ON DECK
The Southwest Minnesota State softball team caps off an eight game home stand as they host Augustana on Wednesday beginning at 12 p.m., in a doubleheader that was moved up two hours due to potential afternoon showers in the early weather forecasts. SMSU has gone 3-3 since beginning the string of home games last Tuesday against Concordia-St. Paul. The Mustangs split their doubleheader vs. CSP before losing two games to Northern State and sweeping MSU Moorhead over the weekend.
 
LAST TIME OUT
After suffering a combined nine errors as a team in two losses to Northern State on a windy Friday afternoon, Southwest Minnesota State responded with two errorless games in its doubleheader sweep of MSU Moorhead on Saturday. SMSU defeated the Dragons 5-2 in game one and dominated game two to win by run rule, 8-0 in five innings.
 
MEDIA COVERAGE
Live statistics will be available for all 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.
 
SCOUTING AUGUSTANA:
            Team Overview
            •Overall record- 24-10
            •Streak- WON 3
            •NSIC record- 9-3
            •Home record- 7-1
            •Away record- 2-2
            •Neutral record- 15-7
            •TEAM BATTING AVG- .339
            •TEAM OB %- .376
            •TEAM SLG %-.486
            •TEAM ERA- 2.41
            •TEAM BATTING AVG AGAINST- .245
 
            Team Leaders (min 50 ab, 10 ip)
            •Batting AVG- #32 Sarah Kennedy (.495)
            •OB %-            #32 Sarah Kennedy (.534)
            •SLG %- #32 Sarah Kennedy (.917)
            •RBI- #32 Sarah Kennedy (35)
            •HR- #32 Sarah Kennedy (10)
            •SB- #18 Abby Chandler (11)
            •ERA- #12 Lexy Pederson (1.40)
            •K's- #16 Olivia Wolters (69)
            •Wins- #12 Lexy Pederson (13)
 
AUGUSTANA SERIES HISTORY:
            •SMSU is 14-55 all-time vs. Augustana
            •SMSU is 8-10 all-time at home against the Vikings
            •Augustana has won the last three games and 15 of the last 16 meetings
            •SMSU is 2-29 all-time at Augustana
            •Augustana has been ranked in eight of the last 12 games
            •SMSU won the first ever meeting, 19-6 back in 1974 in the Mustangs' third season of softball
 
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE:
            Team Overview
            •Overall record- 15-13
            •Streak- WON 2
            •NSIC record- 6-6
            •Home record- 6-4
            •Away record- 2-6
            •Neutral record- 7-3
            •TEAM BATTING AVG- .279
            •TEAM OB %- .338
            •TEAM SLG- .404
            •TEAM ERA- 2.79
            •TEAM BATTING AVG AGAINST- .249
 
            Team Leaders (min 50 ab, 10 ip)
            •Batting AVG- #27 Tori Brooks (.349)
            •OB %-            #9 Sam Flack (.404)
            •SLG %- #14 Taylor Koloc (.567)
            •RBI- #5 Mackenzie Clouse (15)
            •HR- #14 Taylor Koloc (4)
            •SB- #14 Taylor Koloc (8)      
            •ERA- #21 Alex O'Connor (2.28)
            •K's- #21 Alex O'Connor (69)
            •Wins- #21 Alex O'Connor (7)
 
SCORING BURSTS
SMSU has pushed runs across the plate in bunches this season. The Mustangs have scored four or more runs in a single inning in 10 games this season including four times in NSIC play. SMSU has scored six or more runs in a single inning in four games this year. The Mustangs are 11-0 this year when scoring six or more runs.
 
EARLY SPRING HOME STAND
During the Mustangs' current stretch of home games, they are 3-3 overall entering their midweek doubleheader vs. Augustana. SMSU has outhit its opponents 42-40 with a .280 batting average to its opponents' .235 average. SMSU has pushed across 24 runs to its opponents' 19 but have suffered from 16 errors while its opponents have suffered from just four. The Mustangs' pitchers have a combined 1.75 ERA over its current home stand.
 
HEAD COACH
Jamie Dunn is in her fourth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a 76-105-1 overall record and a 41-52-1 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.
 
HISTORY LESSON
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 46th season of softball in 2017. SMSU began play in the 1972 season, five years after the school opened its doors. SMSU owns an all-time record of 906-831-1. The Mustangs own an all-time conference mark of 340-206.
 
MUSTANGS AT HOME
Southwest Minnesota State is 281-180-1 since 1973 when playing in Marshall. The Mustangs have compiled a .609 winning percentage in 42 years of playing games at home. SMSU's first year of play was 1972, but SMSU did not play a game at home during its inaugural season.
 
SMSU PICKED 10TH IN NSIC POLL
Southwest Minnesota State University was picked to finish 10th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Minnesota State was chosen as the unanimous preseason favorite earning 15 first place votes. SMSU junior infielder, Sam Flack, and senior pitcher, Alex O'Connor, were 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/softballcareer.