MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team, currently ranked #18 in the NFCA Coaches Poll, will return to action this week with a pair of weekend doubleheaders on the road. Saturday, the Mavericks will take on the MSU Moorhead Dragons in Moorhead, Minn., with first pitch at 1:00 p.m. before traveling to take on the Northern State Wolves Sunday with first pitch at noon.

Mavericks at a Glance: Minnesota State (28-7, 17-5 NSIC) went 6-0 last weekend with sweeps of Upper Iowa, by scores of 6-0 and 5-3, Bemidji State, 4-0 and 6-0, and Minnesota Crookston, 5-8 and 8-0. The Mavericks were ranked as in consideration in the first NCAA DII Central Region Rankings which places them in the top eight teams considered for postseason play in the central region, six of which will be selected.

Impact Mavericks: This season, junior Torey Richards is leading the Maverick offense batting .430 with 49 hits including five doubles and a pair of triples with 11 RBI. Senior Hannah McCarville is leading the team in RBI with 33 while batting .414 along with four homeruns. Senior Carly Esselman is the third leading hitter for Minnesota State batting .355 with 43 hits, nine doubles and 19 RBI. Freshman Sydney Nielsen leads the Mavericks in homers with eight on the season while hitting .352 and recording 30 RBI.

In the circle Mackenzie Ward is 16-3 with a 0.93 ERA with 214 strikeouts, currently the second most in the nation, and has been named NSIC Pitcher of the Week four times. Ward is in the midst of a 41-inning scoreless inning streak which began against Augustana Sunday, April 1. Ward recorded a career high 19 strikeouts in the Maverick 4-0 win over the Bemidji State Beavers, tying a Minnesota State team record for strikeouts in a seven-inning game which was set by Coley Ries against Lewis University during the 2017 season.

Scouting MSU Moorhead: Minnesota State University Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minn., and is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Dragons are 7-28 (4-14 NSIC) and are led by third year head coach Amanda Reckamp.

Saturday's games will be the 52nd and 53rd all-time meetings between the two programs with the most recent meeting being a 3-2 victory for the Mavericks during the 2019 season.

The Dragons are led on offense by Emma Dummer who is hitting .333 with 14 RBI and 10 runs scored. 

In the circle, Anna Lang leads Upper Iowa with an 3-15 record while posting a 6.10 ERA and striking out 41 batters.

Scouting Northern State: Northern State is located in Aberdeen, S.D., and is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Wolves are currently 22-14 (13-9 NSIC) on the season and are led by fourth year coach Jenny Fuller.

Saturday's games will be the 28th and 29th between these two programs, the most recent of which was a 3-2 win for the Mavericks in 2019.

Kennaday Thompson leads Northern State on offense batting .415 with 34 hits, 10 runs scored and 18 RBI.

In the circle, Elyse Cuttic paces the Wolves with a 12-5 record, a 3.22 ERA and 114 strikeouts.

Looking Ahead: After this week's slate of games, the Mavericks will return home for the final weekend of the regular season with afternoon doubleheaders against Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls.