DURANT, Okla. - Midwestern State faces stiff competition at the 2009 Lone Star Conference Softball Crossover this weekend at the Durant Multisport Complex.

The Mustangs (21-9) have split their last eight games after reeling off wins in 16 of 17 games to earn a No. 15 ranking in the USA Today/National Fast-pitch Coaches' Assocation poll after sweeping Abilene Christian on March 7 in Wichita Falls.

MSU will get a chance to leap back into the polls with a solid showing this weekend, but it will not be easy.

The Mustangs open the crossover with a 12:30 p.m. showdown with No. 1 Angelo State before facing No. 25 West Texas A&M at 4:30 p.m.

MSU plays Texas Woman's University and Tarleton State on Saturday before closing crossover play against Eastern New Mexico and No. 16 Abilene Christian on Sunday.

About the Mustangs

Midwestern State is the third in the Lone Star Conference and 19th in NCAA Division II with a .340 team batting average.

The Mustangs have shown consistency at the plate this season as they have not suffered a shutout this season. MSU rates 13th in the nation with a .521 slugging percentage, are 10th with just under two doubles per game and 21st in scoring with 6.3 runs a contest.

Despite fighting injuries in the circle this season, the Mustangs are third in the LSC with a 2.80 team ERA.

Sophomore Brittney Tanner leads the team with 10-3 record and has claimed a win in each of her last three starts. The right-hander from Burkburnett has allowed 70 hits and a .216 opponents batting average in 88 innings this season. She has recorded 89 strikeouts against 37 walks.

Junior Katie Petersen has posted a 9-4 mark with a 2.04 ERA. The Plano native has allowed 56 hits and a .201 opponents batting average in 75 1/3 innings this season. Petersen has fanned 101 batters while walking 21.

Who's hot

Coming into this season, Midwestern State had seen four hitting streaks of great than 10 games. The streaks included a program record 17 by Brandi Tynes in 2004, a 15-game streak by Kristen Stonecipher in 2007, a 13-game run by Ashley Kuchenski last season and a 12-game hitting streak by Sarah Huddleston in 2005.

The Mustangs have already seen three such streaks this season as senior center fielder Maranda Bishop carries an active 12-game hitting streak into this weekend's crossover dating back to MSU's twin bill against Southwestern Oklahoma State back on March 6. The Splendora native is 19-of-45 (.422) during the current streak with five doubles, a triple and seven RBIs.

Freshman third baseman Mallory Mooney, who is currently hitting .389 on a six-game hitting streak, collected hits in 13 consecutive games from Feb. 13 to March 6 as she hit .541 with six doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs.

Freshman left fielder Nicki Duff had her 13-game hitting streak snapped last time out when she went 0-for-4 in Game 1 against East Central on March 17. She hit an even .500 from Feb. 24 to March 16 with four doubles and three triples. Duff strung together five-straight multiple-hit games from March 7-15 and leads the team with 14 games of at least 2-or-more hits this season.

Junior designated hitter Lauren Craig has reached base in 14 of her last 15 games after carrying a .147 average through 15 games of the season. Since, she has collected hits in 12 of 15 games and at least two hits in seven of those contests to raise her season average to .333.

About the LSC Crossover

The Lone Star Conference Crossover will be played at the Durant Multi-sports Complex from March 27-29. Directions

The cost of a tournament pass is $20 while one-day passes are available for $8 each. Student tickets are available at a cost of $10 for a tournament pass and $5 for a one-day pass. Children 4 years of age and younger are admitted free.

Office tournament t-shirts will be on sale for $15 each, plus general LSC t-shirts ($15), hats ($12), visors ($12) and trading pins ($3) will be available.

Midwestern State's Opponents

Friday

No. 1 Angelo State (30-4), Field 6, 12:30 p.m.

About the Rambelles: Angelo State has won nine of its last 10 games and rolls into the Lone Star Conference Crossover as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II according to the USA Today/NFCA National Poll.

