2024 season closes with three games against South Dakota State

THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES

The Tommies and South Dakota State will play three games in two days this weekend, a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
The opening games of the series are scheduled for 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Brookings, South Dakota
Sunday's game is set for a 11:00 a.m. first pitch.
The Tommies come in with a 16-32 (8-7 Summit) record after a sweep of conference foe South Dakota, a loss on the road to Iowa State, and a two-game sweep of Green Bay at home last week.
South Dakota State (28-18, 11-0 Summit) is currently riding a 15-game win streak after a dominant 7-0 performance against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They are undefeated in conference and have outscored Summit League opponents 63 to 6.
The Jackrabbits are led offensively by a three-headed monster of Lindsey Culver, Mia Jarecki, and Emma Osmundson, each with an OPS of over 1.000. They have combined for 158 hits, 36 doubles, six triples, and 23 homeruns (more than Omaha, South Dakota, Kansas City, and North Dakota). The team overall leads in nearly every offensive category in the Summit League.
Tori Kniesche has continued her complete dominance of college softball in her final season with 113 innings pitched and a 1.73 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 161 strikeouts to 45 walks and a .157 batting average against. She has pitched three no-hitters this season.

WHERE TO WATCH

All three games against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits will be video streamed on the Summit League Network by Midco Sports Plus and can be found HERE.

SERIES HISTORY

South Dakota State has won each of the first six matchups between the two teams, outscoring the Tommies 39-2.

TOMMIES IN THE SUMMIT LEAGUE

Kaitlyn Raymond 7^th in AVG (.329)
Avery Wukawitz 13^th in AVG (.304)
Ella Cook 15^th in AVG (.295)
Avery Wukawitz 6^th in OPS (.960)
Ella Cook 9^th in OPS (.930)
Christina Crawford 12^th in OPS (.846)
Kaitlyn Raymond 5^th in runs scored (32)
Avery Wukawitz T-7^th in runs scored (30)
Laken Lienhard T-11^th in runs scored (25)
Kaitlyn Raymond 6^th in hits (46)
Avery Wukawitz T-13^th in hits (38)
Laken Lienhard T-4^th in doubles (11)
Avery Wukawitz 6^th in doubles (10)
Ella Cook, T-9^th in doubles (8)
Kaitlyn Raymond T-2^nd in triples (3)
Wukawitz, Lienhard T-14^th in triples (1)
Ella Cook T-2^nd in HR (8)
Wukawitz T-4^th in HR (7)
Abbi Stierlen T-9^th in HR (5)
Carby and Klein T-15^th (4)
Ella Cook 3^rd in RBI (35)
Stierlen, Carby T-12^th in RBI (21)
Avery Wukawitz T-5^th in total bases (71)
Ella Cook 10^th in total bases (65)
Kaitlyn Raymond 13^th in total bases (57)
Ella Cook 4^th in SLUG (.580)
Avery Wukawitz T-5^th in SLUG (.568)
Christina Crawford 9^th in SLUG (.500)
Laken Lienhard 1^st in walks (29)
Cassidy Carby and Abbi Stierlen T-7^th in walks (18)
Laken Lienhard 7^th in OBP (.416)
Avery Wukawitz 10^th in OBP (.392)
Kaitlyn Raymond 13^th in OBP (.382)
Avery Wukawitz 1^st in stolen bases (14)
Kaitlyn Raymond ^T-2nd in stolen bases (13)
Christina Crawford T-1^st in CG (13)
Christina Crawford 4^th in IP (134.1)

So Long, Seniors
Brooke Betson, #8

Native of Regina, Saskatchewan
Psychology major
Recipient of multiple academic awards including 2022 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete
Played in 42 games, 1 hit (a double), 14 runs scored, one walk, and one run driven in with three stolen bases.

Maddie Grad, #2

Native of Bismarck, North Dakota
Exercise Science major with a minor in biology
Made the 2022 Summit League Academic Honor Roll list
Played in 108 games with 40 hits, four home runs, 38 runs scored, 16 runs driven in, 22 walks, seven stolen bases.
Top-10 in DI program history in games started, at-bats, runs scored, hits, triples, total bases, home runs, and stolen bases.
Converted 257 putouts, 65 assists, and 16 runners caught stealing behind home plate

Kenzie Miller, #4

Chanhassen, Minnesota native
Exercise Science major with minors in nutrition and psychology
Recipient of multiple academic awards including 2022 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete
Played in 113 games with 101 at-bats, 28 runs scored, 18 hits, three home runs, seven walks, 13 runs driven in, and seven stolen bases while recording 52 putouts and two assists in the outfield
Top-10 in DI program history in runs and stolen bases

Sydney Mickett, #9

Native of Prior Lake, Minnesota
Human Resources Major
Recipient of multiple academic awards including 2022 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete
Played in 128 games with 166 at-bats, 21 runs scored, 37 hits, 43 total bases, 25 walks, 16 runs driven in, and six stolen bases while recording 194 putouts and 220 assists with a .963 career fielding percentage in the infield.
She is second in the DI era in games started and top-10 in batting average, on-base percentage, triples, walks, and stolen bases

SHE IS COOKIN'
Sophomore Ella Cook played the biggest role in St. Thomas' league series win over Kansas City. She got the starting nod in two games and allowed just two earned runs (one each game) during two complete games (14 IP) performances. Cook compiled a 0.50 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and .143 batting average against with nine strikeouts. She also went 5-11 at the plate and slashed .455/.455/.636 with two runs, doubles, an RBI and a stolen base.

