LOOKING AHEAD
• The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (20-12, 2-4 NSIC) continues NSIC play with doubleheaders against the University of Mary (9-22, 2-4 NSIC) and Minot State University (17-12, 5-1 NSIC) this weekend.
• SMSU will play UMary at home on Friday, March 28, with the first pitch at 1 p.m.
• The Mustangs play the Beavers in a relocated neutral site series in Mankato, Minn., on Saturday inside the Maverick All-Sports Dome starting at noon.
• The three teams were initially scheduled to play at Mustang Field on Saturday and Sunday, but both series were rescheduled due to expected poor weather conditions in Marshall.

GAME COVERAGE
• Links for live stats and streams for all games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com

MILLER NAMED NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• Karlie Miller was named the NSIC Pitcher of the Week on March 10 following a stellar week in Florida. It is the first time Miller has earned the honor in her career.
• Miller, a senior right-hander from Prior Lake, Minn., shined over the week going 4-0 with a 0.75 ERA in five appearances recording 32 strikeouts in 28 innings and allowing just three earned runs at THE Spring Games.
• In her first appearance of the trip on March 3, Miller tossed a four-hit complete game shutout against Pittsburgh Johnstown to help SMSU win its first game of the trip.
• She followed that up with a shutout the next day, racking up a career-high 12 strikeouts in the 7-0 win over Staten Island (N.Y.).
• Miller picked up another win on March 5, striking out five batters in 5 2/3 innings against West Virginia Wesleyan before ending the week with a six-strikeout performance in six innings versus Queens (N.Y.).

HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
• Bailey Bouman is in her seventh season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 132-160, including 66-84 in NSIC play.
• The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2018.
• SMSU finished with a 19-32 overall mark in 2024, missing the NSIC tournament by one game. Abby Boxrud and Paris Van Dyke became the first Mustangs to earn All-NSIC Defensive honors in the Bouman era.
• 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.
• SMSU finished 19-26 during her first season in 2019 and qualified for the NSIC Tournament.
• 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.

LAST TIME OUT
• The No. 10-ranked Augustana Vikings utilized dominant pitching and six Mustang errors to earn a pair of wins, 4-0 and 8-3, over SMSU at Mustang Field on Wednesday.
• Karlie Miller (8-5) was tabbed with the loss in game one after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk, while striking out a pair in a complete game. 
• Morgyn Otte (6-5) was handed the loss in game two after allowing eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits while striking out two in 5 1/3 innings. Jordyn Marsh held Augustana to two hits and grabbed a strikeout in the final 1 2/3 innings.
• Abby Boxrud led the bats going 1 for 3 with a walk and scoring two runs while Brynn Webber, Emma Humpal, and Paris Van Dyke each recorded an RBI.

MUSTANG EXTRA BASES
• Brynn Webber leads SMSU batting .341 (28 for 82) at the plate, including a pair of doubles and four triples with a team-leading 22 RBI and 19 walks.
• Abby Boxrud is batting .340 and leads the team with 29 runs scored while batting in eight runs. Boxrud ranks sixth in the nation and leads the NSIC in sacrifice bunts per game (0.38).
• Emma Humpal is batting .333 with four extra-base hits and 18 RBI while drawing eight walks.
• Riley Kramolisch is also batting .333 with 14 RBI and 19 runs scored and leads the team with 38 hits.
• Abby Russell is hitting .333 and leads SMSU with 48 total bases and has tallied 16 RBI.
• Lexi Ingalls leads the Mustangs with eight extra-base hits. She has recorded 14 RBI and scored 12 runs.
• SMSU is averaging 5.1 runs per game and batting .287
• Karlie Miller (8-5) leads the team with 61 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings pitched. Miller has posted a 2.35 ERA and seven complete games.
• Jordyn Marsh (6-2) leads SMSU with a team-low 2.09 ERA and has tallied 58 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings. She is tied for first in the nation and NSIC with five saves..
• SMSU has a team ERA of 2.45 in 214 innings with 164 strikeouts. Opponents are averaging 3.6 runs per game and batting .261

SCOUTING UMARY
• SMSU is 24-14 all-time versus UMary and has won nine of the last 10 meetings.
• The Mustangs earned a sweep over the Marauders last season in Jamestown, N.D.
• The last time the SMSU and UMary played in Marshall was April 6, 2021.
• SMSU is 10-6 all-time at home against the Marauders.

SCOUTING MINOT STATE
• SMSU is 10-11 all-time versus MSU after splitting the previous 10 meetings in the series.
• The last time a neutral site game was played in the series was on Feb. 26, 2021, in Sioux Falls, S.D.
• SMSU is 2-3 all-time in neutral site games against the Beavers.

MUSTANGS EARN POSTSEASON HONORS IN 2024
• SMSU had two players receive accolades following the 2024 season.
• Right fielder, Abby Boxrud, and first baseman, Paris Van Dyke, were both selected to the All-NSIC Defensive team.
• Boxrud started every game in right field last season and led both SMSU and the NSIC with a 1.000 field pct. on 68 putouts.
• Van Dyke made 43 starts at first base finishing second in the league in fielding pct. (.997), fourth in fielding double plays (13), and ninth in putouts (305).

SMSU PICKED 10TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
• SMSU was chosen 10th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the league's 15 head coaches.
• SMSU senior shortstop Abby Russell and senior pitcher Karlie Miller were both named "Players to Watch" in the conference this season.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
• Southwest Minnesota State is in its 54th season of softball in 2025.
• SMSU has played in 2,092 games, compiling an all-time record of 1,064-1,027-1.
• The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and have played in four NCAA Tournaments.