WEEKEND PREVIEW
The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (29-23, 15-11 NSIC) are on the road for its final pair of NSIC doubleheaders this weekend.
The Mustangs travel west, first to Minot State on Saturday, May 2, beginning at 12 p.m., before facing UMary the following day also at 12 p.m.
 
GAME COVERAGE
The games will be streaming live on the NSIC Network.
Live stats will be available at smsumustangs.com.

RECAP OF LAST WEEK
The Mustangs clinched a spot in the upcoming NSIC Conference Tournament by going 4-0 against Northern State and Jamestown.
On Friday against NSU, the Mustangs won game one 7-4, and game two 9-0 (5 inn.)
Then in rainy conditions on Saturday, SMSU defeated UJ 10-0 (5 inn.) in game one, before winning game two 17-3 (5 inn.)
Riley Kramolisch led all batters with nine hits, including three hits against Jamestown in game two.
Paris Van Dyke had six hits and six RBIs including a three-run home run against UJ.
Aliza Acker had five hits in the two games against Jamestown.
Emma Humpal had five RBIs including three RBIs in game two against Northern State.
 
MARSH NAMED NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Jordyn Marsh was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week after earning a 3-0 record over the weekend against Northern State and Jamestown, and in 14 innings of work did not allow a run.
Against the Wolves on Friday, Marsh pitched three innings in game one, earning the win while allowing one hit with four strikeouts. In game two, Marsh pitched all five innings, allowing just two hits with two strikeouts.
Marsh started game one against Jamestown on Saturday, pitching all five innings and allowing two hits with four strikeouts. She pitched the final inning of game two, capping her weekend off with another strikeout.
This is the first Pitcher of the Week award for Marsh in her career, and the second Player of the Week award for the Mustangs this season (Emma Humpal, Feb. 17).
 
MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
Jordyn Marsh (20-7) leads the Mustangs on the mound with a 1.85 ERA with 120 strikeouts and a batting average against of .243. The sophomore is also batting .275 with five doubles, two home runs, and 24 RBIs.
Freshman Aliza Acker leads the Mustangs with a .351 batting average, 59 hits, 14 doubles, and four home runs. Acker is second in RBIs with 25 and fourth in runs scored with 29.
Junior outfielder Paris Van Dyke after a strong month at the plate is now batting .341 on the year, second highest on the team. Van Dyke is second in doubles with eight and home runs with three, and is third in hits with 45.
Senior Riley Kramolisch is second on the team with 58 hits and two triples, as well as being third with a batting average of .333. She is one of three players with 30+ runs scored. Kramolisch became the eighth Mustang in team history to record 200 hits in a career in late March.
Grace Anderson is hitting .292 with four doubles, two home runs, and 18 RBIs.
Junior Emma Humpal leads the Mustangs with 29 RBIs, is second in walks with 21, and fourth with 40 hits. Humpal was selected as NSIC Player of the Week in mid-February.
Freshman Ramsey Hopp (9-15) has a 4.82 ERA in 142 1/3 innings. In 81 at-bats at the plate, Hopp has a batting average of .358 and 19 RBIs.
 
HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
Bailey Bouman is in her seventh season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 170-197, including 90-108 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.
 
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST THE BEAVERS
The Mustangs will meet Minot State for the 23^rd and 24^th  time on Saturday in a series dating back to 2013. The Beavers lead the series 13-10.
The Mustangs are 0-5 in their last five against MSU, and the last win against the Beavers in Minot was in 2019.
Bailey Bouman holds a record of 5-7 against Minot State as SMSU head coach.
 
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST THE MARAUDERS
SMSU faces Northern State for the 41^st and 42^nd  time on Sunday in a series dating back to 1990. The Mustangs hold a 26-14 advantage all time.
The Mustangs have won the last 11 matchups against UMary, however the series is split 2-2 in the last four played in Bismarck.
Coach Bouman holds an 11-1 record against UMary.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE MUSTANGS
SMSU will compete in the NSIC Conference Tournament, with first round matchups beginning on May 6 in Sioux Falls, S.D. If the Mustangs receive a top six place in the NSIC standings, they will play on May 7, receiving an automatic bye in the first round.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 55th season of softball in 2026.
SMSU has played in 2,167 games, compiling an all-time record of 1,102-1,064-1.
The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.