BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary softball team (7-33, 5-15 Northern Sun) concludes their 2022 season at home against Minnesota State University – Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul. UMary competes against MSU in a doubleheader on Sunday, May 1, at the Sanford Sports Complex, starting at noon. The Marauders then take on CSP on Monday, May 2, at the UMary Softball Field, beginning at noon.

UMary sits in 13^th place in the NSIC.

About the Opposition
MSU is 40-10 overall and has a 22-4 record in the Northern Sun. The Mavericks are currently on a 14-game winning streak. MSU is in second place in the NSIC. Sophomore infielder Ellie Tallman leads the team in batting average (.400) and on-base percentage (.504). Sophomore catcher Sydney Nielsen leads MSU in slugging percentage (.591) and OPS (1.004). Senior pitcher Mackenzie Ward has been excellent this season as she has a 25-3 record. Ward leads the NSIC in ERA (0.70) and is second in strikeouts (271).

CSP has a 31-12-1 overall record and is 14-10 in the NSIC. The Golden Bears are sixth in the Northern Sun. Senior catcher Amanda Parsons leads the team in batting average (.467), on-base percentage (.519), slugging percentage (.667) and OPS (1.186). Sophomore pitcher Bryanna Olson has a 2.55 ERA and a 17-6 record.

UMary Stats
Haley Berube leads UMary in slugging percentage (.740), on-base percentage (.426), batting average (.433), OPS (1.166), home runs (4) and RBIs (27).

Sariah Perez has an OPS of .971 to go along with an on-base percentage of .420. Perez is tied for first in home runs (4) and is second on the team in RBIs (17).

Erin Murphy is second on the team in batting average (.403) and on-base percentage (.420). Murphy leads the team in steals with eight.

Eryn De Jonge has a .318 batting average and 11 RBIs.

Kennedy Cowart has a .310 batting average and .803 OPS.

Players to Watch
University of Mary infielder Kaylee Kannegiesser and pitcher Emari Evans were named 2022 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Players to Watch for the Marauders as the NSIC released the preseason coaches' poll.

Kannegiesser led the team last season in RBIs as she had had career-high 32 hits while hitting two home runs. She would finish the 2021 season with a .278 batting average and a .688 OPS.

Emari Evans transferred to UMary from Howard University. Evans competed at Shadow Ridge High School, where she was named to the 2019 5A All-Region First Team. She posted a 2.61 ERA during her senior year of high school.

NSIC Preseason Ranking
UMary is projected to finish 13^th in the Northern Sun, according to the NSIC preseason coaches' poll.

New Coach
Frantz enters her first year in charge of the Marauders softball program. She returns to the program as one of the most decorated scholar-athletes in the history of UMary softball. The former All-American was the assistant coach at Bismarck State College last year and was elevated to co-head coach of the Mystics following the season.

Returners
Eryn De Jonge returns after leading the team in batting average (.296). Rachael Laestch returns as a fifth-year senior after leading the team in slugging percentage (.451) while hitting five home runs. Brooke De Jonge, Mckenzie Reinhardt, Haley Berube, Avery Dome, Devyn Ritz, Madison Wszolek, Morgan Diedrich, and Nicole Eckhardt all return for another year in the UMary softball program.

New Faces
UMary brings in six new freshmen to the Marauders softball program. Natasha Stubbs, Erin Murphy, Sariah Perez, Ariana Retuta and Sarah Martin will look to bring an immediate impact to the UMary lineup. Pitcher Hannah Chambers will look to bring a new dynamic to the Marauders pitching staff.

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