THE OPENING PITCH: With only 16 teams remaining for a shot at the national championship, the University of Minnesota Duluth will travel to Magnolia, Ark., to play Southern Arkansas University in the NCAA Super Regional. The No. 25 Bulldogs and the No. 8 Lady Muleriders will compete in a best-of-three series to determine who will represent the central region in the NCAA Division II Women's College World Series in Salem, Va. The super regional showdown will span Thursday and Friday with game one of the series beginning May 17 at 6:00 p.m. at Dawson Field at the Mulerider Softball Complex.

SUPER REGIONAL SCHEDULE: 
Game 1- 5/17 at 6:00 p.m.  Home SAU
Game 2- 5/18 at 2:00 p.m.  Home UMD
Game 3 (if necessary)- 5/18 at 4:30 p.m.  Home SAU

SCOUTING REPORT ON SOUTHERN ARKANSAS: The Lady Muleriders are 55-9 and won the NCAA Central Region 2 title. They went 3-0 in the NCAA Central Region 2 Tournament. Southern Arkansas, who is the No. 8 ranked-team according to the NFCA poll, defeated Minnesota State-Mankato in the opener, Augustana in the second round and MSU-Mankato once more in the championship. The Lady Muleriders lost to Southern Nazarene in the Great American Conference Tournament. Southern Arkansas is 19-0 at home this season.
The Lady Muleriders sport the NFCA Player (Brooke Goad) and Pitcher (Victoria Taylor) of the Year. Goad leads the NCAA with 31 home runs and has a .405 average. Teams have neglected to pitch to her as she has 79 walks and a .612 on-base percentage. Goad has 66 RBI and an 1.038 slugging percentage for the season. Last week she went 6-for-11 with five RBI. Taylor has not registered a loss this season as she carries a 30-0 record in her 35 starts. She holds a 1.14 ERA with seven shutouts and 217 punchouts in 209.1 innings. Teams have struggle to hit off her as she holds opposing clubs to a .194 average. No team has scored more than five runs off her this season.
Southern Arkansas is a power club with 103 homers (leads the NCAA) but with only 20 steals and 20 sacrifices. It has six players with double-digits homers. Faith Otts is second among the team in batting (.366), hits (71), doubles (10), home runs (15), RBI (65) and slugging (.649).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and SAU stack up head-to-head with its respective records and in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association poll.
TEAM         SEED            RECORD        NFCA
UMD             4th                 44-14              25th
SAU             2nd                  55-9                8th

WATCH/LIVE STATS: The NCAA Super Regional in Magnolia, Ark., will be available for free via a web stream. The stream and live stats can be viewed at: muleriderathletics.com/sports/2018/5/13/2018-ncaa-dii-softball-central-region-tournament-super-regional.aspx

FARING IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: This marks the eighth NCAA postseason appearance for the Bulldogs, who are 9-15 lifetime in the NCAA Tournament. UMD, which has made the NCAA postseason five of the nine seasons, advanced to its first-ever NCAA Super Regional in program history this season.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: The Bulldogs did something no other team has done before them. Since joining the NCAA ranks in 1992, UMD has never gone to a super regional before this season in its eighth NCAA postseason try. 

BUT THESE DOGS BELONG: Matching up with the other 15 teams remaining, the Bulldogs are 2-1 against the competition. They defeated LIU Post (17-2) and Saint Anselm (5-1) for their two victories. Their only loss came from Southern Indiana (3-5).

CENTRAL REGION 1 RECAP: UMD stared down the odds and came away victorious in the NCAA Central Region 1 Tournament in WInona, Minn. UMD won the first round matchup 5-1 over Arkansas Tech. Emporia State upended the Bulldogs 1-0 to advance to the championship round. It wasn't the last the Hornets would see of UMD as the Bulldogs fended off the Golden Suns again to reach its second-ever championship round. Home runs by Natalie Wright and Hannah Schmoll were just enough to hold off Emporia State 4-3 for a winner-take-all title match. A complete effort by the Bulldogs swatted the Hornets 9-1 in six innings. Jordyn Thomas started the game with a bang with her three-run home run. Schmoll and Wright went back-to-back in the third and Thomas capped the third off with another homer to take a commanding 7-1 lead. UMD added two more in the sixth and Breanna Swint directed the Bulldogs to victory in the circle.