The Rambelles are led by freshman first baseman Sandy James who has needed just 34 games to set a conference record with 20 home runs. The Kilgore (Texas) High School product has driven in 50 runs and leads ASU with a .429 batting average.

Laura Lopez is hitting .413 wtih 13 homers and 38 RBIs while Macy Baker, April Haywood and Megan Pumphrey all have eight home runs for the Rambelles who are hitting .350 with 62 round trippers as a team.

No. 24 West Texas A&M (26-12), Field 6, 4:30 p.m.

About the Lady Buffs: West Texas A&M has won nine of its last 13 games and was ranked No. 25 in this week's USA Today/NFCA Top 25.

The Lady Buffs, who have scored 10-or-more runs in 14 games this season, are led at the plate by Kasey Henderson. The sophomore outfielder from Katy is hitting .453 with 15 stolen bases.

Senior infielder Erin Hartigan is hitting .424 with four doubles, six homers and 32 RBIs.

WT leads the Lone Star Conference with a .343 team average.

Midwestern State claimed the lone meeting of the season between the teams with a 4-1 decision on Feb. 20 at the MSU Invitational. Katie Petersen limited the Lady Buffs to one run on three his in the complete game win.

Saturday

Texas Woman's University (20-16), Field 6, 12:30 p.m.

About the Pioneers: Texas Woman's had won nine of 11 games before suffering a three-game sweep against Lone Star Conference South Division foe Abilene Christian.

The Pioneers are led by junior outfielder Angie Arebalos who leads the team with a .400 aveage and eight home runs this season.

TWU is hitting .302 as a team with 24 homers and exhibit good team speed with 58 stolen bases this season.

Midwestern State has claimed two out of the three meetings between the teams in 2009.

Tarleton State (20-15), Field 6, 2:30 p.m.

About the TexAnns: Tarleton State snapped out of a six-game skid by sweeping a three-game set from Eastern New Mexico last weekend in Portales.

The TexAnns are led by senior third baseman Brittnee Rice, who tops the team with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs. The West, Texas native is hitting .310 for the season.

TSU boasts a pair of solid options in the circle as sophomore right-hander Lauren Zearfoss has posted an 11-10 record with a 2.35 ERA, while junior righty Julie Norris is 9-3 with a 2.73 ERA.

Tarleton is hitting .279 as a team, but has a strong team ERA of 2.88.

Midwestern State has not faced Tarleton State this season.

Sunday

Eastern New Mexico (17-16), Field 7, 10 a.m.

About the Zias: Eastern New Mexico has dropped six of its last seven contests coming into this weekend's Lone Star Conference Crossover including back-to-back LSC South Division sweeps by Angelo State and Eastern New Mexico.

The Zias are led by junior standout Kristen Cruickshank who is hitting .450 with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 48 RBIs this season.

ENMU is hitting .323 as a team with 30 homers in 33 games, but the Zias struggle in the circle where they have allowed a 4.83 ERA and an opponents batting average of .297.

Midwestern State has not faced the Zias this season.

No. 16 Abilene Christian (26-9), Field 7, 2:30 p.m.

About the Wildcats: No. 16 Abilene Christian has rolled to 10-straight wins since suffering a twin bill sweep at the hands of Midwestern State on March 7 in Wichita Falls.

The Wildcats are led by senior catcher Jessica Shiery who is hitting .432 with 13 doubles, eight homers and 32 RBIs this season, but she gets plenty of help from senior first baseman Katie Cornelison who hits .364 with five home runs and a team-high 34 RBI.

ACU is hitting .312 as a teamw ith 27 homers in 35 games.

The Wildcats have got a lift in the circle from senior utility player Kim Partin. The Deer Park native has posted a 6-1 mark with a save over 10 appearances and five starts which has included a pair of shutouts. Partin boasts a 1.48 ERA and is limited the opposition to a .238 batting average with 31 strikeouts to just nine walks.

Sophomore Jacque Gregoire continues as the staff ace with 14-3 record with a 2.50 ERA.

Midwestern State has won two of its three meetings with the Wildcats this season.