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This week
No. 18 Augustana (45-8) begins postseason play this week at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament in Rochester, Minn. Augustana is the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 seeded Northern State in the first round on Thursday at 1 p.m.
The series
The Vikings are 17-3 all-time versus Northern State, and
Gretta Melsted has a 8-1 record against the Wolves. Augustana split with NSU earlier this season.
Last time out
The Vikings split against Wayne State to end the regular season. The Vikings lost 1-0 in Game 1 and won 3-2 in Game 2.
Finishing strong
Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.) hit .583 (7 for 12) in four games last week including two doubles and a home run to close out the regular season. Murray had a 1.000 slugging percentage and .583 on-base percentage to help the Vikings go 3-1. In addition, Murray added two runs scored, a stolen base and two sacrifice bunts.
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.) had a 0.00 ERA with two saves in four appearances to close out her regular season. Durland threw 8.0 innings and allowed six hits while striking out six. Against Wayne State, Durland threw 2.0 innings and struck out four batters to earn her 12th save of the season.
Rookie rampage
Jenelle Trautmann (Hastings, Minn.) has impressed in her first season with the Vikings, leading the team in slugging percentage (.703), hits (66), RBIs (48) and total bases (116).
Top heavy
Augustana and Minnesota State are at the top of nearly every offensive category in the NSIC. Augustana is first in on-base percentage (.392), hits (230), doubles (46) and sacrifice flies (9). The Vikings are tied for first in home runs (27) and total bases (357), and second in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.511), runs scored (227), RBIs (134) and plate appearances (807).
End of an ERA
Ashley Meyer (Rapid City, S.D.) has been one of the most impressive pitchers in the history of Augustana and is currently sixth in career wins (71), appearances (96), starts (90) and shutouts (18) and seventh in walks allowed per game (1.44) and strikeouts per game (5.76).
Viking Power
The Vikings have 60 team home runs in 53 games this season and have a chance of breaking the team record for home runs in a season of 72 set in 2011. Team leaders in home runs are as follows:
Theresa McMahon 13
Jenelle Trautmann 12
Elizabeth Murray 9
Matley Jones 7
Kelsey Kalkman 5
Lindsay Spanton 5
Chelsi Winskowski 3
Taylor Kapsch 3
Chelsey Durland 2
Brittany Coufal 1
Walk this way
Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.) is leading the team with 31 walks this season, and
Theresa McMahon (Hartford, S.D.) is close behind with 25. Augustana's 142 team walks are fourth all-time at Augustana. Augustana's 2010 team set the record with 165 free trips.
Ms. Ironman
The Vikings have had three players start all 53 games this season:
Jenelle Trautmann (Hastings, Minn.),
Chelsi Winskowski (Elk River, Minn.) and
Elizabeth Murray (Cottage Grove, Minn.). Four Vikings have started in 52 games:
Jenny Brown (Omaha, Neb.),
Lindsay Spanton (Apple Valley, Minn.),
Kelsey Kalkman (Carver, Minn.) and
Chelsey Durland (Maple Plain, Minn.).
Run fast
Chelsi Winskowski's (Elk River, Minn.) 16 stolen bases this season has placed her at No. 10 in the single-season record book.
Region Rankings
Augustana climbed one spot to No. 2 in the latest Central Region rankings released Wednesday by the NCAA:
Rank School DII Region
1 Minnesota State 36-7 27-6
2 Augustana 38-7 28-7
3 Winona State 35-6 27-6
4 CSU-Pueblo 24-13 24-13
5 Minnesota Duluth 31-17 27-15
6 Colorado Mesa 23-17 23-17
7 Concordia-St. Paul 23-18 13-17
8 Wayne State 25-19 18-16
9 Colorado Christian 25-20 23-15
10 Colorado Mines 25-20 25-20
National Rankings
Augustana sits at No. 18 in the latest national poll released April 18. The Vikings have been as high as No. 8 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll and have been ranked all season. To view the complete poll, turn to page 6.
Coaches' corner
Gretta Melsted, head coach at Augustana since 2007, has complied an impressive 87-15 record in just more than three seasons of NSIC competition, and is 211-113 (292-204 career) overall as she begins her sixth season as head coach at Augustana. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Melsted was named the NSIC Coach of the Year. Melsted notched her 250th career win at the Desert Stinger and her 200th win at Augustana earlier this season.
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 season with the team.
