Independent file photo SMSU’s Kaylee Hentges is surrounded by her teammates after she hit a solo home run against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Monday. The Mustangs will face Wayne State College today.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (11-22, 6-12 NSIC) concludes its short home season today facing Wayne State College (15-24, 9-11 NSIC) in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center.

•SMSU’s first 29 games were played away from Marshall with a total of 12 games being played indoors.

•SMSU is coming off a split with Minnesota Duluth on Monday, winning 4-2 in game one, before losing 4-1 in game two. The victory in game one snapped a six-game losing streak for SMSU.

•Today begins a crucial six games for SMSU as they look to qualify for the NSIC Tournament. SMSU begins play today tied for 11th in the NSIC standings. The top 10 teams qualify for the NSIC Tournament in May.

•SMSU is more than likely going to have to win all six games to have a chance to make the 10-team field. Following today’s games, SMSU will play at Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston this Saturday and Sunday.

•WSC is in 10th place in the league standings with a mark of 9-11 and holds a 15-24 overall record.

GAME COVERAGE

•Live statistics for today’s games will be available at smsumustangs.com.

•Updates can also be found by following @smsusoftball on Twitter.

SERIES HISTORY

•SMSU holds a slight 28-27 all-time advantage versus WSC in a series that started in 1986.

•SMSU has won the last three games, including 2-0 and 5-1 victories last season in Wayne, Nebraska.

•SMSU head coach Jamie Dunn is 4-4 all-time versus WSC.

MUSTANG

NOTABLES

•SMSU is hitting .254 with 13 home runs and 44 doubles.

•SMSU has an ERA of 5.01 with 169 strikeouts in 211 innings.

•SMSU has a .953 fielding percentage.

•SMSU is 4-3 in one-run games.

•SMSU is 11-1 when leading after five innings and 10-0 when leading after six innings.

•In NSIC games only, the SMSU pitching staff has a league-leading 119 strikeouts.

•Freshman Bailey Johnson is the team leader with a .322 batting average and has scored a team-high 18 runs.

•Johnson earlier this season had a team-long 16-game streak of reaching base.

•Junior Abbie Decker ranks third in school history with 20 hit by pitches.

•Sophomore Kali Tomlinson is third on the team with a .305 batting average with nine doubles, three home runs and leads the club with 18 RBIs. She also has team-high five multi-RBI games.

•Senior Mackenzie Clouse is batting .298 with a team-high 11 doubles and is second on the team with 15 RBIs. Clouse ranks 10th in the NSIC with six doubles in league play.

•Sophomore Madison Krog is tied for third in the NSIC with 12 walks.

•Sophomore Emma Grote is hitting .320 and has six stolen bases.

•Grote, Clouse, Johnson and Tomlinson all have seven multi-hit games this season to lead the team.

•Tomlinson earlier this season had a 10-game hitting streak, the longest by a Mustang this season.

•Sophomore Megan Cull set a career-high with 11 strikeouts versus Minnesota Duluth on Monday. Cull had 10 strikeouts versus St. Cloud State on Sunday.

•Junior Athena Golling racked up a career-high 11 strikeouts in Monday’s loss to Minnesota Duluth.

•Golling ranks third in the NSIC (league games only) with 55 strikeouts and ranks fifth in opponents’ batting average at .252.

UP NEXT

•Following play today, SMSU will play at Bemidji State on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.

•SMSU concludes the regular season on Sunday with a doubleheader at Minnesota Crookston starting at 12 p.m.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications