Midwestern State vs. Eastern New Mexico
Friday, Mar. 3, 2017 | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 4, 2017 | 1/3 p.m.
Mustangs Park | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (9-11, 2-4 LSC); Eastern New Mexico (9-13, 4-2 LSC)
Game 1: Live Stats | Video
Game 2: Live Stats
Game 3: Live Stats

THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State returns home for a three-game Lone Star Conference series against Eastern New Mexico Friday and Saturday at Mustangs Park.
 
First pitch Friday is slated for a 7 p.m. start while the teams conclude the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
- Texas A&M-Kingsville swept the Mustangs for the first time in the all-time series last weekend at Hubert Field in Kingsville
- The Javelinas limited MSU to just two hits while going for 13 with seven runs in the first two innings en route to a 9-1 victory in five innings in game one Friday
- TAMUK claimed the series in game one of Saturday's doubleheader with five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to record a 5-1 win
- In the finale, Misty Muniz delivered a game-tying solo home run in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. TAMUK's third-straight single to begin the bottom half of the eighth gave the Javelinas a walk-off victory with a hit down the right field line for Randa Hatter for a 6-5 win
 
A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS
- Midwestern State enters the third weekend of conference play with a 9-11 overall record and 2-4 mark in the LSC
- Sophomore right fielder Carli Woolsey leads MSU with a .367 batting average with 22 hits, 13 RBI and four home runs in all 20 starts this season
- Senior pitcher/first baseman Erin Knox is second at the plate for the Mustangs with a .314 hitting clip with 16 hits, nine RBI and eight runs scored
- Freshman center fielder Lauren Lindgren is hitting .303 with 20 hits and four homers while pacing the team with 15 runs, 14 RBI and six stolen bases
- In the circle, sophomore Peyton Helton ranks seventh in the LSC with a 2.49 ERA in 53.1 innings, compiling a 4-4 record with four complete games in 13 appearances and eight starts this season
- Knox has also seen a considerable amount of time for the Mustangs, holding opponents to a .241 batting average in 40.2 innings for a 3.44 ERA and three wins in seven starts on the year
 
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS
- Eastern New Mexico escaped with an extra-inning win over Tarleton State in its series last weekend before the TexAnns captured the final two games to take the series
- The Greyhounds come in at 11-13 on the season with a 4-2 record in conference play after sweeping Western New Mexico in the first week of league action
- Senior shortstop Susannah Chandler leads ENMU with a .390 average at the plate this season with a team-high 32 hits, 22 runs and 11 doubles
- Junior first baseman Erikka Burke has also been a threat for the Greyhounds offense with a .382 hitting clip along with 26 hits, 21 runs, 21 RBI, 16 walks and seven home runs
- Freshman Kaylee Rogers has seen just over half of the time for the Greyhounds in the circle with 11 complete games in 12 starts for 78.0 innings while compiling a 3.68 ERA and 7-6 record
- Katie Welborn is in her second season as the head coach at Eastern New Mexico
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
- Midwestern State holds a commanding 17-3 lead in the all-time series against Eastern New Mexico dating back to 2005
- The Greyhounds snapped an 11-game losing skid to MSU last season with an 8-7 win in game three of a four-game series in Portales, N.M.
- ENMU's other wins in the series came in 2008 and 2012
- The Mustangs hold a 4-1 advantage over the Greyhounds in games played at Mustangs Park, last earning a 6-3 victory over ENMU in Wichita Falls on Mar. 14, 2014
 
THE RYAL ERA BEGINS 
- After serving as an assistant coach for Midwestern State softball during the 2016 season, former major leaguer Mark Ryal was tabbed the second head coach in program history last August
- Ryal replaces Brady Tigert, who coached the Mustangs to nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 13 seasons with a 486-256 (.655) career record since starting the program in 2004
- Ryal arrives in Wichita Falls following one season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State in 2015 while serving in the same capacity at South Alabama in 2014
- The Dewar, Okla. native coached at Prague (Okla.) High School following five seasons as the hitting coach at Auburn, coaching current MSU assistant coach Caitlin Schultze during his stint with the Tigers
- The East Central alum also served as the head coach for Carl Albert State College (Okla.) following four seasons at Inola (Okla.) High School while also serving as the hitting coach for the Oklahoma baseball team during their College World Series run in 1995
- Ryal made his Major League Baseball debut in 1982 with the Kansas City Royals after being drafted in the third round of the 1978 MLB Draft
- He also spent time with the Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates during his professional career
 
UP NEXT 
- Midwestern State begins a five-game road swing Tuesday with a doubleheader against Oklahoma Panhandle State beginning at 1 p.m. at OPSU Softball Field in Goodwell