WEEKEND PREVIEW
The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (5-3) continues non-conference action on Monday, Feb. 23, facing Nebraska-Kearney in a doubleheader in Sioux Center, Iowa, at the American State Bank Sports Complex, with game one beginning at 11 a.m.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Live stats for the games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
The tournament will be live streamed on the NSIC Network.

RECAP OF MSU DOUBLEHEADER
In game one against MSU the Mustang bats were in full force, with Riley Kramolisch earning three hits in the game, one of five Mustangs with two or more hits in the game. Emma Humpal and pitcher Jordyn Marsh had two hits, with Humpal driving in two runs, and Marsh driving in three. Kramolisch and catcher Grace Anderson scored two runs in the game.
Marsh earned the win on the mound, pitching all seven innings and allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned) and two walks, while striking out five batters. This was SMSU's first win against the Mavericks since 2018, winning 9-4.
The Mustangs jumped on the Mavericks early in game two, with Kramolisch scoring on a third-base error, and Emma Humpal blasting her first home run of the season, for a 3-0 SMSU lead after the top of the first.
However, MSU was able to get the bats going themselves, with 14 hits in the game, and four from first baseman Gianna Lara. SMSU freshman pitcher Ramsey Hopp had a difficult first two innings, allowing six runs, but eventually settled into the game, allowing just two runs in the next seven innings.
Grace Anderson would tie the game in the top of the seventh with a two RBI single, eventually sending the game to extra innings, where MSU's Lara would end the game with an RBI double 8-7.
 
RECAP OF UIU DOUBLEHEADER
In game one against the Peacocks, Jordyn Marsh would earn her fourth win of the season in dominating fashion, allowing just five hits and one walk with no runs scored, fanning 11 batters.
The Mustangs scored all seven runs in the first two innings, with Jordyn Marsh putting two balls into centerfield, and sending three runners home. Lexi Ingalls cracked a triple off the wall, scoring two runs in the first inning. SMSU would coast through to the seventh, winning game one 7-0.
Ramsey Hopp earned her first victory of the season in game two, pitching all five innings, allowing five hits and one walk, striking out three Peacock batters.
Ava Rud and Emma Humpal each had two hits in the contest, with the latter earning three RBIs and her second home run of the season. Both Riley Kramolisch and Ingalls scored two runs in the game. Freshman Carley Stych ended the game with a sacrifice bunt gone array for UIU, scoring two runs, leaving the game 8-0 after five innings.
 
MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
Jordyn Marsh is dominating both in the field and at the plate. The sophomore holds a 4-0 record with four complete games and a 1.75 ERA. In 28 innings, she has allowed 25 hits, nine runs (seven earned) and six walks, striking out 30 batters. Marsh also leads the Mustangs with a .462 batting average and a 1.478 OPS with two doubles, a home run, and eight RBIs at the plate.
Freshman Aliza Acker leads the team in hits with 11 including one double, while Grace Anderson is hitting .429 with a double and a triple racking up eight RBIs.
NSIC Player of the Week Emma Humpal is second on the team with an 1.147 OPS, leading the team with three doubles, two home runs, and 12 RBIs.
Senior Riley Kramolisch has eight hits with two extra base hits in the leadoff spot for the Mustangs, hitting .258 on the early season.
Freshman third-baseman Carley Stych is third on the team in total bases (25) and fourth in RBIs (7), holding a .240 batting average.
Freshman Ramsey Hopp (1-2) in three starts has a 3.87 ERA in 25 1/3 innings, allowing 39 hits and 17 runs (14 earned), striking out eight batters.
 
HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
Bailey Bouman is in her seventh season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 146-177, including 75-97 in NSIC play.
The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2018.
The Mustangs finished the 2025 campaign with a 29-26 record, the second winning record for Bouman as head coach, with a 11-17 NSIC record and a ninth-place finish in the conference.
SMSU finished with a 19-32 overall mark in 2024. 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.
 
NEBRASKA-KEARNEY SERIES HISTORY
SMSU and UNK will meet for the 6^th and 7^th time on Monday with the Lopers holding a 3-2 advantage.
The last matchup occurred in 2022, with the Mustangs winning 6-5, at a neutral site game in Topeka, Kan.
The first meeting between the two schools occurred in 1985 and have played three times in the last 10 years.
 
PREVIEWING NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
The Lopers have begun the season with a 6-7 record. UNK faces Sioux Falls in a doubleheader in Sioux Center on Sunday.
Nebraska-Kearney was picked to finish 11^th of 13 teams in the MIAA Preseason Rankings.
Junior outfielder Zaria Brigham leads the team in batting average (.390), hits (16), and is tied for the team lead in doubles (4) and RBIs (10), with one of two home runs on the season.
Senior shortstop Mary Chvatal, the leadoff hitter, leads the team with a 1.000 OPS and 12 walks, while adding 13 hits including four doubles and a triple.
Head coach Katie Ackermann is in her seventh season and holds a 118-164 record at UNK.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE MUSTANGS
The Mustangs are off until March 2, when SMSU will participate in THE Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. All game times are listed online at smsumustangs.com/sports/softball.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 55th season of softball in 2026.
SMSU has played in 2,123 games compiling an all-time record of 1,078-1,044-1.
The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.