LEADOFF
Midwestern State takes on Eastern New Mexico in a 3-game Lone Star Conference series Friday and Saturday in Portales. The teams play a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. on Friday before closing the weekend with a single game Saturday at noon.
 

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Midwestern State vs. Eastern New Mexico
Friday, March 7 | Noon/2 p.m.
Saturday, March 8 | Noon
Zia Field | Portales, N.M.
Records: Midwestern State (14-9, 2-1 LSC); Eastern New Mexico (7-12, 1-2 LSC)
Live Video: None
Live Audio: None
Live Stats: Game 1   |  Game 2   |   Game 3 
 
SCOUTING THE ZIAS
Eastern New Mexico took a game from Cameron in its Lone Star Conference opening series last weekend in Lawton. The Zias have lost six of their last seven games. Freshman infielder/pitcher Cailin Garmon leads a trio of players batting over .300 with a .360 average, while junior infielder/catcher Shelby Ripple is hitting .328 with four doubles, a triple and a team-best two  homers with 10 RBIs. Freshman infielder Audrey Valasquez boasts a .300 average with two doubles and seven RBIs. Sophomore catcher/outfielder Kyra Sirag paces the Zias with 11 RBIs, while junior outfielder Amanda Martinez has a team-high seven stolen bases. Garmon sports a 3-7 record with a 5.01 ERA while starting a team-high eight games in the circle. ENMU has a .271 team batting average and scores 4.2 runs per game.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Eastern New Mexico meet for the 13th, 14th and 15th times on the diamond this weekend in Portales. The Mustangs own a 10-2 edge in the series which dates back to the 2005 season. MSU has won the last five games between the programs with ENMU's last win coming by a 6-3 count on March 2, 2012. The Mustangs swept the three-game series last season in their first trip to Portales.
 
MSU TEAM NOTES
- Midwestern State took two of three over No. 1- ranked West Texas A&M last weekend in Wichita Falls. The Lady Buffs, however, retained the top spot in this week's NFCA Division II Poll.
- The Mustangs' pitching staff has dropped the team ERA nearly two runs over the last 14 games and is now ranked fifth in the LSC with a 4.45 ERA.
- MSU leads the conference with 39 home runs and 165 runs scored, while ranking fifth with a team batting average of .326.
 
MSU PLAYER NOTES
- Sophomore outfielder Haley Howerton has pieced together a five-game hitting stream (8-for-22) after hitting .500 (21-for-42) during a 12-game hitting streak earlier this season. Howerton leads the team with nine doubles.
- Freshman outfielder Claire Hopkins has appeared in 20 games primarily as a pinch runner this season while scoring 12 runs.
- Freshman outfielder Jennifer Quintero has started six games in the outfield. She is hitting .400 with two RBIs and four runs scored fueled by a three-hit game against Northeastern State on Feb. 15.
- Freshman pitcher/outfielder Erin Knox has posted a 2.14 ERA allowing 11 earned runs and 33 hits over 36 innings while winning each of her last six starts dating back to Feb. 14. She has 21 strikeouts and 11 walks during the stretch. She also boasts a .388 batting average with five doubles, two homers and five RBIs making eight starts in left field.
- Freshman outfielder Taylor Bermudes has appeared in five games while making two starts in left field.
- Redshirt-freshman outfielder Demi Thompson has appeared in 19 games making seven starts in left field and one in right. She is hitting .143 with two runs and a stolen base.
- Freshman first baseman Krisha Hamm has made 11 starts at first base this season. She is batting .269 with one double, two homers and nine RBIs this season. Hamm belted a three-run, pitch-hit home run last week at Texas-Permian Basin.
- Freshman catcher Baylee Voigt rides a four-game hitting streak (5-for-11) with a pair of homers and six RBIs during the stretch. The Iowa Park product blasted a walk-off, game winning homer in the eighth inning last weekend for a 3-2 victory over No. 1 West Texas A&M. Voigt is hitting .317 and is third on the team with six homers for the season.
- Sophomore outfielder Chelsey Wall erupted for home runs in back-to-back games last week at Texas-Permian Basin. She is hitting .328 with two doubles, four homers and 16 RBIs this season while hitting out of the No. 9 hole.
- Senior catcher Kim Jerrick is hitting .609 with a double and two homers during a current seven-game hitting streak which includes a trio of three-hit games. Jerrick has upped her average to a team-best .438 while slugging four doubles and seven homers this season with 17 RBIs.
- Sophomore pitcher Kat Batey delivered a strong three-run, six-hit outing in the finale of MSU's three-game set with West Texas A&M last weekend. She is 2-3 with a 4.24 ERA in 39 2/3 innings this season.
- Freshman pitcher Katlyn Holmes garnered Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week honors after posting two wins with a 0.58 ERA last week allowing one earned run on 11 hits in 12 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. Holmes handed No. 1 West Texas A&M its first loss of the season allowing one earned on five hits in seven innings.
- Sophomore second baseman Shelby Carter has a hit in four of her last five games including a two-homer, four-RBI effort last week at Texas-Permian Basin. She is hitting .246 with three doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs this season.
- Junior shortstop Katy Vandewater had a season-best 12-game hitting streak snapped Saturday against West Texas A&M. She hit .462 (18-of-39) with three doubles and five homers during the stretch while driving in 12 runs. She connected for a two-run homer to seal a 6-2 win over West Texas A&M in Game 1 Friday night.
- Sophomore outfielder Katelyn Vinson has missed the last 11 games due to injury. The defender Daktronics South Central Region Player of the Year is hitting .333 with three doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs this season.
- Freshman first baseman Katelyn Potts has made 12 starts at first base this season. She is hitting .128 with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs this season.
- Junior third baseman Kelley Schaefer has driven in runs in 16 of 21 games this season. The 2013 Daktronics All American is hitting .300 with two doubles, three homers and 19 RBIs.
 
MSU UNDER BRADY TIGERT
Brady Tigert is in his 11th season at the helm at Midwestern State and is the program's lone head coach since it was resurrected in 2004. The Mustangs have averaged just over 40 wins a year under Tigert, who boasts a 415-189 (.687) record which includes NCAA Division II postseason trips in eight of 10 seasons. MSU finished as national semifinalists in 2011, claimed two regional titles (2010, 2011) and two Lone Star Conference championships (2006, 2007).