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MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State softball team will host a pair of the NSIC's top teams this week when Augustana and Minnesota State, Mankato arrive in Marshall for a pair of NSIC doubleheaders.  SMSU will square off with Augie, which is in a tie for first place in the conference, on Wednesday at 3 p.m., while the Mustangs and MSU, which is in a tie for  third place the NSIC with SMSU, go head to head on Thursday at 2 p.m.

Northern Sun leaders:  Between SMSU, Augie and MSU, the teams make up three of the top four ball clubs in the NSIC.  Wayne State is the only other team in the top four spots in the NSIC standings.

Make-up date:  Thursday's doubleheader with Minnesota State was originally on the schedule for March 28, but a classic Minnesota spring produced unfavorable field conditions in Mustangville and prompted the postponement.

A reunion of sorts:  SMSU assistant coach Kristi Villar might have a bit of pride on the line in Wednesday's contests as she will face her former team when Augie comes to town.  Villar led the team in batting average during both her junior and senior seasons and helped lead the Vikings to the NCC championship and NCAA regional tournament as a senior.  She was named All-NCC four times and started every game of her collegiate career. 

Milestone weekend:  SMSU compiled what turned out to be a week of record-setting and record-tying performances last week.  Amanda Burkhart (Omaha, Neb.) used a two-run homer against Minnesota Duluth on Saturday to move into the No. 1 spot in career RBIs with 129.  She surpassed Erin Dickhausen's mark of 127.  Amanda Tucci (Oakdale, Minn.) recorded two homeruns last week--one against St. Cloud State and another against Bemidji State--to tie the career homerun record of 26.  She is tied with Dickhausen in the category.

No-hitter in the books: Amanda Johnson (Fremont, Neb.) tossed her first career no-hitter on Friday against Bemidji State.  Johnson did not walk a single batter and struck out eight en route to her no-hitter.  Johnson, in fact, was just one mistake away from a perfect game as the only Beaver to reach base did so on an error by SMSU.  Johnson is No. 1 in 12 different career pitching categories at SMSU.

Senior momentum:  Four seniors will guide the Mustangs through their 2009 campaign, and all are seasoned veterans.  Burkhart, Tucci, Johnson and Jessica Paczosa (Inver Grove Heights, 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 .323 with two homeruns and 16 RBIs.  The freshman has also posted five doubles and a triple.

Preseason Honors:  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.

VIKING NOTES...
Augustana owns a 19-17 record and is 10-1 in the NSIC--good to be in a tie for first place ... senior Ally Rutherford is the offensive force; she bats .396 and has recorded 44 hits, 28 RBIs and seven homeruns and has a .712 slugging percentage ... freshman Chelsey Durland is Augie's top hurler with a 7-3 record and a 1.57 ERA and holding opponents to a .243 batting average ... head coach Gretta Melsted is in her third year with the program.

MAVERICK NOTES...
Minnesota State holds a 27-7 record and is 8-2 in conference play, putting the Mavericks in a tie for third place in the NSIC with SMSU ... senior outfielder Jess Anderson is batting a team-best .400 ... junior outfielder Abby Morris leads the squad with 42 hits and 34 runs ... sophomore infielder Natalie Spicer has notched 34 RBIs to go along with eight homeruns and a .738 slugging percentage ... a freshman is tops in the circle for MSU as Kenda Huettl is 15-1 with a 2.38 ERA ... Lori Meyer is in her 24th season as head coach.

LAST WEEKEND...
SMSU went 2-2 in a pair of conference doubleheaders, splitting with both Bemidji State (W 9-0, L 0-2) and Minnesota Duluth (L 0-6, W 2-0) ... Amanda Johnson went 1-1, and Ali Honken went 1-1 ... Johnson tossed a no-hitter in her game against BSU ... Amanda Burkhart homered to score the only two runs SMSU managed to get in the doubleheader against UMD.

RECORD WATCH '09...
A few Mustangs are close to moving into the No. 1 spot in several catergores in the SMSU career record book:
    •  Amanda Burkhart needs just one more double to tie the career record in the category.  Leslie Oberainger leads with 39.
    •  Amanda Tucci tied with Erin Dickhausen with 26 career homeruns.