ON DECK
The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team will continue Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this weekend at home facing St. Cloud State on Saturday at 1 p.m., before playing Minnesota Duluth on Sunday at noon. Sunday's game will be marked as a StrikeOut Cancer Day to help raise funds and awareness to fight cancer.

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 team all season long at www.smsumustangs.com. The Mustangs are also on Facebook at SMSUmustangs, Twitter and Instagram at @SMSUmustangs.

CANCER AWARENESS DAY
Sunday's doubleheader is special, as the Southwest Minnesota State softball team is partnering with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for its second StrikeOut Cancer Day to help raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. To support this program, the SMSU softball team is asking fans to make a donation for every strikeout recorded by the SMSU pitching staff during today's doubleheader. SMSU has chosen to donate proceeds from today to the Make a Wish Foundation to help and support families in need.

SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE
The Huskies are 22-17 overall, 8-6 in the NSIC after sweeping Minnesota Crookston on Tuesday. SCSU was picked to ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll and have split four of six NSIC doubleheaders this season. The Huskies opened the NSIC schedule with splits against UMD, MSU and CSP before picked up the sweep against Northern State. SCSU got swept by Upper Iowa last weekend, but rebounded with a sweep against Upper Iowa on Tuesday. Junior Jessica Goerger leads SCSU with a .376 batting average and has 35 hits, five doubles and two triples, including eight home runs and 28 RBIs. Junior Abby Bunnell adds to the offense with a .359 average and has 28 runs scored, 46 hits, four extra base hits and 16 RBIs. Freshman Kate Kopeck leads the defense with a 5-2 record in the circle and carries a 2.93 ERA. St. Cloud State head coach Paula U'Ren is in her 19th season with a 512-403 record.

ST. CLOUD STATE  SERIES HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State will meet for the 91st and 92nd times on Saturday with SCSU holding a tight 47-42-1 advantage in a series that started in 1973. SMSU has won nine of the last 12 matchups, including a tie in 2014 and its lone loss in 2013. SMSU holds a 15-14-1 lead in games played in Marshall and has not lost at Mustang Field since 2010. See full series on page 9 of the game notes.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA DULUTH
The Bulldogs will enter the weekend 19-10 overall, 8-4 in the NSIC and will face Sioux Falls on Saturday before playing SMSU on Sunday. Minnesota Duluth was picked to finish fifth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll an has split with four NSIC teams this season. The Bulldogs started the NSIC schedule with splits against St. Cloud State and Minnesota State. UMD picked up a sweep against Concordia-St. Paul, before splitting with MSU Moorhead. The Bulldogs swept Winona State last Saturday and split with Upper Iowa to finish the weekend. Sophomore Natalie Wright leads the offense batting .408 with 23 runs scored and 40 hits, including nine extra base hits and 22 RBIs. Senior Ashley Schilling is batting .346 with 28 hits and 15 RBIs. Senior Cayli Sadler leads the defense with a 10-5 record in the circle and carries a 2.66 ERA. Minnesota Duluth head coach Jen Walter is in her first season.

MINNESOTA DULUTH  SERIES HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth will meet for the 100th and 101st times on Sunday with UMD holding a 65-34 advantage in a series that started in 1977. SMSU split with the Bulldogs in the regular season a season ago, which snapped a nine-game losing skid. SMSU also handed UMD a loss in the opening round of the NSIC tournament last season with a 3-1 victory. UMD holds a 14-10 advantage in games played in Marshall, with SMSU's last win coming back in 2011 at Mustang Field. See full series on page 9 of the game notes.

THE COACH
Jamie Dunn is in her third season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a 53-79-1 overall record and a 30-35-1 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 the game notes.

SCOUTING SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
The Mustangs continued NSIC action last Tuesday against Wayne State and picked up a big split. SMSU suffered a 8-2 defeat in the opener, but rebounded with a 6-3 victory in the final game. SMSU is 11-20 overall and 7-7 in the NSIC entering the weekend. Sophomore second baseman Sam Flack leads the Mustangs with a .360 batting average, while tallying 31 hits, three doubles and 14 RBIs. Sophomore catcher Mackenzie Clouse adds to the offense hitting .312 with 29 hits, eight doubles, 12 RBI and seven runs scored. Junior outfielder Taylor Koloc powers the Mustangs offense with the long ball as she has hit six homers this season and leads the team with 15 RBIs. Junior pitcher Alex O'Connor leads the Mustangs defense in the circle with a 6-9 record in 14 starts, while carrying a 3.21 ERA and striking out 104 batters.