ALL-REGION NODS: Hannah Schmoll, Becky Smith, Natalie Wright and Jordyn Thomas were selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II All-Central Region second team. The four Bulldogs named to the all-region team are the most in program history eclipsing the 2009 and 1992 clubs, whom had two selections each. The four honorees mark the first NFCA citations since 2013 when All-American second baseman Tyra Kerr was selected to the first team.

ALL-REGION NODS II: Hannah Schmoll and Natalie Wright also added first team D2CCA All-Region accolades. The duo will move on for All-American consideration later this month.

FIFTEEN-YEAR WAIT IS OVER: UMD was recognized in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll for the first time since 2003. The Bulldogs, which had been receiving votes in the weekly poll five times this season, were slated 25th receiving 16 votes in the May 9 poll.

CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RECAP: The Bulldogs finished the NSIC Tournament in third place after getting knocked out by Augustana. The Vikings advanced to the NSIC Championship game but were defeated by Winona State on a walk-off grand slam for the NSIC Championship. UMD blanked Sioux Falls 4-0 in the first round and moved onward after disposing of Concordia-St. Paul 5-2. The Warriors were able to best the Bulldogs 5-1, sending UMD to the elimination game where it met its demise to Augustana.

ALL-TOURNAMENT STAR: Hannah Schmoll was the only Bulldog named to the NSIC All-Tournament team. For the tournament, Schmoll was 10-for-15 with a double, a RBI and four stolen bases. She was tied among the league leaders in hits, batting average and stolen bases. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native had two hits extending her hitting streak to 13 games. Schmoll has hit safely in 13 of the last 14 postseason games dating back to 2016. 

ALL-CONFERENCE ACCOLADES: For the ninth consecutive year, UMD has secured a spot on the NSIC first team while two other Bulldogs were bestowed with second team honors. Hannah Schmoll was selected to the first team for the second time in her career after doing so her freshman campaign. Becky Smith and Natalie Wright each collared second team selections.

THE GOLD STANDARD: Lauren Oberle, Hannah Schmoll, Becky Smith, and Natalie Wright were all named to the 2018 NSIC Gold Glove Team at their respective positions. This is Oberle's (3B) and Smith's (SS) first time while Schmoll (CF) and Wright (2B) have been gold glovers each of the last two seasons.

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: On March 14, the Bulldogs received the program's first National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Player of the Week. Jessica Bren captured the prestigious distinction after going 12-for-18 (.667) with seven home runs and a triple. She knocked in 15 RBI and scored 11 times to go along with five stolen bases. Bren posted a .684 on-base percentage and a 1.944 slugging percentage. She is one of two freshmen this season to take home the honor.

NSIC WEEKLY HONORS: No other team in the NSIC has more conference player of the week honorees this season than UMD (5). The Bulldogs lead the way with four players recognized by the league. Becky Smith (2/20 and 4/24), Jessica Bren (3/12), Valerie Hohol (3/12) and Breanna Swint (4/2) were all recognized by the league. 

MILE MARKER 100: Jen Walter became the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins. Walter reached the historical mark in the first game against Northern State on Thursday. She attained 100 victories in 145 games while former head coach Jen Banford reached 100 wins in 182 games. 

CHALKING UP THE WINS: Jen Walter is having her best season in terms of wins. Her 44 wins with the 2018 Bulldogs eclispes her 40-win mark she established with the College of Saint Scholastica in 2004 when she spearheaded that club to the NAIA National Tournament.

PILING UP THE HITS UNDER WALTER: Since the arrival of the new manager, UMD is 93-7 when it out-hits the opposition. That is roughly 61 percent of the total games under Walter's tenure (100 of 165).

SCORE FIRST: Scoring first doesn't always lead to victories but it is close. The Bulldogs have a combined 99-19 (.839) record dating back to 2015 when scoring first including 31-6 in 2018.

MAMBO NO. FIVE: One, two, three, four, five... When the Bulldogs reached at least five runs they are 37-2. It only gets sweeter when hitting 10-plus runs as UMD is 18-0. 

TAKING CHARGE: Grabbing the lead early, results in positive outcomes. When leading after four complete, the Bulldogs are 36-1. When tied or trailing, they are 8-13. The only blemish can in the 8-7 loss to Minot State when UMD allowed six runs in the fifth.

SECOND TIME AROUND: The Bulldogs have a plus-49 run differential in the third inning this year. UMD has scored 85 runs, the highest total of any inning, this season normally when the batting order turns back over to the top. 

