MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead softball will open its NSIC Softball Tournament journey with a 12 p.m. game with Winona State. The sixth-seeded Dragons will play on field B at the RYFSA Complex in Rochester, Minn. 

It will be the third time in five days that the Dragons and Warriors will play one another. The third-seeded Warriors defeated the Dragons twice at home in a pair of one-run games on April 29. 

The Dragons are 28-14 this season and have a 16-8 NSIC mark.

MSUM is led by freshman Mack Gallagher, who leads the team in batting average (.435), home runs (10) and RBIs (49) and slugging percentage (.732). Avery Steffen comes in behind Gallagher with a .386 average on the season. In total, MSUM has five other players hitting over .300 this season in Azalya Lopez (.357), Jordey Smith (.355), Evey Evans (.330), Eliya Johnson (.308) and Annika Norman (.307). Gallagher enters the NSIC Tournament six hits shy of surpassing the single-season school hits record as well. On the basepaths, Grace Oeltjen has stolen 13 bases on 13 attempts, which is four shy of tying the single-season school record.

In the circle, Evey Evans leads the Dragons with five saves, a new school record, and a stingy 2.98 ERA. Steffen leads the team with an ERA of 2.70 and has a team-best 42 strikeouts with Reece Dahl striking out 33 batters this season as well. In total, the Dragons have held their opponent to a .286 batting average this season. In the field, MSUM has a team fielding percentage of .957.

Mike Armitage is in his second season as head coach of the Dragons.

About Winona State

The Warriors come in as the number three seed in the NSIC Tournament following a 37-14 season which included an impressive 20-6 ledger in NSIC play. Winona State is led at the plate by junior Abbie Hlas, who is hitting .404 with five home runs and 46 RBIs. Hlas is one of three Warriors to tally 46 RBIs this season as senior Libby Neveau is one of those performers who also leads the team with 16 round-trippers. Freshman Savannah Serdynski leads the Warriors with five stolen bases in five attempts. 

Hlas is also strong in the circle for the Warriors, pitching 131.1 innings so far this season with a 3.04 ERA and 83 strikeouts. Winona State is paced by Abby Smith, who has twirled 158 innings this season with a 2.30 ERA and 90 strikeouts. The Warriors pitching staff has held opponents to a .261 batting average this season. In the field, Winona State offers up a .974 team fielding percentage. 

Greg Jones is in his 23rd season as head coach of Winona State.