MOORHEAD, Minn. -- 10th-seeded MSU Moorhead softball is set to embark on its postseason journey in an NSIC Tournament first round meeting with seventh-seeded Minot State. First pitch from Sioux Falls, S.D. is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Live video and stats will be available at msumdragons.com and northernsun.org. The NSIC tournament will be streamed on the NSIC Network for a charge of $10 per game or $25 for a tournament pass. FAQ and troubleshooting information is available on the NSIC Network Help page. 

The First Pitch

Getting The Job Done...MSUM entered the final weekend of the regular season on the outside looking in regarding the NSIC Tournament. After a split with Bemidji State on Saturday, MSUM used a sweep of Minnesota Crookston on Sunday to move into the postseason tournament. It is the third straight year the Dragons have qualified for the NSIC Tournament after missing the postseason the prior 15 seasons. 

EJ! EJ! EJ!...Senior Eliya Johnson has been nearly unstoppable over the last eight games, clipping a .592 batting average with 14 RBIs. The senior was named the NSIC's Player of the Week last week for her efforts. Against Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston, Johnson combined for nine total hits, including six against the Beavers on Saturday. The Coon Rapids, Minn., native also drove in the eventual game-winning run in game two against the Golden Eagles on Sunday. For the season, Johnson is hitting for an impressive .333 average with a team-best 35 RBIs and six home runs. 

In Rarefied Air...Simply put, senior Avery Steffen is having one of the best individual campaigns ever by a Dragon softball player in 2025. Steffen reset the single-season school record for hits this past weekend with her total standing at a whopping 74 hits. The Zumbrota, Minn., native has already set single-season school records   in stolen bases (29), triples (8) and runs scored (50). Steffen enters the NSIC Tournament with a .409 batting average, including a .422 clip in NSIC games, making her just the seventh player in program history to hit for a .400 average in a single season. Steffen's .355 career batting average is currently the best in program history by nine percentage points. 

Norm!...Not to be outdone, fellow senior Annika Norman is only adding to her illustrious Dragon career in 2025. The Geneva, Ill., native is hitting for a .353 average so far this season with 61 total hits. In her career, Norman has a program record 175 hits, tallying a career batting average of .314. Norman also continues to build on her career games school record, having played and started in 191st career game on Sunday. 

The Right Balance...Sophomore pitcher Teagan Clemmons has been superb for the Dragons so far this season, accumulating a 4.01 ERA in 110 innings of work. What is most impressive about Clemmons is her location in the circle. So far in 2025, Clemmons has struck out a total of 101 batters, compare that to just 35 walks allowed. The only other pitcher in the Northern Sun this season with 100+ strikeouts and less than 36 walks is reigning NSIC Pitcher of the Year, Grace Glanzer. 

Vanessa Kellems is in her first season as MSUM's head softball coach. 

Scouting Minot State

The Beavers (27-24, 15-13 NSIC) enter Wednesday's contest having lost their last four contests after being swept by both St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth to end the regular season. MSUM and Minot State have met four times this season with the Beavers winning three of the four games, most recently a doubleheader sweep on April 9. The Dragons lone victory over the Beavers this season came in the first game of the year, a 3-0 win on January 31. 

As a collective, Minot State holds a team batting average of .265 led by junior Anna LaCount, who is hitting for a .368 clip. LaCount holds a team-high 56 hits this season as well as seven home runs and 28 RBIs. Junior Sara Van Wickler is hitting .331 for the Beavers this season, including a team-high 12 doubles on the year while infielder Taylor Smith hits for a .327 mark with 19 RBIs. Junior infielder Paige Kellogg leads the Beavers with 30 RBIs to go along with a .318 batting average. 

Minot State relied heavily on a pair of arms in the circle, led by senior Reegan Floyd. The senior holds a 13-10 overall record in 2025 with a 2.20 ERA and 112 strikeouts. Fellow senior Jasmine Blizzard has been equally as impressive, holding an identical 2.20 ERA and holding 12 wins with 80 strikeouts. The pair has held opposing batters to just a .264 batting average so far this season. In the field, Minot State offers up a collective .971 fielding percentage, the second-best mark in the Northern Sun. 

Sal Rodriguez is in his second season as Minot State's head softball coach. 

Need To Know - NSIC Tournament

Entrance/Admission: Bowden Field will open for spectators one hour prior to the first game of the day. There are two spectator entrances to Bowden Field, one located at the northwest corner of the Elmen Center parking lot and the other located on the south side of 33rd Street between Shoeneman Apartments & the Elmen Center. Day and tournament passes will be available for purchase at the Bowden Field ticket booth with cash & credit card options for payment.
 
Parking: Spectators are encouraged to park in the Elmen Center parking lot off of S. Grange Ave.
 
Concessions: Concessions will be available with cash & credit card options for payment.
 
Bowden Field Policies

• NO pets are allowed in Bowden Field; service animals are welcome.
• Spectators are NOT allowed to bring coolers into Bowden Field.