NOTE TO MEDIA: Due the poor forecasts and field conditions, Minnesota State’s scheduled softball road games with the MSU Moorhead and Minnesota, Crookston have been rescheduled. MSU (27-6) will now host the MSU Moorhead and UMC Friday and Saturday, respectively.

What's Lies Ahead: Fifth-ranked Minnesota State plays MSU Moorhead Friday  at 1 p.m. in Mankato, Minn., at the Diamond at Gage Towers. The following day, Minnesota State will tangle with Minnesota, Crookston at the Diamond at Gage Towers beginning at 12 p.m. In both games the Mavericks will serve as the away team.

In the Ranks: The Mavericks are ranked #1 in the first NCAA Central Region rankings that were released Wednesday. MSU is followed by Winona State and Augustana, while six of the ten teams in the regional poll are NSIC schools. In the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, Minnesota State climbed from eighth to fifth in the country last week.   

Up Until Now:  Minnesota State enters Tuesday owners of a 27-6 record are coming off a two losses to Wayne State Tuesday at the Diamond at Gage Towers. Ending the Mavericks eight-game winning streak, the Wildcats shutout the Mavericks 5-0, and captured a 2-1 win.

Honors, Accolades and More:  Five different Mavericks have tallied for six weekly honor awards this season, including three NSIC Player of the Week Awards and three NSIC Pitcher of the Week Awards.
    Senior Julie O'Neal was the most recent MSU player to win the Player of the Week Award, followed by senior Natalie Spicer and freshman Lindsay Erickson.
    Sophomore pitcher Courtney McKelvogue has won Pitcher of the Week award twice this season already. Junior Kendra Huettl was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week last week.

Lead Me: MSU freshmen Linsday Erickson holds a team-leading .460 batting average. Erickson is leading the team in hits (46),, extra base hits (16) and total bases (69). Senior Natalie Spicer is leading the Mavericks in home runs (6) and walks (20). Senior Julie O'Neal is batting .416 this season, compiling a .652 slugging percentage and has 30 runs batted in this season. Freshman Kelly Wood holds a .803 slugging percentage on the season with five home runs and is batting .451 overall. The speedsters Melanie Upchurch and Lauryn Morris have each stolen 21 bases on the season.
    Sophomore pitcher Courtney McKelvogue gathers a 13-3 record on the season, including a 1.29 earned run average. McKelvogue has given up 15 extra base hits in her 97.1 innings pitched, with batters hitting .174 against her. Junior pitcher Kendra Huettl is 12-3 on the season with a 2.75 earned run average.

A Bit About the Dragons: MSU Moorhead enter the weekend with a 10-9 record on the season and, 2-4 in the NSIC. The Dragons are hitting a combined .330 from the plate, averaging 6.7 runs per game. MSU Moorhead holds a .961 fielding percentage and has a team earned run average of 5.32.
    Keeler is batting .323 and shows a team-leading eight home runs and 20 RBI. Howland is batting .388  with 26 hits and 25 runs on the season. Litzer leads the pitching staff with 10 wins and a 5.10 ERA.

Life in the Golden Eagle Nest: Minnesota, Crookston enter the game owners of a 7-11 record and 1-3 in the NSIC. The Golden Eagles are coming off a split against Upper Iowa  Sunday. UMC is batting .261 as a team and averages 3.21 runs per game.  Kayla Bowar is leading the team in batting average (.433), hits (26), RBI (10), total bases (32) and slugging percentage. (.533).
    The pitching staff owns a 3.49 earned run average with opponents hitting .286 against them. The Golden Eagles average 4.38 strikeouts per game and have given up 35 extra base hits.
 
What Lies Further Ahead: Minnesota State will host a have a six game homestand, starting  with a doubleheader against #17 Augustana on April 13. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
MSU will then play two games against Upper Iowa on April 16, while taking on Winona State on April 17th in the Strikeout Against Cancer game