Midwestern State (8-8, 3-6) vs. #11 Texas A&M-Commerce (15-2, 5-1)
Lone Star Conference Series
Friday & Saturday, March 9-10, 2018 | 7 p.m. / 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Mustangs Park | Wichita Falls, Texas
MSU trails the all-time series 3-8 | 2-2 vs. the Lions at home | MSU has lost five-straight to TAMUC
Game 1 Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Game 2 Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Game 3 Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Live Video: Mustangs Digital Network
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
 
LEADING OFF: The MSU Texas softball team faces off with its first ranked foe of the season as 11^th-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce (15-2, 5-1 LSC) journeys to Wichita Falls for a Lone Star Conference series. The Mustangs (8-8, 3-6 LSC) aim to snap a six-game slide and a five-game losing streak to the Lions.
 
CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL: MSU ranks third nationally and leads the Lone Star Conference with 1.50 home runs per game, clubbing 24 long balls in 16 games. 10 different players have gone yard, led by junior second baseman Samantha Loos with six. Last weekend, the Mustangs hit five home runs against the Greyhounds and have 16 dingers in LSC play.
 
THOMAS PICKING UP STEAM: Senior catcher Amanda Thomas found her rhythm in the finale against ENMU, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, two runs and a double. In her last nine games, the backstop is hitting at a .393 clip with nine RBI, five runs and two taters. The Marble Falls product leads the team with four multi-RBI games, including three games with three RBI.
 
NOT GETTING CARRIED AWAY: Junior Tucker Caraway has reached safely in nine-straight games, going 11-for-28 (.393) with eight runs scored. The South Alabama transfer has hit safely in eight of the last nine while scattering five hits in 8.2 innings of work in the circle.
 
EROPKIN HITTING ROPES: After being held hitless in the first two games of the season, sophomore outfielder Kelsey Eropkin has been on a tear, hitting safely in 13 of the last 14 games. During that span, the Tulsa transfer is hitting .353 with 12 runs, four doubles, four homers and five RBI. She saw her 11-game hitting streak snapped in the opener against the Greyhounds, being held hitless in four at-bats.
 
SAMI SOFTBALL: Junior second baseman Samantha Loos leads the team in runs (16), homers (6), RBI (14), slugging (.702), walks (8), HBP (3) and on-base percentage (.414). Her 0.40 home runs per game and six long balls rank 20^th and 22^nd-nationally, respectively. The Udall, Kansas native has reached safely in 14-straight games and is hitting at a .313 clip with 11 runs, 11 RBI, two doubles, four homers, four walks and two hit-by-pitches over the last nine games.
 
ENTER SANDMAN: Junior pitcher Abbie Lancaster leads the pitching staff, holding opponents to a .207 average with 27 strikeouts and earning three saves. The Idabell, Okla., product has gotten the majority of her work out of the bullpen, posting a 3-2 record with a 1.91 ERA over 29.1 innings and 11 appearances. Over her last six appearances, Lancaster owns a 2.49 ERA, scattering 14 hits for seven earned runs over 19.2 innings, striking out 19.
 
INTO THE LIONS DEN: 11th-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce brings a 15-2 record into the weekend. Preseason LSC Player of the Year Mariah Jameyson leads the Lions with a .551 average to go along with eight homers, 35 RBI and a .641 on-base percentage. Freshman Emily Otto (6-1, 2.35 ERA, 4 saves) is expected to get the start in the circle. The southpaw leads TAMUC with 59.2 innings pitched.