LEADING OFF
•The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team (15-8, 7-6 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Wednesday with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader versus Winona State University (15-18, 11-7 NSIC) in Winona, Minn.  
•SMSU is currently in eighth-place in the NSIC standings, while WSU is fifth-place.
•SMSU last played on April 2-3 sweeping a three-game series at Upper Iowa University.  
•Following Wednesday's play, SMSU will play at three-game series at the University of Mary this Saturday and Sunday.
•SMSU is scheduled to open its home season on Wednesday, April 19, versus Minnesota State at Legion Field.
 
              GAME COVERAGE
•Live stats and video for both games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com.
 
                SMSU HEAD COACH
•Paul Blanchard, the all-time leader in victories at SMSU, is in his 27th and final season as head coach and has an overall record of 579-564-2, including 331-328 in conference play.
•On Feb. 19, Blanchard announced he will retire from coaching following the conclusion of the 2023 season.
•During his tenure, Blanchard has led the program to one 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.
 
            SERIES HISTORY VS. WINONA STATE
•SMSU and WSU have meet 183 times since the 1970 season with WSU holding a 123-60 all-time advantage. SMSU has played WSU the most among all opponents in team history.
•WSU has won the last seven games, including sweeping three-game sets in 2019 and 2021.
•The teams split a four-game series in 2018, the last time the teams played in Winona.
 
            MUSTANG EXTRA BASES
•SMSU is averaging 7.3 runs per game and batting .303.
•Keenan Wenzel is batting .345 in 17 games with 19 hits, including three doubles and 16 RBIs. Wenzel had six RBIs in a win over Dakota Wesleyan on March 6 becoming the first SMSU player since 2020 to drive in six runs.
•Chase McDaniel is batting .330 with a team-leading 30 hits and a team-high 12 multi-hit games. He had a nine-game hitting streak earlier this season.
•Owen Latendresse has six multi-RBI games and leads the team with 24 RBIs, while batting .333.
•Peyton Nash is hitting .438 in 15 games with seven doubles, 16 RBIs and leads the team with seven multi-RBI games.
•Jaxon Haase leads the club with five home runs and ranks second with 22 RBIs.
•Robbie Smith has four triples, nine hit by pitches and has walked 10 times in 22 games. He tied a program single-game record with four walks in a win over Sioux Falls on March 29. He also tied a school single-game record with two triples versus Malone on March 10.
•Isaac Nett ranks fourth on the team with 24 hits and is second with four home runs.
•Max Kalenberg tied a school record with five runs scored in a win over Dakota Wesleyan on March 6. He is the eighth Mustang all-time and the first since the 2004 season to score five runs in a game.
•SMSU opened the season winning eight of 10 games at the Tucson Invitational from March 4-13. The 8-2 start following 10 games is the program's best since beginning the 2009 season with a 9-1 record.
•SMSU's victory on March 10 versus Malone (Ohio) was the 1,000^th in program history.
 
            NOTES FROM THE BUMP
•SMSU has a team ERA of 4.46 in 182 2/3 innings with 193 strikeouts with opponents averaging 4.7 runs per game and batting .256.
•The 4.46 ERA currently ranks sixth-lowest in team history and the lowest since the 1998 season.
•Ansen Dulas has a 2.77 ERA in 26 innings in five starts with 21 strikeouts.
•Brady Brosz has a 1.00 ERA in nine innings with 13 strikeouts, one victory and three saves.
•Kolby Kiser leads the team with 41 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. He has struck out a career-high 10 in two games this season.
•Ryan Chmielewski is second on the team with 31 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.
•Shay Endres fired four shutout innings of relief to earn the victory at Upper Iowa on April 3. He is 2-2 on the season with a 4.41 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.
•Carter Petron is 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA in 22 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts.
•SMSU has used 17 pitchers this season.