For Immediate Release
Saturday, May 2, 2015
PDF Bracket
Tournament Website


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 14 Winona State team won its second straight NSIC/US Bank Softball Tournament Championship with a 4-1 win over No. 9 Augustana Saturday afternoon at a warm and sunny Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Warriors took down the top-seeded Vikings for the second time in as many days, avenging a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Augustana in the regular season.

Winona State, which had to go through the elimination bracket in last year's tournament and win four games on championship Saturday to claim the title, had a much easier path this time around. The Warriors used a perfect 4-0 record in tournament play, beating Sioux Falls, Minnesota State and Augustana twice to claim the championship.

For the second straight game, it was Augustana that scored first as Sarah Kennedy doubled down the right field line in the first inning to put the Vikings on top. But for the second straight game, it was Augustana that couldn't find an answer to Warrior pitching after the first inning.

The Vikings took their slimmest of leads into the fourth inning, but junior Natalie Kalmes would change that. Ashley Walker opened the inning with a single up the middle, then advanced to second and eventually third on a wild pitch and passed ball, respectively. McKenna Larsen then singled to third base to put runners at the corners to set up Kalmes' clutch two-out hit that scored Walker and Larsen and would prove to be the game winner.

The Warriors got a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the seventh inning, when hero-of-the-game Kalmes singled again to lead off the inning. Paige Keegan followed up with a single that scored Kalmes on a throwing error by the third baseman to give the Warriors some breathing room at 3-1. Pinch hitter Jamee Schleis would give WSU the 4-1 final with an RBI groundout that plated pinch runner Shannon Nelson.

Hanna Lythberg (23-7) was again fantastic in the circle for the Warriors, stymieing the potent Vikings offense in the complete game win. Lythberg gave up just four hits and one earned run while striking out three batters.
Lythberg along with Reed Karsten earned sports on the NSIC All-Tournament Team.

By virtue of winning the conference tournament, Winona State (46-12) earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Central Region Tournament on May 8-10. The Warriors will be making their ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament and the 11^th in the last 13 seasons. The Warriors and the rest of the field will find out their seed, opponent and location for the tournament via the NCAA selection show on NCAA.com Monday, May 4 at 9 a.m. (CT).