ST. PAUL, Minn. - Following a 14-11 non-conference season, the Concordia-St. Paul softball team turns its sights to Northern Sun play, starting this Tuesday with a doubleheader at Minnesota State (11-7). The game was originally scheduled at home, but will now be played under the Maverick All-Sports Dome in Mankato with game times at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

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 their non-conference slate of games last weekend with five games under the Husky Dome in St. Cloud. After a slow start to the season, CSP has been able to find their rhythm down the stretch in March. Concordia enters Tuesday's matchup with MSU on a three game winning streak and winners of eight of their last ten. 

Concordia holds a 126-113 scoring margin on .262/.339/.426 team hitting, while holding opponents to  .288/.373/.407, with strong advantages in triples (7-2) and home runs (22-14). On the defensive side, the Golden Bears are 1st in the NSIC in double plays turned per game, with nine in 25 games. The pitching staff's 3.84 team ERA is sixth in the conference.

Offensively, CSP is second in the league in home runs (22) and home runs per game (0.88), behind conference leader Augustana. Concordia's seven triples rank fifth in the NSIC.

INDIVIDUAL NON-CONFERENCE STANDOUTS
Right handed pitcher Bryanna Olson has been on a strong run through non-conference play. The junior leads the NSIC in wins (9), strikeouts (86), and complete games (9). Olson holds a 3.58 ERA and has limited opposing batters to a .259 average.

Erica McCullough is 4-2 on the season and leads the team with a 2.92 ERA. Her four complete games are the eighth most in the conference. 

Junior pitcher Kristi Pilz has been the only CSP arm to be named NSIC pitcher of the week so far in 2023. In weekend appearances against Wheeling and Ferris State, Pilz threw for a 0.68 ERA, holding the Cardinals and Bulldogs to a .184 average.

At the plate, Clara Heislen has led the Golden Bears in hits (23) and is second in the NSIC in home runs (6) behind Augustana's Kennedy Buckman. Heislen's 20 RBI's puts her at sixth in the conference. 

Annalise Scamehorn holds the top qualifying batting average on the team (.327) and has been the fourth hardest player in the conference to strikeout, getting set down just once every 26 at-bats. 

It's been a deep roster early in the season, with every player getting into at least 12 games and 11 different players making starts throughout the 21 games.

SERIES HISTORY: MSU 39, CSP 17
The Golden Bears and Mavericks will meet for a 57th and 58th time this Tuesday, with MSU holding a 22-game lead in the all-time series. Minnesota State has won the last four outings, shutting out CSP in three of those games. Concordia is 7-14 in road games against the Mavericks and 8-18 in Northern Sun league contests since MSU joined the NSIC in 2009.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State has not had a game since March 9 and has had their last six games canceled due to weather. The Mavericks are led by the NCAA's winningest head coach Lori Meyer. The 39-year MSU coach won her 1,341st on February 19th against Emporia State and has since increased that number to 1,346.  

MSU's combined ERA of 1.40 ranks fifth in the nation and first in the NSIC. The Maverick pitching staff also own the best strikeout to walk ration (4.42) and WHIP (1.14). Minnesota State has two ace pitchers in McKayla Armbruster and Sophia Del Vecchio. Their respective ERA's are 1.03 and 1.06 which ranks 23rd and 25th in the nation and first and second in the NSIC with a combined 69 strikeouts 

MSU has speed on the bases and are third in the NSIC on stolen bases with 40 and triples with eight. The offense is led by Kylie Sullivan's .352/.462/.667 hitting line with 11 walks, three doubles, a triple, three homers and 12 runs scored.