WEEKLY PREVIEW
• The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (9-14) opens its NSIC slate this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders at the ASB Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa. Both series were relocated due to expected poor weather conditions in the Marshall area.
• SMSU kicks off the weekend with a twin bill versus Bemidji State (6-17) on Sunday, March 24, with first pitch of game one set for 2 p.m.
• The Mustangs round out the weekend with a pair of games against Minnesota Crookston (7-17) the following day, with first pitch of game one set for 12 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE
• Live stats for all games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
• Both series will be live streamed on the NSIC Network.

QUICK HITS
• Senior Jillian Noel leads the Mustangs in batting going 23 for 65 at the plate including three doubles, a triple, and a home run. Noel leads the team in RBIs (16) and has scored seven runs.
• Junior Abby Russell has also recorded 23 hits including a team-high four doubles and has drawn a team-high 10 walks. Russell has scored 14 runs and tallied seven RBIs.
• Sophomore Riley Kramolisch is third on the team with 20 hits and has drove in nine runs, while Abby Boxrud has collected 19 hits.
• Freshman Brynn Webber leads the team in stolen bases (10) and is tied for a team-high 14 runs scored.
• SMSU is averaging 3.3 runs per game and batting .257

PITCHING PIECES
• Karlie Miller (5-7) leads the team with 54 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings pitched. Miller has collected five wins, including one shutout, and recorded her first career save against Lake Erie (Pa.) on March 12. The junior has a team-low 3.20 ERA and has held opponents to .284 hitting.
• Morgyn Otte (4-5) is second on the team with 26 strikeouts and has thrown 54 1/3 innings. Otte is 2-0 in her last two starts, winning back-to-back games for the first time in her career, and earned her first career shutout on March 4 over Concord (W. Va.).
• SMSU has a team ERA of 3.87 in 146 2/3 innings with 91 strikeouts. Opponents are averaging 4.7 runs per game and batting .296

HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
• Bailey Bouman is in her sixth season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 102-130, including 54-62 in NSIC play.
• The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2018.
• The Mustangs finished the 2023 season 17-32 and missed the NSIC Tournament for the first time in three seasons. 
• SMSU finished 21-31 in 2022, and won its second NSIC Tournament game in consecutive seasons.
• The Mustangs finished 27-20 in 2021, their best season since 2011, while winning their first NSIC tournament game since Bouman's first season in 2019.
• Bouman was an assistant coach with the SMSU women's basketball program from 2015-17 and was also an assistant women's basketball coach at Dordt College (Iowa) before returning to SMSU.
• Bouman is a 2014 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls where she played both basketball and softball for the Cougars.

BEMIDJI STATE SERIES HISTORY
• SMSU and BSU will meet for the 95th time with the Mustangs leading 70-24 in a series that began in 1981.
• The Mustangs have beat the Beavers in three of the last five meetings, including splitting a doubleheader last season.
• SMSU is 31-5 all-time versus BSU in neutral site contests.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON SERIES HISTORY
• SMSU and UMC will meet for the 50th time with the Mustangs leading 45-4 in a series that began in 2000.
• The Mustangs have won eight of the last 10 meetings, but the Golden Eagles beat SMSU in both games last season.
• SMSU is 20-0 all-time versus UMC in neutral site contests.

MUSTANG HISTORY
• Southwest Minnesota State is in its 53rd season of softball in 2024.
• SMSU has played in 2,032 games compiling an all-time record of 1,034-997-1.
• The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.