St. Cloud State
Minnesota State University - Mankato
Softball returns to action at Minnesota State, Concordia-St. Paul
4/16/2021 1:00:00 PM | Softball
ST. CLOUD, MINN. - The St. Cloud State University softball team received an unexpected break in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play last week. The Huskies were forced to sit out their series against the University of Mary and Minot State due to COVID-19 protocols. After a week of rest and work, St. Cloud State is returning to competition, as the team faces No. 18 Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul this upcoming Saturday and Sunday.Â
After opening the conference season with four consecutive home doubleheaders, the Huskies will play their first road games in NSIC play this weekend, as they take on the Mavericks on Saturday and Golden Bears Sunday. Saturday's games in Mankato, Minnesota are slated to start at 12 and 2 p.m., while Sunday's game will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota at 1 and 3 p.m. All games will be available for viewing on the NSIC Network, and live stats will be available at both team's respective websites.Â
Here are the five things to know before this weekend's NSIC doubleheaders:
18 - Minnesota State has been ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II top-25 poll for the past four weeks after a strong start to the 2021 season. The Mavericks are 17-6 overall and 8-4 in NSIC play thanks to a two-game sweep of No. 13 Winona State back on April 6. Additionally, Minnesota State is one of three teams ranked in the top-25 this week, joining Augustana (No. 1) and Winona State (No. 21) in the national rankings.Â
5 - While the Mavericks are one of the hottest teams in the NSIC this season, Concordia-St. Paul has struggled in recent weeks. The Golden Bears are 1-5 in their last six games but are 7-5 in NSIC play thanks to a six-game win streak to open the 2021 conference season. Concordia-St. Paul swept Minot State, Mary and Upper Iowa in its first NSIC doubleheaders before suffering sweeps at the hands of Augustana and Minnesota State.Â
.386/2.27 - Despite missing a weekend of competition, St. Cloud State still leads the NSIC in team batting average, as the Huskies have put together a .386 clip in 22 games. Additionally, St. Cloud State's pitching staff ranks second in the conference in team earned run average (ERA), as the staff has posted a 2.27 ERA through its first 22 games this season.Â
1.99 - Only one team has a better combined ERA than the Huskies, and it's none other than the Mavericks. Through 25 games this season, Minnesota State's pitching staff has compiled a 1.99 ERA, surrendering just 48 earned runs in 169.0 innings of work. Leading the way is team ace Mackenzie Ward, who currently leads the conference in ERA (1.28), strikeouts (153) and complete games (10) and ranks second in total wins (11) in 2021. Additionally, Ward has surrendered just 19 runs this season, and only 16 of those have been earned.Â
2 - Only two student-athletes for Concordia-St. Paul are hitting over .300 this season: Grace Beseman and Clara Heislen. Beseman leads the team with a .366 batting average in 2021, talling 30 hits in 82 at bats for the Golden Bears with a team-leading seven home runs and 23 RBI. Heislen ranks second in batting average (.337), hits (28), on base percentage (.398), RBI (15), home runs (5) and total bases (47) in 2021
