Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team has six games on tap this week, beginning with a weekday doubleheader against Winona State in Winona, Minn., on Tuesday. Game times are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Mavericks will return home later in the week as they will host Minot State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., before taking on U-Mary on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader against Minot State will mark as "Senior Day" for MSU as it will be honoring its four senior players in Emily Bransky, Karli DesLauriers, Tatum Klein and Katie Koponen.

Last Time Out: This past weekend the Mavericks went 2-2 on the road after sweeping MSU Moorhead by the scores of 6-0 and 7-3 on Saturday, before falling to Northern State on Sunday, 3-2 and 9-1 in five innings.

Junior Ashley Thell led MSU on the weekend with a .500 batting average as she recorded six hits along with three RBI, two stolen bases and one run scored. Junior Samantha Buhmann compiled a .429 batting average and also finished with six hits and three RBI, while tallying a team-high four runs scored. Freshman McKenzie Paap ended the weekend with a .357 batting average and posted five total hits, four runs scored and two stolen bases.

From the circle, junior Coley Ries went 1-1 on the weekend as she accumulated a 2.05 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched. Ries collected 24 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .231 average. Sophomore Libby Bemis also went 1-1 in two starts as she pitched in 8.1 innings and posted a 5.04 ERA. Bemis held opposing batters to a .212 average and finished with six strikeouts.

Concerning Winona State: The Warriors enter the week with a 27-11 overall record and 9-6 record in NSIC play. WSU is coached by Greg Jones who is in his 15th season at the helm.

The Mavericks own a 45-41 all-time record against the Warriors. Last season MSU and WSU squared off against each other three times. The two teams split the lone doubleheader in Mankato, Minn., as the Mavericks won game one 7-5, before the Warriors got some revenge and took game two, 10-2 in five innings. The third time the two teams met was in the NSIC tournament and the Warriors defeated the Mavericks 2-0.

This season the Warriors have scored the most runs in the NSIC with 250 and own a .313 batting average which ranks fifth best. WSU has notched a NSIC leading 19 triples and has belted 31 homers which ranks fourth in the NSIC. The Warriors have also tallied the second most walks in the NSIC with 120.

From the circle, WSU team ERA and opposing batting average ranks second in the NSIC with 1.92 and .183, respectively. 

Senior Reed Karsten leads the Warriors this season with a .432 batting average and a .758 slugging percentage. Karsten also leads the team in hits (57), runs scored (35), RBI (35), doubles (12 and home runs (9). In the NSIC, she ranks fifth in batting average, second in slugging percentage, fifth in runs scored, third in hits, third in doubles and fourth in home runs.

Senior Natalie Kalmes is swinging .388 from the plate and has tallied 40 hits, 32 RBI, 24 runs scored and nine doubles. Sophomore Paige Keegan owns a .364 batting average, along with 32 total hits, 23 RBI, 18 runs scored and 12 walks. 

Senior Hanna Lythberg leads the Warriors pitching staff with a 15-5 win-loss record in 23 appearances. She is currently tied for first in the NSIC with a 1.50 ERA, as she has struckout 77 batters in 121.2 innings pitched this season. In both of WSU's wins over the Mavericks last season, Lythberg started and earned the wins for the Warriors. Sophomore Alex Walker is 6-3 this season with a 2.61 ERA. She has pitched in 77.2 innings and has struckout 39 batters.

Concerning Minot  State:  The Beavers currently own a 12-21 overall record and a 1-14 record in NSIC play as their lone conference win came against Minnesota Crookston. Bill Triplett is MISU's head coach and is in his ninth season at the helm.

The Mavericks own a perfect 7-0 all-time record against the Beavers, as MSU swept MISU last season in Minot, N.D., by the scores of 6-3 and 4-2.

This season the Beavers boast a .283 batting average and a .410 slugging percentage. As a team, MISU has tallied 39 doubles, 21 home runs and 29 stolen bases so far this season.

The Beavers pitching staff owns a 5.97 ERA and opposing batters are averaging .320 from the plate.

Sophomore Ashley Hill leads the team with a .380 batting average, a .633 slugging percentage and 14 walks. Hill has also recorded 30 total hits, 20 RBI, 12 runs scored, five home runs and five doubles on the season. Junior Jordan Grant has started all 33 games for MISU this season and leads the team with 40 total hits, 22 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. Rachel Burdette is swinging at a .343 rate from the plate and is leading the Beavers with 22 RBI and 13 extra base hits, including five home runs and five doubles.

From the circle, junior Alyssa Cornejo leads the pitching staff with a 3.48 ERA and a 6-5 record. She has pitched in 64.2 innings and has struckout 58 batters in 15 appearances. Jenn Spencer holds a 3-10 win-loss record and a 6.10 ERA. She has also tallied 53 strikeouts in 79.2 innings pitched.

Concerning U-Mary: The Marauders enter the week with a 9-25 overall and a 3-12 record in NSIC play as they split with Winona State on Sunday. U-Mary is coached by Kerry Shaw who is in his first season with the program.

The Mavericks own a 7-7 all-time record against the Marauders as the two teams split in last seasons doubleheader in Bismarck, N.D. The Marauders won game one 2-1, before the Mavericks took game two, 9-3.

As a team, U-Mary is swinging at a .271 rate and owns a .396 slugging percentage. The Marauders have swiped 29 bases this season and have tallied 42 doubles and 22 home runs.

U-Mary's pitching staff has compiled a 5.27 ERA and opposing batters are averaging .334 from the plate.

Senior Alana Norman leads U-Mary so far this season with a .392 batting average, 47 total hits and 20 stolen bases. Junior Taylor Mendez is right behind with a .385 batting average and owns a team-leading .651 slugging percentage. She also leads the Marauders with 25 runs scored, 21 RBI and eight home runs. Junior Shawnee Zink has recorded six home runs and six doubles, while sophomore Colleen Crutchfield leads the team with 14 extra base hits.

Junior pitcher Melanie Rodriguez is 4-13 with a 4.82 ERA in 88.2 innings pitched. She has collected 42 strikeouts and opposing batters are averaging .331 from the plate against her. Freshman Brieann Backes owns a 4.95 ERA  and a 3-7 win-loss record. She has struckout 32 batters this season in 80.2 innings pitched.

Minnesota State History: The 2016 season will mark as the 42nd season for the Maverick softball program. MSU currently owns an all-time record of 1,194-733-7 (.617) in 1,934 games, and has four North Central Conference titles (1984, 1987, 1989, 2007), three Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title (2012, 2013, 2014) and 13 appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament (1984, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014) to its credit.