April is gone and it's time to look back and decide who was the best team across D2 Softball — it's the HERO Sports D2 Softball Team of the Month vote.
Polls close Monday, May 8 at noon, Pacific. Make your selection in the poll at the bottom of the page.
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Central Oklahoma
April Record: 22-2
BR 4/1: 16
BR 4/30: 5
Conference: Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
April Results:
4/1 @ Lincoln; W, 15-0; W, 12-0
4/4 vs. Cameron; W, 5-0; W, 1-0
4/7 vs. Southwest Baptist; W, 2-0; L, 0-2
4/8 vs. Central Missouri; W, 8-0; W, 10-4
4/10 @ Nebraska-Kearney; W, 9-1; W, 10-3
4/11 @ Fort Hays State; W, 7-2; W, 14-0
4/15 @ Northeastern State; W, 2-0; W, 3-0
4/19 vs. St. Mary’s (TX); W, 2-1; L, 1-3
4/23 @ Missouri Southern; W, 3-0; W, 3-0
4/24 @ Pittsburg State; W, 1-0; W, 4-1
MIAA Tournament @ Oklahoma City
4/27 vs. Emporia State; W, 3-0
4/27 vs. Missouri Western; W, 10-1
4/28 vs. Northwest Missouri State; W, 4-3
4/30 vs. Emporia State (@ Edmond); W, 10-6
Central Oklahoma had a 22-2 run during the month of April, and are 47-9 on the season. The 47 victories marks the second most wins in school history, and the Bronchos just wrapped up winning both the regular season and conference tournament championships in the MIAA
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Illinois-Springfield
BR 4/1: 121
BR 4/30: 65
April Record: 14-6
Conference: Great Lakes Valley Conference
April Results:
4/1 vs. Bellarmine; W, 1-0; W, 3-2
4/2 vs. Southern Indiana; L, 2-4; L, 0-2
4/4 vs. McKendree; W, 4-3; L, 2-5
4/8 @ Wisconsin-Parkside; L, 2-4; L, 2-3
4/9 @ Lewis; L, 3-6; W, 13-3
4/14 @ Saint Joseph’s (IN); W, 7-1; W, 6-0
4/15 @ Indianapolis; W, 12-1; W, 8-1
4/23 vs. Drury; W, 9-0; W, 10-0
4/24 @ Missouri S&T; W, 4-2; W, 5-2
4/28 @ William Jewell; W, 6-2; W, 10-1
For the fourth time in program history, Illinois Springfield has qualified for the GLVC tournament garnering the six-seed in the eight-team tournament.
The Prairie Stars are led by GLVC Pitcher of the Week Jacee Craver. The sophomore struck out six — one shy of her season-high — and walked none as she led UIS to their 11th straight victory over William Jewell to close out the regular season.
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Winona State
April Record: 25-3
BR 4/1: 36
BR 4/30: 13
Conference: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
April Results:
4/1 @ Southwest Minnesota State: W, 2-1; W, 4-1
4/2 vs. Sioux Falls (SD); W, 6-1; W, 8-0 (5)
4/4 @ Wayne State (NE); W, 16-6 (5); W, 7-4
4/8 @ Minnesota-Crookston; W, 10-0 (6); W, 9-0 (5)
4/9 @ Bemidji State; W, 9-1 (5); W, 9-0 (5)
4/11 @ Minnesota State-Mankato; L, 0-1; L, 2-5
4/13 vs. Minnesota-Duluth; W, 5-0; W, 1-0
4/14 vs. St. Cloud State; W, 5-0; W, 3-0
4/18 @ Augustana (SD); L, 3-4; W, 7-2
4/22 vs. University of Mary; W, 6-0; W, 8-0 (6)
4/23 vs. Minot State; W, 3-0; W, 8-0 (5)
4/26 vs. Concordia (St. Paul); W, 6-0; W, 7-0
4/29 @ Northern State; W, 1-0 (8); W, 3-1
4/30 @ Minnesota State-Moorhead; W, 8-0; W, 5-0
Winona State secured the two-seed in the NSIC Tournament with a sweep of Minnesota State-Moorhead moving their winning streak to 11 games.
The Warriors end of month surge has been led by two-time NSIC Pitcher of the Week McKenna Larsen. Last week Larsen threw three complete game shutouts, including an eight-inning no-hitter against Northern State, holding opponents to 0.91 hitting, allowing just six hits in 21 innings of work. Larsen now has 11 complete game shutouts on the year.