LAUNCHING IN BOISE
The Tommies smashed five home runs in their game one loss to the Boise State Broncos last weekend. Those five long balls tied a program record and are the most in a single game by a Summit League team this season. South Dakota has one four home run game and South Dakota State has two, but no other team has smashed five over the fence in one game.

The five home runs came from four different bats, Abbi Stierlen, Maddie Grad, Kenzie Miller, and Ella Cook (2).

Maddie Grad's was her second of the season, she had hit one in each of the past two seasons. Kenzie Miller's was also her second after launching her first career home run against Boise State to open the 2024 season in Arizona. It was Stierlen's second of the year as well and second in five games. She too had not hit more than one in a season before the Boise blast.

Ella Cook's two home runs solidified her as a power threat. They were her career-best fourth and fifth of the season after she smacked two in 40 at-bats a year ago. She has seven total for her career, which ties her for third in program history with Avery Wukawitz.

SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Christina Crawford was named the Tommies' Pitcher to Watch. The redshirt-sophomore missed the 2023 season due to injury but is expected to get a bulk of the innings in the circle this season. Her freshman year she pitched 130.1 innings with a 4.99 ERA and .279 batting average against. She also tallied 100 strikeouts including a program-record 19 strikeout performance. Crawford is the Toms DI program leader in: Strikeouts (100), K/9 (6.92), and WHIP (1.70).
Avery Wukawitz was named the Tommies' Player to Watch. The reigning Newcomer of the Year burst onto the scene last season with an extraordinary freshman season. She finished in the league's top-five in runs (40), total bases (94), slugging percentage (.584), on-base percentage (.449), stolen bases (19), and OPS (1.033). She is the DI program leader in triples (6).

TRANSFERS

Laken Lienhard is a third-year transfer from North Iowa Area Community College. In her two seasons with the Trojans she slashed .459/.555/.893 with a 1.448 OPS. Of her 133 hits, 67 went for extra bases with 27 home runs. She also pitched 278.1 innings to a 3.07 career ERA. She was named the inaugural Joan Joyce award winner which goes to the best Utility/pitcher player in all of NJCAA Division II. She is also a multi-time all-American.
Ruby Moore is a second-year transfer from NCAA Division II West Texas A&M. Her Buffs went 50-8 last season as she slashed .389/.500/.556 in 18 at-bats. She played in 49 games and made three starts. Moore also stole 10 bases on 11 attempts.

COACH TROTTER

Entering her third season for St. Thomas
Has a career coaching record of 723-505 across 22 seasons
Prior to St. Thomas, Trotter was the head coach at Missouri Western State, where she amassed 676 career wins (the most in the history of the MIAA) and a 676-404 overall record. She was a four-time MIAA Coach of the Year and led her team to two MIAA Regular Season Championships, two conference tournament championships, 11 NCAA Regional appearances, and 13 30-win seasons.

PRESEASON SUMMIT LEAGUE POLL
St. Thomas was picked tied for sixth place with Kansas City by the Summit League Head Coaches in this season's preseason poll. The Toms garnered 10 points after a 18-25 (6-14) record a season ago. St. Thomas did lose All-Summit League First-Teamer Brooke Ellestad but the Purple also retained the reigning Newcomer of the Year, Avery Wukawitz. South Dakota State came out on top in the poll with 34 points and four first place votes. The Mavericks of Omaha came in just underneath with 33 points and three first place votes. South Dakota and North Dakota State earned 24 and 22 points respectively while North Dakota finished four points in front of the Tommies and Roos.

2024 season closes with three games against South Dakota State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brooke Betson

Cassidy Carby

Ella Cook

Christina Crawford

Brooke Ellestad

Maddie Grad

Laken Lienhard

Sydney Mickett

Kenzie Miller

Ruby Moore

Kaitlyn Raymond

Abbi Stierlen

Avery Wukawitz

University of St. Thomas Athletics

2024 season closes with three games against South Dakota State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brooke Betson

Cassidy Carby

Ella Cook

Christina Crawford

Brooke Ellestad

Maddie Grad

Laken Lienhard

Sydney Mickett

Kenzie Miller

Ruby Moore

Kaitlyn Raymond

Abbi Stierlen

Avery Wukawitz

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