WEEKEND MATCH-UP
•The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team (11-21, 6-16 NSIC) plays its final road games of the season this weekend with a four-game series versus the University of Minnesota Crookston (19-24, 5-19 NSIC).
•Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m., while Sunday's twinbill will start at 12 p.m.
•SMSU is coming off a pair of road losses to Upper Iowa on Wednesday, losing 9-3 and 10-9.
•SMSU is now 3-9 in one-run games this season.
•SMSU begins the weekend in 12^th place in the NSIC standings, while UMC is in 13^th place.
•Following this weekend's games, SMSU will conclude the regular season with a four-game series versus Bemidji State at Alumni Field in Marshall on May 4-5. It will be the first home games for SMSU this season.
 
            GAME COVERAGE
•Live statistics for the weekend games will be available at smsumustangs.com.
•Updates can also be found by following @smsubaseball on Twitter.
 
            SERIES HISTORY
•SMSU holds a 45-5 all-time series advantage versus UMC in a series that started in 2000.
•The two teams split a four-game series last season in Marshall.
•SMSU is 29-1 all-time in games played in Crookston.
•SMSU head coach Paul Blanchard is 45-5 all-time versus UMC.
 
            HEAD COACH
•Paul Blanchard, the all-time leader in victories at SMSU, is in his 22nd season as head coach and has an overall record of 512-474-2, including 288-255 in conference play.
•Blanchard entered the 2018 season ranking 44th for career victories in Division II?among active coaches.
•During his tenure, Blanchard has led the program to its only NCAA tournament appearance, one NSIC championship, three NSIC tournament championships, 15 appearances in the NSIC tournament and four 30-win seasons.
•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.