SHUT 'EM DOWN: For the season, the Bulldogs have allowed only 12 runs in seventh inning. They are 29-0 when tied or leading after the sixth.

EXTRA! EXTRA!: UMD is 14-4 in extra innings dating back to the 2013 season. Only one game this season  -- a 4-3 win over Upper Iowa -- has been needed to decide a game in the eighth inning or later.

RUNNING AWAY IN A ROUT: The Bulldogs are 25-1 this season in games decided by five or more runs. They have beaten teams via the mercy rule 15 times.

... AND WINNING THE CLOSE ONES: UMD has gone 16-8 in one-run games over the last three seasons. It has won nine of the last 12 one-run decisions.

BOMB SQUAD: The Bulldogs have launched the ball out of the park. They rank first in the NSIC in home runs with 69. Only six programs havce more home runs this season. That is 21 more than the next closest NSIC squad in Augustana. The program record is now in the hands of the 2018 Bulldogs as the club eclipsed the 61 homers set in 2013.

BOMB SQUAD II: UMD circled the bases a season-high six times is a 17-2 thrashing of LIU Post. The six home runs is tied for fifth-most in Division II. In that game Jordyn Thomas smashed three consecutive home runs including two in an inning. She is the first Bulldog to homer in three consecutive at-bats and the last to hit multiple dingers in an inning since Ashley Lewis accomplished that feat back on March 26, 2016.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD: The trio of Jessica Bren, Becky Smith and Jordyn Thomas are all ranked in the top four in the conference in home runs. Bren, the league leader, has 16 home runs. Thomas has 14 in her first year and Smith has 12, reaching a personal best. This is the second time is school history with three players with double digit home runs (2011).

BREN BOMBER: Jessica Bren is second among freshman in homers. Her 16 homers, which is a program record for a single Bulldog season, is 13th among Division II players.

THE TEAM OF STEAL: Not many teams are as aggressive on the base paths than UMD. After setting the program mark for steals with 112 last year, the Bulldogs upped the ante. They have 129 stolen bases, which is ninth nationally.

DON'T RUN ON HER: After gunning out eight base runners from the outfield last year, maybe teams wouldthink twice about sending runners against Sammi Sadler.  All Sadler has done is throw out a team high seven more runners including one in the championship game against Emporia State.

RIPPING IT EVERYWHERE: Hannah Schmoll carries a .472 batting average as she has established a UMD single-season best 93 hits this season. Only one other player in the NCAA has more hits then Schmoll.  Speaking nationally, she is fourth in average, fourth in hits and seventh in runs (64). 

SEND THEM PACKING: The nine strikeouts recorded by Valerie Hohol in the season opener against SMSU and against Minnesota Crookston and by Breanna Swint against Georgian Court were both collegiate highs. Hohol eclipsed her previous mark of eight strikeouts last year against the University of Minnesota Crookston. Swint bested her high of seven strikeouts done last season against MSU Moorhead.

GIVE HER THE BALL: In seven of her last nine starts Valerie Hohol has allowed two runs or less. During that stretch, Hohol has lowered her ERA 53 points.

DANGEROUS WITH THE DUCKS ON THE POND: The Bulldogs are hitting .506 with the bases loaded this season. No one has been better than Sammi Sadler in that department. Sadler is 10-for-13, good for a .769 average.

GETTING PLUNKED INTO THE RECORD BOOKS: Kalynn Tilton has 14 of the club's 26 hit by pitches. She is one more drilling away from tying Sammie Gardener for most HBP all-time by a Bulldog.

OFFENSIVE BOMBARDMENT: For only the third time in the last decade, the Bulldogs eclipsed the 20-run mark in their 22-12 shelling of Missouri Western State on Feb. 15.
The last time UMD had that many runners cross the plate was on March 4, 2006 when it put up a 25-spot on Marian College. The combined 34 runs were the most in program history since UMD and Upper Iowa tabbed 39 runs back in April 15, 2007.

OFFENSIVE BOMBARDMENT II: For the second time in school history, the Bulldogs plated 12 runs in an inning, a program record. UMD scored 12 times in the seventh against Bemidji State. The 2014 Bulldogs put up 12 runs in the first inning against Lincoln. 

PATIENCE AT THE PLATE ALL SEASON: The Bulldogs have drew 219 walks this season, which is a single-season record. The 2012 Bulldogs had the previous record with 160 walks.

