Softball | 2/18/2016 3:48:00 PM
MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon softball team opens the 2016 season at the Dragon-Beaver Battle which begins Monday in West St. Paul, Minn. at the West St. Paul Dome. While the Dragons will face two conference teams and play two other games against a nonconference opponent at the event, all four contests will count as nonconference games. The Dragons will face Central Lakes College (12 p.m.) and Minnesota Duluth (2 p.m.) on Monday and will face Bemidji State (8 a.m.) and Central Lakes College (10 a.m.) on Tuesday to conclude the two-day stint.
After the four games this week, the Dragons are returning to West St. Paul for the Dragon-Beaver Battle II on March 3-4. The Dragons were 16-27 a year ago and improved their win total for a second straight year. MSUM looks to keep building under
Kelsey Fehl, who is entering her sixth season as the head coach of the Dragon program. The team returns experience on the mound, as seniors
Morgan Nybo (12-15, 4.54 ERA) and
Kristen Nordby (3-10, 5.40 ERA) return as starters. Redshirt freshman
Gabby Williams and freshman
Aunica Novacek could also see time on the mound.
"We are going to rely heavily on our veteran pitchers who have a lot of experience," Fehl said.
The team returns five upperclassmen who were in the top seven in hitting in the team last year: center fielder
Carly Williamson, second baseman/pitcher Nordby, third baseman/designated hitter
Kristina Villalobos, left fielder
Kristy Bruni, and first baseman
Lauren Meeker. Combined, the five accounted for 15 of the team's 33 home runs and 75 of the team's 155 RBI. Williamson (.327 BA), Norbdy (.324 BA), and Villalobos (.304 BA) all had over .300 batting averages for the Dragons last season and Norbdy paced the team with a .577 slugging percentage.
Along with Bruni, Williamson, Nybo, Nordby, Meeker, and Villalobos, the Dragons return right fielder
Hannah Klug, who hit .250 for the Dragons last season with six RBI, and
Jill Fox, who saw a lot of time in the infield last season and will play at second base when Nordby pitches.
"We've got a good core of returners that should set the table offensively," Fehl said.
In the infield, the Dragons look to replace last season's offensive leader and starting catcher
Brittany York as well as one of the top offensive performers and starting shortstop
Taylor Huss. Freshman
Savanah Tweet looks to fill York's big shoes behind the plate as
Megan Asham serves as backup. Freshman
Taylor Roddie will be taking over at shortstop this year. The rest of the infield remains the same with junior
Lauren Meeker, who hit .273 batting average and all 43 games started, starting at first base and Becca Otsby as backup, Norbdy and Fox splitting time at second, and Villalobos at third, though freshman
Morgan Anderson is battling her for the position. Sophomore
Sydney Beck (17 games started) provides depth at the second base, shortstop and third base.
The outfield loses 43-game starter
Mollie Annen, and looks to replace her with Klug in right field, who started 29 games a season ago. Williamson, who started every game and had the second highest batting average on the team last season, will be moving to center field and Bruni, the .299 hitter in 33 games started last year will be rounding out the outfield most likely in left. Freshman Kylie Bartholomay and Novacek will provide depth in the outfield for MSUM.
About Central Lakes College: This is only the second season in the Raider softball program's history. They finished 8-20 in 2015 season under Head Coach Don Tizzano.
About Minnesota-Duluth: The Bulldogs have started the season 1-3 after going 33-22 in 2015. Sophomore Hannah Schmoll led the team in batting average as a freshman last year and hit .411 with a homer and 20 RBI while junior Becky Smith had a .349 BA, 11 home runs, and a team-high 56 RBI. In the circle the Bulldogs will look to senior lefty Sam Hartman's experience, who posted a 3.50 ERA in 150 innings pitched last season. Jen Walter is in her first season as UMC's head coach.
About Bemidji State: Bemidji State is coming off of an 18-30 season. Senior outfielder Lyndsey Peterson hit .362 while starting in all 48 games for the Beavers. She led the team with nine home runs and 30 RBI a year ago. Junior Jessica Yost tied Peterson for the team lead with 30 RBI for Bemidji State. On the mound, Yost was 12-13 with a 2.80 ERA a year ago while Senior Jenna Maassingill was 1-7 with a 6.47 ERA. Rick Supinski is in his fourth season as Bemidji State's head coach.
