ON DECK
The Southwest Minnesota State softball team hits the road this weekend as it travels to North Dakota to face U-Mary and Minot State. SMSU is coming off an eight-game home stand in which it went 3-5 over the past week. The Mustangs split a doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul and swept MSU?Moorhead but were swept in doubleheaders against Northern State and Augustana. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Coming off of a doubleheader sweep of MSU?Moorhead this past Saturday, the Mustangs dropped both games in their doubleheader against Augustana. SMSU put up five runs in a big fifth inning to take the lead in game one, but surrendered its lead in the next inning when Augustana answered with a three-run home run. Augustana led by just one run going into the seventh inning of game two, when the Vikings' offense blew the game open with seven runs in the final inning to put the game away.
 
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 U-MARY:
            Team Overview
            •Overall record- 13-26
            •Streak-WON 4
            •NSIC record-  7-7
            •Home record- 4-2
            •Away record- 3-5
            •Neutral record- 6-19
            •TEAM BATTING AVG-.260
            •TEAM OB %- .309
            •TEAM SLG %-.352
            •TEAM ERA- 5.25
            •TEAM BATTING AVG AGAINST-.309
 
            Team Leaders (min 50 ab, 10 ip)
            •Batting AVG    #5 Rebekkah Keller (.371)
            •OB %-            #5 Rebekkah Keller (.423)
            •SLG %-          #22 Taylor Mendez (.580)
            •RBI-               #22 Taylor Mendez (23)
            •HR-                #22 Taylor Mendez (8)
            •SB-                #5 Rebekkah Keller (14)        
            •ERA-              #11 Brieann Backes (4.42)
            •K's-                #11 Brieann Backes (43)
            •Wins-             #11 Brieann Backes (6)
 
U-MARY SERIES HISTORY:
            •SMSU leads the all-time series with U-Mary 14-12
            •The Mustangs are 3-3 all-time on the road at U-Mary
            •SMSU?has won two of the last three games overall
            •The two teams have split the last two regular season doubleheaders
            •SMSU was the last team to sweep a doubleheader winning 10-2 and 4-3 back in 2014
            •SMSU won the first ever meeting, 5-0 back in 1990
 
SCOUTING MINOT STATE:
            Team Overview
            •Overall record- 14-13
            •Streak- WON 1
            •NSIC record-  6-8
            •Home record- 5-1
            •Away record- 3-7
            •Neutral record- 6-5
            •TEAM BATTING AVG-.315
            •TEAM OB %- .393
            •TEAM SLG %-.480
            •TEAM ERA- 3.70
            •TEAM BATTING AVG AGAINST- .293
 
            Team Leaders (min 50 ab, 10 ip)
            •Batting AVG- #24 Jordan Grant (.488)
            •OB %-            #24 Jordan Grant (.527)
            •SLG %-          #20 Tori Zimmermann (.761)
            •RBI-               #32 Ashley Hill (33)
            •HR-                #32 Ashley Hill (9)
            •SB-                #24 Jordan Grant (21)
            •ERA-              #2 Clarissa Ramirez (3.70)
            •K's-                #7 Jenn Spencer (54)
            •Wins-             #7 Jenn Spencer (7)
 
MINOT STATE SERIES HISTORY:
            •SMSU and Minot State had never met before Minot State joined the NSIC for the 2013 season
            •The all-time series is currently tied 4-4
            •SMSU has won two of the last three meetings including a doubleheader sweep last year
            •SMSU is 1-1 all-time on the road against the Beavers
 
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE:
            Team Overview
            •Overall record- 15-15
            •Streak-LOST 2
            •NSIC record-  6-8
            •Home record- 6-6
            •Away record- 2-6
            •Neutral record- 7-3
            •TEAM BATTING AVG-.281
            •TEAM OB %-             .342
            •TEAM SLG %-.407
            •TEAM ERA- 2.79
            •TEAM BATTING AVG AGAINST-.249
 
            Team Leaders (min 50 ab, 10 ip)
            •Batting AVG  #27 Tori Brooks (.344)
            •OB %-            #9 Sam Flack (.422)
            •SLG %-          #14 Taylor Koloc (.536)
            •RBI-               #5 Mackenzie Clouse (18)
            •HR-                #14 Taylor Koloc (4)
            •SB-                #14 Taylor Koloc (10) 
            •ERA-              #21 Alex O'Connor (2.57)
            •K's-                #21 Alex O'Connor (72)
            •Wins-             #21 Alex O'Connor (7)
 
HEAD COACH
Jamie Dunn is in her fourth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a 76-107-1 overall record and a 41-54-1 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.
 
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 11 games this season including five times in NSIC?play. SMSU has scored six or more runs in a single inning in four games this year. The Mustangs are 11-1 this year when scoring six or more runs.
 
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 906-833-1. The Mustangs own an all-time conference mark of 340-208.
 
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.