TAKE YOUR BASE: No one draws more walks for UMD then Lauren Oberle. She has 36 walks on the year, 16th in the NCAA and a UMD record. She has shown a keen eye at the plate with at least a walk in 27 games and multiple free passes in eight of them. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native is 25th in the country in walks per game at 0.68. 

POWER SURGE: She may be five-foot-two but don't let that second guess her ability to launch homers with the best of them. Natalie Wright has five of her nine home run this year come in the last 14 games including in each of the last two games.

AT ANOTHER LEVEL IN THE POSTSEASON: Her batting average hasn't slipped under .429 the entire season. Since postseason play started, Hannah Schmoll has lifted her average up 32 points to .472 including 10-for-16 in the regional tournament and a hit in each postseason game (nine striaght). Schmoll has seven RBI in the last three games and her fifth and sixth collegiate home runs in the last two games.

IN THE DRIVER SEAT Back on Feb. 15, Becky Smith set the career RBI record at UMD, jumping pass Ashley Johnson (2008-11) and Kierra Jeffers (2010-13) for most all-time. She now sits with 207 RBI surpassing the old mark of 149. Smith sits in six among her active Division II peers for RBI in a career. The Long Lake, Minn., native also set the single-season record on Apr. 25 with six RBI against Bemidji State. She has 67 RBI, tied for fifth in the country.

SPEED DEMON: The season and career record holder in stolen bases, Hannah Schmoll has etch her name higher into the UMD record books. Back in 2016, Schmoll smashed the single-season stolen base record with the new aggressive approach by coach Walter. Schmoll stole 40 bases on 46 attempts during her sophomore campaign and bested her total this season with 46. Her 46 stolen bases is fourth in the nation.

SPEED KILLS ALL FOUR YEARS: Hannah Schmoll has 150 stolen bags in 166 tries for her career. Both those marks are career highs at UMD. Among active leaders in Division II, Schmoll ranks with the second-most stolen bases. 

20-WIN DUAL THREAT: Not once in its 38 seasons has UMD achieved two pitchers with at least 20 wins.  They have the chance this year with Valerie Hohol and Breanna Swint. Swint already has 21 wins to her name while Hohol is one away from hitting the 20-win milestone.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP HERE: Breanna Swint is 21-4 this season after finishing her freshman campaign 6-3. Her 15-win improvement is one of the best that ranks up there with Julia Nealer who had a 14-win improvement from 11 to 25 victories. 

THE HEAD COACH: In two short seasons at the controls of the University of Minnesota Duluth program, Walter has posted back-to-back 35-win seasons, accumulating a 70-37 overall record while going 39-17 in league play (including 18-10 in 2017 when it placed fourth in the 16-team standings).
Walter made quite the splash during her debut season at UMD as not only did the Bulldogs set a team record for NSIC victories by finishing 21-7 (good for a second-place finish and just one game back of league champion Minnesota State University-Mankato), but they returned to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2012. Along the way, they amassed a 35-17 overall mark and shattered or equaled nearly one dozen team and individual records.
On July 22, 2015, Walter signed on as just UMD's third head softball coach since the 1981-82 season. Walter certainly had proven herself the previous 16 seasons right down the road at the College of St. Scholastica, having directed the Saints to a 447-233 overall record (a .657 winning percentage), five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances (2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015), 15 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular season championships, 13 UMAC Tournament titles, and one trip to the NAIA National Tournament (2004). During Walter's tenure, CSS also eclipsed the 30-victory plateau on seven occasions. In addition, Walter helped produce three CSS All-Americans -- Laura Heise (2004 and 2006), Erica Kozacek (2006) and Rilee Dawson (2007) – 11 UMAC Player of the Year award recipients, 43 All-Region selections, 71 All-UMAC picks, and 81 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athletes.
A native of Wadena, Minn., Walter played two years of softball at Golden Valley Lutheran College in Minneapolis, where she was a National Junior College Athletic Association All-American catcher, and continued her collegiate career at Augustana College (S.D.), attaining All-North Central Conference honors as a senior in 1985. She went on to serve as the head softball coach at Perham High School (1989-91) and the assistant softball coach at both the Breck School (1991-97) and Robbinsdale Armstrong  High School (1997-99).
Inducted as player into the 2010 Minnesota High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Walter received a B.A. degree in health, physical education and recreation from Augustana in 1986.

ON DECK: The eight regional winners will gather in Salem, Va. for the 2018 NCAA Division II Softball Championship to determine the 2018 National Champion. The softball championship will run May 24-28 at the Moyer Sports Complex.