THIS WEEK - Southwest Minnesota State University (0-4) baseball team continues non-conference play with nine games over eight days at the Tucson Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., from March 5-12. The games will take place at the Kino Sports Complex
SMSU opens with a doubleheader versus Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, March 5, starting at 11 a.m. (CST), before facing the University of Winnipeg on Sunday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. (CST). On Monday, March 7, the Mustangs face Northern State at 4 p.m. (CST), and follow that with a match-up with St. Cloud State on Tuesday, March 8, starting at 4 p.m. (CST). On Thursday, March 10, SMSU will battle Malone (Ohio) in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. (CST), before taking on Malone in a single game on Friday, March 11, at 1:30 p.m. (CST). The Mustangs close the trip on Saturday, March 12, with a single game versus Jamestown (N.D.) with first pitch set for 10 a.m. (CST).
 
            MEDIA COVERAGE - Live statistics for all games in Arizona are at livestats.smsu.edu/baseball, while updates can also be found by following @smsubaseball on Twitter.
 
            SERIES HISTORY - Southwest Minnesota State leads the series with Concordia-St. Paul, 22-21. SMSU won all four meetings versus CSP last season, including twice in Tucson … SMSU has never faced Winnipeg … SMSU is 93-37 versus Northern State. NSU won three of five last season, including once in Tucson. The teams split a four-game conference series in Aberdeen, S.D. … St. Cloud State is 47-18 all-time versus SMSU, including winning four of five last season. SCSU won the lone game played in Tucson … SMSU leads 93-37 versus Northern State, but NSU won three of five games last season, including the one meeting in Tucson … SMSU leads 3-2 all-time versus Malone, but dropped two of three games last season in Tucson … SMSU and Jamestown have split two meetings all-time and will be facing each other for the first time since 1993.
 
            MUSTANG BASEBALL HISTORY - Southwest Minnesota State is in its 47th season of baseball and has an all-time record of 907-973-3 in 1,883 games. SMSU won conference championships in 1974, 1994, 1996 and 2002 and has won NSIC tournament championships in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2002. SMSU made its only NCAA tournament appearance in 2009.
 
            HEAD COACH - Paul Blanchard, the all-time leader in victories at SMSU, is in his 20th season as head coach in 2016 and has an overall record of 477-390-2, including 265-190 in conference play. During his tenure, Blanchard has led the program to its only NCAA tournament appearance, one NSIC championship, three NSIC tournament championships and 15 appearances in the NSIC tournament. Named the fifth coach in SMSU history on July 14, 1996, Blanchard has coached two NSIC Players of the Year, one NSIC Pitcher of the Year, 21 all-region honorees, two Academic All-Americans, one NCAA All-American and two Major League Baseball draft picks.
 
            ABOUT THE MUSTANGS – Southwest Minnesota State opened the season with four losses to Newman University (Kan.) last weekend in Wichita, Kan. The Mustangs struggled from the plate, batting just .163 with three extra base hits. Tanner Picht and Jayden Fleck each finished with three hits for the Mustangs during the weekend, with Picht belting a pair of solo home runs.
           
            MUSTANGS AT HOME - SMSU is scheduled to play a total of nine doubleheaders at Alumni Field with the home opener set for March 25 versus Northern State. SMSU finished the 2015 season with an 8-10 home record.
 
            NSIC SCHEDULE - SMSU is scheduled to play a 34-game unbalanced schedule in conference play again this season. The team will play six four-game weekend series along with five mid-week doubleheaders. The schedule will allow SMSU to play 11 of 14 conference opponents at least twice this season. SMSU will not play Minnesota State, Minnesota Crookston or U-Mary in conference play.
 
            NSIC DOUBLEHEADERS - For the sixth straight season the first game of each NSIC doubleheader will be a 7-inning game, while game two is scheduled for a 9-inning game. If the first game goes into extra innings, then game two will be changed to a 7-inning game.
 
            SMSU PICKED NINTH IN NSIC POLL - Southwest Minnesota State University was picked to finish ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. St. Cloud State was chosen as the preseason favorite earning 190 points, including 10 first place votes. SMSU sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Jorgensen and junior outfielder Derek Branson were both named "Players to Watch" in the conference this season.        
 
            MORE MUSTANG STATS - For career statistics and game-highs for each Mustang player go to SMSUmustangs.com/baseballcareer.
 
            NEXT UP – Following its spring trip, Southwest Minnesota State play a doubleheader at Northwestern College (Iowa) on March 21. SMSU will then open NSIC play on March 25-26 with a four-game series at home versus Northern State.