The Dominican University softball team opened the 2017 season at the Luther Dome Games in Rochester, Minnesota, facing some of the top competition from the Midwest region.  The Stars return to the River Forest, 1-3, topping Nebraska Wesleyan 10-5 on Saturday afternoon after falling to Gustavus Adolphus 5-0 and #9 St. Catherine University 5-4 and before closing the tournament with a 13-2 loss to the host Luther College Norse, ranked sixth in the latest NFCA Division III Poll.
 
Michelle Behrens picked up the Stars lone win for the Stars in the circle, tossing a pair of perfect innings out of the bullpen in the Stars' win over Nebraska Wesleyan while freshman Cat Klostermann returns home from her first collegiate tournament with a record of 0-1 and an ERA of 1.56 in nine innings of work over three appearances.  The rookie right-hander logged ten strikeouts while walking just six and giving up seven hits.
 
Offensively, the Stars hit .221 on the weekend led by senior Alyssa Domico. The Stars' first baseman collected four hits and four walks in 14 plate appearances for a .571 on-base percentage.  Domico had the Stars' lone hit in the season opener, and logged a hit in each of Dominican's contests to open the season on a four-game hitting streak.  Sophomore Abby Maike logged a team-best five hits on the weekend, going 5-for-14 with three runs scored and a pair of runs batted in.
 
On Saturday, Dominican heads south to Fort Myers, Florida, where the Stars will play 12 games in seven days, competing in the Gene Cusic Classic.  Dominican opens tournament play on Sunday, March 5 with games against Elms College and Rivier University.