MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team enters the postseason at the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament, beginning Thursday against the University of Northwestern at 4:30 p.m.
 
The games can be viewed on the UMAC Sports Network or by clicking here. To follow the live stats of click here.
 
The UMAC Tournament is double elimination. If the Cougars defeat Northwestern, they will play Friday at 11 a.m. against the winner of Bethany Lutheran College and the University of Wisconsin-Superior. If Minnesota Morris loses, it will play at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
 
The Cougars closed out the regular season last week with a three-game series against UW-Superior. Minnesota Morris took the first game but dropped the series. In the win, UMM totaled nine hits, with Taylor Johnson leading the team with three. Kendra Schmitz drove in the winning run in the fifth inning on an infield single. In the circle, Alyssa Thornton pitched a complete game with six strikeouts and did not allow an earned run.
 
To finish the regular season, five Cougars posted batting averages over .300. Mary Landherr led the team at .384, with Schmitz and Johnson following at .375 and .369, respectively. Olivia Losee leads the team in hits (35), RBIs (19), triples (three), and home runs (three). Minnesota Morris ranks third in the conference in stolen bases with 73, with Johnson pacing the team with 18.
 
Thornton has started 19 games in the circle for the Cougars, throwing a team-high 111.0 innings with 75 strikeouts. She also holds a team-best ERA of 4.16. Morgan Wilhelm has started the other 15 games for UMM, recording 13 strikeouts and a 10.26 ERA.
 
Northwestern finished first in the UMAC with a conference record of 16-2 and an overall record of 27-13. Last week, the Eagles won their series against Bethany Lutheran, taking the first two games 6-1 and 9-1 before falling 9-7. Alicia du'Monceaux is in her 18th season as head coach of UNW. Lani Schoper and Bryn Anderson lead the team in batting average at .453 and .435, respectively. Emma Morrissey and Ireland Strubbe lead the pitching staff with ERAs under 2.50.