Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics

MARSHALL, MINN.: The Southwest Minnesota State softball team ranked in the top-100 in five statistical categories, while ranking in the top-75 in 12 individual categories, according to the final NCAA Division II stats released recently.

As a team, the Mustangs ranked 16th in win/loss percentage at .765, finishing with an overall record of 39-12.  Offensively, SMSU finished 97th in home runs per game, 98th in doubles per game and 100th in triples per game.  On the mound, Mustang pitchers were 31st in NCAA II with a team ERA of 1.94.

Righthanded pitcher Amanda Johnson finished in the top-50 in five different pitching categories.  She was seventh in saves with five, eighth in fewest walks allowed per seven innings with 0.72, 13th in wins with 13, and 30th in ERA and strikeouts per seven innings with an ERA of 1.30 and an average of 8.0 strikeouts per seven innings.

Junior second baseman Jessica Paczosa finished ninth in the country in times hit by pitch per game, getting hit 12 times during the season, and average of .29 per game.  Junior outfielder Amanda Burkhart finished 17th in the country with four sacrifice flies, while placing 71st in runs batted in per game with an average of .86 per game.  Senior Erin Dickhausen was 47th nationally with 0.1 triples per game.  Freshman Kiley Petersen and senior Amanda Opatz tied for 52nd with three sacrifice flies while sophomore Meaghan Laetsch ranked 30th in sacrifice bunts with 0.3 per game to round SMSU’s nationally ranked individuals.

The Mustangs were ranked 12th in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, before dropping out of the top-25 by going 1-2 at the NCAA North Central Regional Tournament.  SMSU graduated just two seniors from its squad in catcher Erin Dickhausen, who earned all-region honors for the third time in her career, and shortstop Amanda Opatz.  Junior pitcher Amanda Johnson also earned all-region honors for the third time in her career.