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Augustana (SD)
April Record: 19-5
BR 4/1: 72
BR 4/30: 36
Conference: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
April Results:
4/1 @ Minnesota State-Mankato; L, 4-0; L, 5-3
4/2 @ Concordia-St. Paul; W, 7-1; W, 11-7
4/4 vs. Upper Iowa; W, 6-1; W, 12-4 (5)
4/8 vs. University of Mary; L, 6-1; W, 3-1
4/9 vs. Minot State; W, 20-3 (5); W, 8-3
4/12 @ Southwest Minnesota State; W, 9-7; W, 13-5
4/14 @ Northern State; W, 5-4; W, 6-2
4/15 @ MSU-Moorhead; W, 7-2; W, 6-1
4/18 vs. Winona State; W, 4-3; L, 7-2
4/22 @ Minnesota Crookston; W, 8-2; W, 3-0
4/27 vs. Sioux Falls; W, 12-4 (5); W, 7-1
4/28 vs. Minnesota Duluth; W, 6-1; L, 8-6
Augustana finished the regular season with a record of 36-12, including 21-5 in NSIC play which secured the No. 3 seed in the NSIC Tournament. The Vikings have won 20-plus NSIC games eight times since joining the league in 2009.
Christina Pickett led the Vikings during the final week of the regular season, hitting at a .667 clip from the plate with eight hits, including two doubles and two home runs. She drove in seven runs and scored five while compiling a .714 on-base percentage and a 1.333 slugging percentage, earning the freshman NSIC Player of the Week honors.
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Colorado Mesa
April Record: 17-3
BR 4/1: 8
BR 4/30: 4
Conference: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
April Results:
4/1 @ Fort Lewis; W, 5-2; W, 15-3
4/2 @ Fort Lewis; W, 17-1; W, 9-8
4/7 vs. Black Hills State; W, 7-1; W, 14-0
4/8 vs. Black Hills State; W, 12-1; W, 10-0
4/14 @ Regis; L, 1-2; W, 9-0
4/15 @ Regis; W, 1-0; L, 5-2
4/22 @ Colorado Christian; W, 7-0; W, 14-3
4/23 @ Colorado Christian; W, 12-0; L, 3-6
4/29 vs. Colorado State; W, 11-2; W, 8-0
4/30 vs. Colorado State; W, 8-0; W, 13-6
Colorado Mesa repeated as the RMAC Champions and will host the conference tournament. The Mavericks are led by Outfielder Brooke Hodgson, the RMAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. The junior ranks 11th in the nation in batting average (.477), first in homeruns per game (0.40), first in RBI (70), second in RBI per game (1.46), second in runs per game (1.31), third in slugging percentage (.961), third in total bases (147) and third in home runs (19). From the circle, sophomore hurler McKenzie Surface was named the Co-Pitcher of the Year. Surface led the RMAC in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (155), strikeouts per seven innings (7.0), wins (22) and shutouts (seven).
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Grand Valley State
April Record: 20-2
BR 4/1: 147
BR 4/30: 74
Conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
April Results:
4/1 @ Hillsdale; W, 8-2; L, 4-5
4/2 @ Wayne State; L, 0-1; W, 4-0
4/8 vs. Findlay; W, 6-0; W, 6-4
4/9 vs. Tiffin; W, 1-0; W, 11-3
4/11 @ Saint Joseph’s (IN); W, 7-1; W, 2-0
4/14 @ Northwood; W, 3-0; W, 7-2
4/18 vs. Aquinas; W, 2-0; W, 8-0
4/22 vs. Lake Erie; W, 5-2; W, 12-5
4/23 vs. Walsh; W, 2-0 (8); W, 3-0
4/28 vs. Ferris State; W, 3-1; W, 4-1
4/29 @ Saginaw Valley State; W, 5-3; W, 7-6
The Lakers finished the regular season with a 31-15 overall record, and clinched the 14th GLIAC regular season championship in program history.
This season's title marks the sixth conference crown since 2001, and the first since 2013 with a doubleheader sweep at Saginaw Valley State to close out the schedule. The victories continued a current 19-game winning streak for the Lakers, which is the third-longest in school history. GVSU finished the month of April with a 20- 2 record and reached the 30-win mark for the seventh consecutive season.
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Who was the D2 Softball Team of the Month in April?
