LIVE STATS VS. UPPER IOWA

MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team opens the 2013 season this Thursday afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader versus Upper Iowa University at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis starting at 3:30 p.m.

SMSU continues non-conference play on Sunday with a doubleheader versus the University of Mary starting at 6 a.m.  The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has games scheduled non-conference games between NSIC schools all weekend at the Metrodome.

Paul Blanchard begins his 17th season as the Mustang head coach and has 37 players on the 2013 roster.  This season's team features 17 letterwinners from the 2012 squad that finished 22-23 overall and finished ninth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.  Blanchard has a career record of 412-311-1 and is the school's all-time leader in victories.

On the mound, SMSU returns its most valuable pitcher from last season in senior Alex Alvarez.  The right-hander appeared in 11 games with six starts last season and finished 3-4 with a 3.49 ERA in a team-high 49 innings with 32 strikeouts.  Alvarez anchors a 2013 staff that combined to make just 10 starts last season.   A pair of upperclassmen in senior right-hander Corby McGlauflin and junior righty Dylan Shoemaker will lead the Mustang bullpen.  McGlauflin appeared in a team-leading 15 games a season ago, compiling a 2-3 record and three saves.  He finished with a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings with 16 strikeouts.  Shoemaker made 13 appearances and recorded a 1.98 ERA with three saves in 13.2 innings.

The SMSU offense will be led by senior first baseman Brian Ness, who clubbed a team-high four home runs with a team-high 36 RBIs in 2012.  Ness also led the team with 47 base hits and added nine doubles.  Junior shortstop Ben Korger batted .301 last season with 13 doubles, two triples and a team-high 11 stolen bases.  Also return is sophomore outfielder Jon Ellis, who batted .322 with eight doubles and 20 RBIs a season ago.

SMSU will play a total of four doubleheaders at the Metrodome, before beginning an eight-game road trip on March 9 in Tucson, Ariz.

The Mustangs opens their 34-game NSIC schedule on March 23-24 with a four-game series at Wayne State, before taking on Augustana for the home opener on March 30.

Live statistics for both games on Thursday will be available at www.smsumustangs.com