Game Time...The final week of the regular season will be a busy one as the Red Raiders will play four doubleheaders in a span of five days, all in conference action. Needless to say, there is a lot to be decided in terms of the final conference standings and postseason tournament pairings when they are released Saturday night by the league office. Northwestern begins this week with back-to-back doubleheaders against Concordia (Tuesday afternoon, April 23) and Mount Marty (Wednesday night, April 24). First pitch of game one on Tuesday is scheduled for 3pm. 

Follow the games live via the NWC webcast at this link: Watch Now! | Live Stats | 

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series against Concordia 40-25, dating back to the 1993 season. The Red Raiders are 5-5 over the last 10 games but have won four straight against the Bulldogs, including a pair of one-run games last season, 5-4 and 7-6. 

Scouting Reports...

    Concordia Bulldogs: 11-5 (3rd), 21-9            Head Coach: Shawn Semler (1st year)

With six games left in the regular season, Concordia is in third place in the GPAC with an 11-5 record, owning a three-game lead on Northwestern, 21-9 overall. The Bulldogs have won six of their last eight games, all played within the GPAC, splitting a pair of 1-0 games against Hastings last weekend. They have also split against Midland and swept both Briar Cliff and Mount Marty. 

Hired last June, Semler is in his first season as the Bulldogs head coach. Semler previously has coaching stops at both College of Saint Mary and more recently, Southwest Minnesota State, where he concluded his eight-year tenure as the winningest coach in program history. Semler inherited a Concordia team that returns seven starters, its top two pitchers and a total of 14 players from a 2018 team that finished seventh at 10-10 in the GPAC, 21-21 overall. 

By the Numbers (GPAC rank)
    6.2 runs / game (3rd)          3.1 runs vs (3rd)                  
    8.3 hits / game (5th)            6.9 hits vs (4th)
    .306 BA (5th)                      .264 BA vs (4th)
    15 HR (4th)                         10 HR vs
    46/57 stolen bases (3rd)     13/15 SB vs
    2.87 ERA (3rd)
    120 K's (7th)
    32 BB (1st)
    
    Individual Leaders (GPAC Rank)
    Kylee Nixon - .480 (2nd), 13 runs, 2 HR, 16 RBI
    Tori Homolka - .404 (7th), 29 runs (6th), 5 HR (6th), 28 RBI (6th)
    Hhana Haro (GPAC Player of Year, 1st team all-conf) .394, 22 runs, 4 HR (9th), 28 RBI (6th)
    Camry Moore  .345, 14 runs, 2 HR, 19 RBI
    Brittany Woolridge - 11-1, 2.71 ERA (5th), 82.2 IP, 52 K's
    Camry Moore - 8-7, 2.82 ERA, 96.2 IP, 7 BB (2nd / 5th), 55 K's

    Mount Marty Lancers: 8-8 (6th), 17-19            Head Coach: Tate Bruckner (3rd year)

The Lancers were swept by Concordia last time out, 5-1 and 11-7, to fall back to 8-8 in the conference, 17-19 overall. They are 5-5 over their last 10, earning wins over College of Saint Mary (2), Dordt (2) and Hastings (1) and losing to Morningside (2) and Hastings (1). Mount Marty is currently sixth in the GPAC, one game ahead of Dordt and one game in back of Jamestown, with six games left.

Bruckner returns five starters, two pitchers and eight total players from a 2018 team that qualified for postseason play for the first time since 2004. They finished eighth (9-11) and 14-23 overall. Bruckner, a 2014 graduate, played baseball for the Lancers. 

By the Numbers (GPAC rank)
    6.3 runs / game (T1st)        5.4 runs vs (10th)                  
    8.6 hits / game (4th)            7.7 hits vs (6th)
    .313 BA (4th)                      .297 BA vs (7th)
    17 HR (5th)                         21 HR vs
    84/95 stolen bases (1st)     34/39 SB vs
    4.54 ERA (9th)
    156 K's (5th)
    119 BB (11th)
    
    Individual Leaders (GPAC Rank)
    Makenzi Howard - .416 (4th), 47 runs (1st), 11 2B (5th), 37 RBI (2nd), 22 SB
    Amber Writer (1st)  .407 (6th), 27 runs, 13 2B (3rd), 8 HR (T1st) 57 RBI (1st)
    Melissa Richert  .403 (8th), 26 runs, 6 RBI
    Rylee Denomy - .339, 20 runs, 2 HR, 24 RBI; 6-3, 3.37 ERA  79 IP, 72 K's
    Bianca Minor - 6-7, 4.53 ERA, 80.1 IP, 45 K's
    
    Northwestern College - 8-6 (4th), 15-18            Head Coach: Shane Bouman (1st year)

The Red Raiders are in the midst of one their most successful stretches of the season, winning four straight and five of their last six games. They have climbed to fourth place in the GPAC and moved two games over .500 in league play at 8-6, 15-18 overall. Last week, Northwestern went 5-1, splitting an early week doubleheader against Briar Cliff and then sweeping both Dakota Wesleyan and Jamestown.

By the Numbers (GPAC rank)
    5.3 runs / game (5th)           4.8 runs vs (7th)                  
    7.3 hits / game (8th)            8.3 hits vs (9th)
    .296 BA (T7th)                     .302 BA vs (9th)
    11 HR (9th)                          12 HR vs
    52/68 stolen bases (2nd)     29/33 SB vs
    3.15 ERA (6th)
    128 K's (9th)
    61 BB (4th)
    
    Individual Leaders (GPAC Rank)
    Jennifer Boeve - .386, 21 runs, 14 RBI
    Amber Schubert - .358, 29 runs (6th), 5 HR (6th), 29 RBI (3rd)
    Bri Giordano - .338, 15 runs, 2 HR, 17 RBI
    Vanessa Gomez - .327, 6 runs, 4 RBI
    Emma Schnell - 9-11, 2.97 ERA, 99 IP, 23 BB, 56 K's
    Samantha Ubben - 3-5, 2.80 ERA, 75 IP, 59 K's (8th)