GAME NOTES (PDF)
This weekend
No. 7 Augustana (4-1) travels to St. Cloud, Minn., for the Husky Dome Classic. The Vikings will take on St. Cloud State (4-1) at noon and Lewis (2-3) at 2 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, the Vikings will face Upper Iowa (2-5) at noon and Valley City State (3-4) at 2 p.m.
Series Records
The Vikings are 62-30 overall when facing SCSU. Augustana has won the last six matchups, including three last season. Augustana has won all six matchups against Upper Iowa including two last season. The Vikings have outscored Upper Iowa 39-7 in the series. Augustana has never faced Valley City State or Lewis.
Last time out
The Vikings started their season off with a 4-1 record at the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., defeating Western New Mexico, Metro State, Regis and Grand Canyon. The team's only loss was against Sonoma State.
Catchin' Trautt
Janelle Trautmann (Hastings, Minn.) had an impressive showing in her debut as a Viking. The redshirt freshman posted a 2-0 record with a 2.80 ERA from the pitchers circle. From the batter's box, Trautmann continued her onslaught, finishing the weekend with a batting average of .333, including two home runs and four RBIs.
RBI queen
Kelsey Kalkman (Carver, Minn.) went 7-16 at the Desert Stinger with nine RBIs and three runs. Kalkman was selected as an All-NSIC second-team member last season and has 12 putouts in the field.
Winskowski #Winning
Outfielder
Chelsi Winskowski (Elk River, Minn.) enters the 2012 campaign with high hopes. Winskowski led the team last weekend with a .500 batting average. Through five games, Winskowski has a .563 on-base percentage.
All-Desert Stinger
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) and
Chelsi Winskowski (Elk River, Minn.) were named All-Desert Stinger second team Thursday by the tournament host Montana State Billings.Durland, a junior from Maple Plain, Minn., worked 13.1 innings in the circle for the Vikings and went 1-0 on the weekend. She led the team with a 1.58 ERA and earned a save against Western New Mexico. Durland also had two hits, including a home run.A junior outfielder, Winskowski led the Vikings with seven hits, one double and a home run. The native of Elk River, Minn., slugged .786 and had three RBIs.
New kids on the block
Augustana's 2012 roster has four new additions: Sophomore
Jordan Schaffer (Hastings, Minn.) who transfered from St. Cloud State, and freshman
Elissa Reinsma (Slayton, Minn.),
Matley Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) and
E.J. Scharmer (Mankato, Minn.). Schaffer joins the Vikings after playing a year at SCSU, where she started 23 games and had 17 RBIs. Sharmer transferred to from Oakland in Michigan.
About the squad
The Vikings lost only two seniors from last year's NCAA postseason qualifying team. The team now has five seniors and four juniors, all who saw significant playing time last season. Junior
Theresa McMahon (Hartford, S.D.) led the team with 16 home runs last year, tied for first all-time in the single-season school record book. Senior
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) will be valuable for the team this year as she was named to the 2011 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Central Region team. Durland has a 1.58 ERA in five appearances in the early stages of the 2012 campaign. Six of seven Vikings who were named to the 2011 All-NSIC first or second teams are back for 2012.
Jenny Brown (Omaha, Neb.) was an All-NSIC first-team selection and batted .422 to lead the team.
Players to watch
Senior pitcher
Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.) was named as the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Meyer pitched in 40 games last season, posting a 29-7 record with a 1.34 ERA in 241.0 innings pitched. Meyer is 1-1 so far this season with a 4.85 ERA. Senior catcher/infielder
Elizabeth Murray was also named an NSIC “Player to Watch.” Last season, the catcher started all 61 games and was second on the team with a .376 batting average, including 42 RBIs and 68 hits. Murray was named All-NSIC second team last season. After five games at the Desert Stinger, Murray is hitting .400 with six hits and one home run.
National Rankings
Augustana climbed to No. 7 in the latest national poll released Feb. 22. The Vikings were previously ranked No. 8 in the NFCA preseason poll. To view the complete poll, turn to page 6.
Coaches' corner
Gretta Melsted, head coach at Augustana since 2007, has complied an impressive 65-11 record in three seasons of NSIC competition, and is 171-106 overall as she begins her sixth season as head coach. In 2010 and 2011, Melsted was named the NSIC Coach of the Year. Melsted notched his 250th career win last weekend at the Desert Stinger.
Michael Mook is in his third season as a graduate assistant coach for the Augustana softball program, and works primarily with the pitching staff. Graduate assistant Kelsey Thompson is in her second year with the team.
Northern Sun Preseason Coaches Poll
Augustana was ranked No. 1 in NSIC coaches poll released on Jan. 19.
2012 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll
1. Augustana (8) 162
2. Minnesota State (4) 152
3. Winona State (1) 145
4. Minnesota Duluth (1) 133
5. Concordia-St. Paul 117
Wayne State 117
7. U-Mary 87
8. Southwest Minnnesota State 81
9. St. Cloud State 75
10. Northern State 60
11. Upper Iowa 59
12. MSU Moorhead 41
13. Bemidji State 24
14. Minnesota, Crookston 21
