Complete Release (PDF)

MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State softball team will host Northern State and Mary on Thursday and Friday in a pair of conference games that were originally on the schedule as away contests on different dates.  Poor field conditions in Aberdeen, S.D., and Bismarck, N.D., prompted the change.  Thursday's doubleheader against the Wolves will begin at 2 p.m., while Friday's doubleheader with the Marauders is a 12 p.m. start.

Shuffle, Shuffle, Shuffle:  Mother nature's unkind hand has dictated a number of changes to the 2009 SMSU slate.  First, the Mustangs' conference and home opener against Minnesota State, Mankato was moved from March 28 to March 29 and then later rescheduled to April 16.  Second, SMSU's April 1 contests with Concordia was moved to April 2 but now has been postponed indefinitely.  Third, Thursday's match-ups against Northern State was originally scheduled for April 4 in Aberdeen, S.D.  And finally, Friday's doubleheader with Mary was on the schedule as a April 5 meeting in Bismarck, N.D.  Take a deep breath; did you get all that?

Home Sweet Home:  The Mustangs will be looking to make Thursday their fourth straight home-opening win in four years.  SMSU has not lost a home opener since the 2005 season when South Dakota arrived in Marshall and squeaked out a 2-1 victory.

Softball on a football field?:  SMSU toyed around with the idea of playing Thursday's and Friday's games the Regional Event Center, a venue normally reserved for football soccer.  The turf surface will take away the poor field condition variable.  If Mustang Field is deemed unfit for play on Thursday, the REC will be utilized; however, the grass field looks as though it should see action thi s week.

Senior momentum:  Four seniors will guide the Mustangs through their 2009 campaign, and all are seasoned veterans.  Jessica Paczosa (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), Amanda Burkhart (Omaha, Neb.), Amanda Johnson (Fremont, Neb.) and Amanda Tucci (Oakdale, Minn.) have earned 10 all-conference nods between the four of them.

Batter up:  Christine Borowiak (Omaha, Neb.) is SMSU's top player at the plate.  Borowiak is currently hitting .322 with 2 homeruns and 11 RBIs.  The freshman has also posted five doubles and a triple.

Bombs Away:  Her three homeruns puts Amanda Burkhart at the top of list in the category for SMSU.  The senior isn't exactly a stranger to the long ball as she blasted six bombs last season, second on the team behind Amanda Tucci.  Christine Borowiak and Tucci each have two homeruns this season.

Fun in the sun:  Per tradition, the Mustangs played in the Rebel Spring Games under the comfortable rays of the Florida sun a few weeks ago.  SMSU went 4-8 in Kissimmee, Fla., picking up wins over Southern Indiana, Caldwell (N.J.), Massachusetts-Lowell and New Haven (Conn.).  This was the 16th time SMSU has played at the Games and the 13th straight year the Mustangs made the venture south.

Preseason honors:  Amanda Johnson was selected as the NSIC 2009 Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the third consecutive season. She enters her senior season ranked third in career saves in NCAA Division II history with 13. Johnson ranks first in SMSU history in lowest opponents' batting average, fewest walks per seven innings, strikeouts per seven innings, wins, saves, appearances, games started, complete games, games finished, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeouts.

Rank 'em:  SMSU was picked to finish third in the NSIC Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's 14 head coaches.  The Mustangs received 164 points in the poll, just one point behind the No. 2 team, Minnesota State, Mankato.  SMSU also received three first-place votes.

He's back:  Shawn Semler returns for his sixth season as the head coach of the Mustangs.  He's led SMSU to four conference championships and three NCAA Regional Tournament appearances.  Semler has also coached 24 all-conference performers  and been named the NSIC's top coach three times.