ON DECK
The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team will continue Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this week as it travels to MSU Moorhead and Northern State. The Mustangs will face MSUM on Thursday with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m., before playing NSU in a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. Both doubleheaders were originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday, but poor weather in the forecast forced the games to be moved.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Live statistics will be available for all home games at smsumustangs.com/softballlive, while updates can also be found by following @smsusoftball on Twitter. For all other games, visit smsumustangs.com/SBschedule for more information.

STAY CONNECTED 
Stay connected with the SMSU softball all season long at www.smsumustangs.com. The Mustangs are also on Facebook at SMSUmustangs, Twitter at @SMSUmustangs and Instagram @SMSUmustangs.

SCOUTING MSU MOORHEAD
The Dragons are 7-9 overall and 0-0 in the NSIC after postponing its NISC doubleheader with Northern State this past Tuesday. MSUM was picked to finish 15th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. MSU Moorhead opened its schedule at the Dragon-Beaver Battle and recorded a 1-1 record and also a 1-3 mark at the Dragon-Beaver Battle II. During the Dragons' spring trip in Florida, they finished with a 5-5 record to enter the conference season 7-9. Senior outfielder Kristy Bruni leads the Dragons with a .408 batting average after recording 20 hits, six doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs so far this season. Senior pitcher Kristen Nordby follows with a .341 average and 15 hits with three homers and six RBIs. Nordby also leads the defense from the circle with a 3-3 record and a 2.42 ERA. MSU Moorhead's head coach Kelsey Fehl is in her fifth year.

MSUM  SERIES HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State and MSU Moorhead will meet for the 102nd and 103rd times on Thursday with SMSU holding a 69-32 advantage in a series that started back in 1976. SMSU holds a 47-15 advantage in NSIC games and a 15-10 lead in games played on the road. SMSU has won the last 21 games in the series with its last loss being a 5-3 defeat in the 2006 season in Crookston, Minn. See full series on page 5 of game notes.

SCOUTING NORTHERN STATE
Entering the week, the Wolves are 10-14 overall and 0-0 in the NSIC after postponing its NSIC doubleheader with MSU Moorhead this past Tuesday. NSU was picked to finish sixth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. NSU opened its schedule at the Dome Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn., and earned a 3-1 record, before splitting a pair of games at the Presentation College Invite. During the Wolves spring trip, they recorded a 5-7 record, before a 1-5 mark at the Missouri Western Tournament. Senior utility player Kelsey Gale leads the Wolves offense batting .383 with 15 runs scored, 31 hits, seven doubles and eight RBIs. Senior outfielder Kalie Maiden adds to the scoring with a .333 average, 24 hits, nine runs scored and three RBI. Junior pitcher Missy Elkins leads the defense with a 6-6 record from the circle and a 2.35 ERA, while recording 29 strikeouts. Northern State's head coach Kristi Villar is in her sixth season with an overall record of 116-44.

NSU SERIES HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State and Northern State will meet for the 78th and 79th times on Friday with SMSU holding a 63-14 advantage in a series that started back in 1986. SMSU holds a 47-14 advantage in NSIC games and a 19-6 lead in games away from Marshall. SMSU suffered a sweep in the regular season a season ago, but recorded a 5-3 win in the NSIC Tournament. See full series on page 5 of game notes.

THE COACH
Jamie Dunn is in her third season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a 49-73-1 overall record and a 23-30-1 in the NSIC. Prior to SMSU, Dunn spent the 2013 season as assistant coach at NCAA Division II Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colo., and three seasons as head coach at Fruita Monument High School. Dunn's complete bio is found on page 3 of game notes.