GAME NOTES

FIRST PITCH
The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (24-13, 12-5 NSIC) heads into the final week of its conference schedule with a heavy work load. The Mustangs begin the crucial week of play on Wednesday traveling to St. Paul to take on Concordia-St. Paul (26-18, 9-11 NSIC) in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. SMSU the returns home on Thursday to host No. 12 Minnesota State (36-9, 13-5 NSIC) in a double-dip at 2 p.m. in Marshall. The doubleheader between SMSU and Minnesota State was originally scheduled to be played Friday, April 22 before heavy rain caused SMSU's diamond to be unplayable.

Southwest Minnesota State will then close-out the 2011 regular season on the road with doubleheaders against Northern State (11-24, 4-11 NSIC) and U-Mary (23-17, 7-9 NSIC). SMSU and Northern State will hit the diamond on Saturday, April 30 at 12 p.m. in Aberdeen, S.D. The Mustangs will then travel to Bismark, N.D. on Sunday for a doubleheader with the Marauders beginning at noon.

SCHEDULE CHANGES
Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana continue to search for a date to make up the remaining three innings from a suspended game on April 5. The two teams played 16 innings in the first game of the doubleheader with Augustana winning the game 2-1. Game two was suspended due to darkness. The two teams were set to make the game up on Monday, April 25 but postponements from the previous weekend caused the game to be moved again. When the game resumes, Augustana will hit in the top of the fourth inning with a 4-0 lead over SMSU.