WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State opens a pivotal series against division leading Southeastern Oklahoma State with an LSC North Division doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

About the Mustangs

Midwestern State will attempt to shake off a three-game skid against No. 4 Southeastern Oklahoma State.

The Mustangs slipped into fourth place in the Lone Star Conference North Division after dropping three of four games against Cameron last week, but MSU still owns a three-game lead over Southwestern Oklahoma for the final LSC postseason berth in the North.

Midwestern currently ranks third in the LSC in team hitting with a .333 mark as the Mustangs boast eight .300 hitters which have amassed a .300 batting average.

Freshman left fielder Nicki Duff leads the Mustangs and is eighth in the LSC with a .413 batting average.

Junior Katie Petersen spearheads MSU's efforts in the circle with an 11-5 record with a 2.23 ERA. The right-hander has yielded 32 earned runs on 82 hits in 100 1/3 innings of work. Petersen is fourth in the conference with 127 strikeouts.

Sophomore Brittney Tanner is 10-6 with a 3.44 ERA while allowing 51 earned runs on 92 hits in 103 2/3 innings. She has limited the opposition to a .234 batting average and notched 100 strikeouts.

Midwestern State rates third in the LSC in team batting average (.333), seventh in team ERA (3.04) and second in fielding percentage at .965.

Who's hot

Junior Lauren Craig's average has soared since dipping to .147 after going 0-for-3  at Texas Woman's University on Feb. 24, but MSU's primary designated hitter has thrived during LSC North Division play.

Craig has collected hits in 12 of the Mustangs' 16 division games and leads the team with a .444 batting average while slugging .711 with six doubles and two homers against the North.

She has raised raised her average to a current .319 while mashing out eight extra-base hits since Feb. 24.

Craig led the nation in fewest strikeouts before being caught looking at a wide third strike by Cameron's Ashton McBride Saturday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

About the Savage Storm

No. 4 Southeastern Oklahoma State carries an eight-game winning streak into Tuesday afternoon's doubleheader at Mustangs Park.

The LSC North Division leading Savage Storm is 13-1 in North Division games with their lone loss coming against Cameron by a score of 6-1 on March 10 at the SOSU Softball Field.

Southeastern is led by All-America pitcher Marjorie Johnson. The senior, who was a second-team All-Big XII performer at Oklahoma State as a freshman, is 19-1 and is fifth in NCAA Division II with a 0.63 ERA.

Johnson has allowed 13 earned runs on just 19 hits in 143 1/3 innings, but only three of those have been for extra bases including one double, one triple and one homer.

Johnson's 288 strikeouts averages out to 14.5 punchouts per seven innings which is tops in all of NCAA Division II.

But Johnson contributes outside of the circle as well. She rates fifth in NCAA Division II with 14 homers.

Senior shortstop Bailey Mathes leads the team with a .428 average with 12 doubles, 13 home runs and 57 RBIs while senior first baseman Benita Sanchez is hitting .412 with 15 doubles and five homers.

Junior outfielder Erika Bernal is hitting .353 with 13 homers and 41 RBIs.

About the series

Midwestern State and Southeastern Oklahoma will meet for the 28th and 29th times Tuesday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

MSU holds a 14-13 advantage in the series, but the Savage Storm claimed wins in each of the five meeting between the clubs last season including a 3-2 win in the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals on May 8, 2008 in San Angelo.