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This week
No. 22 Augustana (23-4, 3-1 NSIC) will host four doubleheaders over the next six days at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.
How it breaks down
The Vikings will host Southwest Minnesota State (12-8, 3-1 NSIC) on Wednesday and the University of Sioux Falls (4-2) on Thursday. Each doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m. Augustana will play Bemidji State (6-13, 0-4 NSIC) on Saturday beginning at noon and Minnesota Duluth (18-14, 2-2 NSIC) on Sunday, also at noon.
The series
Augustana holds winning records in every series they will play this week. The Vikings are 41-11 against SMSU and 10-1 when facing USF. Augustana has never lost against BSU (9-0) and are 38-12 against UMD, including two non-conference games earlier this season.
Gretta Melsted's series records are as follows:
Southwest Minnesota State 6-5
University of Sioux Falls 4-0
Bemidji State University 6-0
Minnesota Duluth 10-4
Last time out
The Vikings went 3-1 to start NSIC play this past weekend. Augustana split a doubleheader against Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D on March 24 and swept U-Mary in Bismarck, N.D on March 25.
Throwing heat
Jenelle Trautmann (Hastings, Minn.) is leading the team with 57 strikeouts in 14 games started. Trautmann's season high came on March 19 against Mount Vernon Nazarene when she picked up eight Ks in the win.
Where hits go to die
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) recorded 32 putouts last weekend against Northern State University and U-Mary. Durland has 136 putouts this season.
When it counts
As a team, Augustana is 9 for 13 when pinch hitting.
Chelsi Winskowski (Elk River, Minn.) is a perfect 4 for 4 off the bench, while
Elissa Reinsma (Slayton, Minn.), who leads the team in pinch-hitting appearances with six, is batting .500.
Getting on the board
The Vikings have scored first in 24 games so far this season, and are 22-2 when doing so. Augustana is only 1-2 when allowing its opponents to cross the plate before them.
Strength of arm
Kelsey Kalkman (Carver, Minn.) filled in at catcher over the weekend for two games and threw out four runners who were attempting to steal second base.
The closer
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) has 20 appearances in the circle for the season, but has thrown only in the later innings of the game. Durland has a 1.44 ERA in 34.0 innings pitched and has only given up seven earned runs while striking out 37. She earned her third save over the weekend.
Home cooking
Augustana was 23-4 at home last season and returns to Bowden Field this for the first time in 2012.
Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.) was 16-4 at home last season and didn't lose at Bowden until tournament play.
Taking care of business
Twenty-seven games into the season, the Vikings are 133 of 410 (.324) at the plate with runners on base and 90 of 245 (.367) with runners in scoring position. Team leaders with runners in scoring position are
Matley Jones (Lincoln, Neb.), hitting .636, and
Chelsi Winskowski (Elk River, Minn.), hitting .563.
Viking Power
The Vikings have 30 team home runs in 27 games this season. The Vikings are currently on pace to break the team record for home runs in a season of 72, set in 2011. Team leaders in home runs are as follows:
Jenelle Trautmann 9
Matley Jones 5
Theresa McMahon 3
Chelsi Winskowski 3
Kelsey Kalkman 4
Elizabeth Murray 2
Lindsay Spanton 2
Chelsey Durland 1
Taylor Kapsch 1
Players to watch
Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.) was named 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 10-2 so far this season with a 1.42 ERA. Senior catcher/infielder
Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.) also was 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 27 games this season, Murray is hitting .278 with 16 hits and 11 RBIs.
National Rankings
Augustana rose to No. 22 in the latest national poll released March 20. The Vikings were previously ranked No. 23 in the March 14 poll, No. 15 in the March 7 poll, No. 7 in the Feb. 29 and Feb. 22 polls and 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 68-12 record in just more than three seasons of NSIC competition, and is 190-109 (270-200) overall as she begins her sixth season as head coach at Augustana. In 2010 and 2011, Melsted was named the NSIC Coach of the Year. Melsted notched her 250th career win 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.
