Huskies to play first outdoor games in over a year

ST. CLOUD, MINN. - The St. Cloud State University softball team is going to play outside.

It's true. There isn't a typo. The hips aren't lying. St. Cloud State is about to play softball outside for the first time March 12, 2020.

After opening the 2021 season in the comforts of the Husky Dome, the Huskies are set to compete in Warrensburg, Missouri where they will take on Northeastern State University and the University of Central Missouri this upcoming Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's games against the Riverhawks and Jennies are set to occur at 12 and 2 p.m., and Sunday's games are scheduled for the exact same time.

The games are part of the HyVee Classic, which is usually hosted by Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Due to inclement weather in the state of Missouri, teams were split and sent to three different sites throughout the state and will play at least four games over the course of the three-day weekend. St. Cloud State, Sioux Falls, Concordia-St. Paul and Northeastern were sent to Central Missouri, while other teams will compete in St. Joseph, Missouri and Emporia, Kansas.

Live stats will be available for all four Huskies softball games over the weekend, but there will be no video. Score updates will be made to the team's official Twitter account (@SCSUHUSKIES_SB) when possible.

Here are the five things to know before this weekend's trip to the HyVee Classic:

373 - A grand total of 373 days will have passed since the last time St. Cloud State played a softball game outside. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Huskies last played an outdoor game on March 12, 2020 when they swept La Moyne College and Bentley University in their final games of a spring break trip to Florida. Upon the team's return to Minnesota, the entirety of the 2020 season was cancelled, including the fall.

2 - With its sweep of Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) last weekend, St. Cloud State improved to 10-0 on the season and is one of just two teams in Division II to remain undefeated having played 10+ games in 2021. Thanks to their record, the Huskies once again received votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 poll and have been for the past few weeks.

6 - After another explosive weekend, St. Cloud State ranks top-10 in the nation in six different categories, including batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage and team earned run average (ERA). Through 10 games, the Huskies are hitting .411 as a team, which ranks fourth amongst all Division II teams, while their team slugging percentage of .646 ranks fifth. St. Cloud State has also posted a .505 on base percentage (OBP), which ranks sixth in the nation through the first month of the season.

1.18 - In addition to a strong offense, the Huskies pitching staff has been absolutely dominant through 10 games, posting a combined ERA of 1.18, a number that ranks eighth in Division II. Their strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.00 also ranks eighth in the nation, while their .75 WHIP ranks fifth.

150 - Junior ace Sydney LaPoint (Green Bay, Wis. / Bay Port) is a key reason why the Huskies pitching staff has had so much success this season. So far this season, LaPoint has garnered a .89 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 15 innings of work and leads the team in total strikeouts (26) and fewest hits allowed (7). More impressive, perhaps, is the career milestones LaPoint has already hit in her short career, as she eclipsed the 150 career strikeouts mark thanks to last weekend's 11-K performance against the Mustangs.

Saint Cloud State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sydney LaPoint

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