Dome.

The doubleheader will be streamed live on the NSIC Network by MSU athletics, with live stats also provided to follow along.

NON-CONFERENCE WRAPPED
The Golden Bears wrapped up the most successful non-conference performance in the program's Division II history (2000-present), with a 17-2-1 record that included a stretch of play where CSP allowed just one run in seven games with six shutouts. Much of CSP's early season dominance has also come at the expense of regional opposition, as well, holding a 7-1 record against MIAA squads.

Concordia holds a 118-56 scoring margin on .326/.394/.492 team hitting, holding opponents to just .245/.334/.318, with strong advantages in doubles (34-14), homers (18-7), and stolen bases (27-9) with CSP's backstop Amanda Parsons throwing out eight attempted stealers while allowing just nine stolen bases. Sticking on the defensive side, the Golden Bears are also 12th in the country in double plays turned per game, with 10 in 20 games, leading the Northern Sun while the pitching staff's sterling 1.91 team ERA is 19th in the nation and second in the Northern Sun, trailing only Tuesday's opponent, MSU (1.82) while leading the league with seven shutouts, 19th most in the country.

Five different Golden Bears have at least 10 RBIs and CSP's top four statistical hitters have produced a minimum of a .354/.455/.643 (avg/obp/slg) slash line and hold at least a 1.101 OPS.

Offensively, CSP ranks second in the league in doubles per game, stolen bases per game and slugging percentage, third in batting average and runs per game, fourth in on base percentage and fifth in home runs.

INDIVIDUAL NON-CONFERENCE STANDOUTS
Right handed pitcher Bryanna Olson has been on a strong run through non-conference play, winning 11 straight decisions with four saves after a 1-run loss on opening day. In 16 appearances (12 starts), she is 11-1 with four saves, a 1.66 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 80 innings. Her four saves are second in the nation and lead the NSIC, just one save shy of the national leader and her 11 wins trail the NSIC leader, Mackenzie Ward of MSU, by just one.

Offensively, third baseman Grace Beseman is a top-25 hitter nationally, hitting .467 (28-60) on the year with nine walks and just three strikeouts, getting on base at a .514 clip while her five home runs and 19 RBIs lead the team, producing a team-best .750 slugging percentage with five stolen bases. She ranks in the league's top-10 virtually every hitting statistic, as well, and is coming off of an NSIC Player of the Week performance against NW Missouri State and Missouri Southern State slugging three home runs in a 4-0 weekend.

She's not alone, as Amanda Parsons, a senior catcher, is hitting .429/.515/.643 (1.158 OPS) with six doubles, two home runs and tremendous defensive and game calling behind the plate, often batting cleanup behind Beseman in the third spot.

Alexus Houston has developed into one of CSP's top producers, as well, predominantly batting second with a .412/.455/.725 hitting line including four home runs and 6-7 base stealing.

Leadoff hitter and center fielder Clara Heislen continues to set the table as well as produce runs, with a strong .354 batting average backed up by a team-leading 10 walks and only seven strikeouts for a .455 on base percentage, stealing 6-of-7 while delivering power with a team-high seven doubles and matching Houston's four home runs for second on the team, crossing the plate a team-high 20 times.

It's been a deep roster early in the season, with every player getting into at least four games and recording at least three plate appearances with 14 different players making starts throughout the 20 games. Newcomer Sydney Pelzer is tied for third on the team with 16 RBIs, playing second base in her first year.

Joining Olson in the circle, left hander Erica McCullough has produced a 3-1 record in eight appearances including six starts with a pair of shutouts and a 2.90 ERA while Kristi Pilz is 3-0 in seven appearances (two starts) and a 1.42 ERA and Afton Zemke worked a shutout inning in her first appearance.

SERIES HISTORY: MSU 37, CSP 17
The Golden Bears and Mavericks will meet for a 55th and 56th time this Tuesday, with MSU holding a 20-game lead in the all-time series. CSP and MSU have split the last four outings, however, with CSP sweeping MSU in 2019 in Roseville, before the Mavericks bounced back to sweep CSP last year at Carlander Field. Concordia is 7-12 in road game against the Mavericks and 8-16 in Northern Sun league contests since MSU joined the NSIC in 2009.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State has ascended to #16 in the country behind the pitching of Mackenzie Ward, ranked 11th in the nation and second in the NSIC with 132 strikeouts in 17 appearances while leading the league with the 10th-ranked ERA in the nation (0.86) in 89.1 innings. She holds opponents to a .168 average and has a league-high 12 wins while earning NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors four weeks in a row.

The offense is led by Kylie Sullivan's .371/.476/.643 (26-70) hitting line with 10-11 stolen bases, 14 walks, eight doubles, three homers and 19 runs scored. Sydney Nielsen, the NSIC Player of the Week, is hitting .368/.424/.592 (28-76) with a team-high 22 runs while adding four home runs nad 15 RBIs. Madi Newman is the team's top run producer with 27 RBIs on six doubles, five homers and a .360/.432/.640 (27-75) slash line.

The Mavericks have six players with at least an .805 OPS on the season among qualified regulars.