BISMARCK, ND – The upcoming University of Mary baseball series with #9 Minnesota State University has changed location and been shortened to two days due to anticipated weather issues.
 
The Marauders and the Mavericks will play their four-game weekend series on Friday and Saturday, February 27-28, in Maryville, MO. Originally scheduled to be played over three days in Nebraska, UMary and MSU will play their neutral site series at Northwest Missouri State University's Bearcat Field.
 
Friday's doubleheader begins at 12 noon with an 11 am twin bill start time on Saturday. The first three games are Northern Sun contests while game four is a nonconference meeting.  Games two and three are set for nine innings. Games one and four are scheduled to go seven innings.
 
THE RECORDS
UMary enters the weekend with a record of 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the NSIC after splitting a 4-game series with the University of Sioux Falls played in St. George, KS, on Monday and Tuesday.
 
Minnesota State is 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC. The Mavericks swept four games from the University of Jamestown in a series played in South Dakota.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders took game one from the Cougars 3-2 as Kalem Haney scored the walk-off winning run on a wild pitch in the 8^th inning. Haney had two hits, reached base four times, stole three bases and scored two runs in the game. Aiden Johnson and Cole Smith combined to limit USF to two runs and six hits in eight innings… USF won the next two games – both NSIC contests – by scores of 6-2 and 6-3… The Marauders claimed the final game 8-3. Bryce Leafgren homered and drove in three runs and Michael Fagerland picked up the win in his first collegiate game after retiring all seven batters he faced.
 
LEADERS

• Sr. 2B Kalem Haney is leading UMary with a line of .346/.500/.423 for a 923 OPS. The Marauders leadoff hitter has scored six runs and has two doubles. He is perfect in four steal attempts. In the four USF games Haney reached base in 12 of 17 at bats.
• All-NSIC Sr. OF Bryce Leafgren leads the team with three home runs and seven RBIs
• All-American Isaac Pegors has two home runs and five RBIs
• Ryan Chamberlain owns a 0.00 ERA in 8.1 shutout innings over two relief appearances. The first NSIC Pitcher of the Week has struck out seven while allowing just four hits, two walks and an unearned run… He is tied for 1^st in the nation in ERA.
• In 10 innings, Lucas Burgum has struck out 17 batters. He has a 3.60 ERA while giving up just eight hits and three walks… Burgum is 15^th in NCAA D2 with 15.3 strikeouts/9 innings
• Cole Smith has two wins this season, both in relief outings in extra innings. In five scoreless innings he has given up one hit and two walks.

 
MAKING PLAYS
UMary is fielding the ball at a .977 clip, which ranks 2^nd in the NSIC and 27^th in NCAA Division II… The Marauders rank 18^th nationally in double plays/game at 1.0… In eight games the Marauders have made just seven errors, with three coming from the pitching staff.
 
SHUT 'EM DOWN
The Marauders pitching staff is parsimonious when it comes to allowing baserunners. The stingy staff is holding opponents to 6.1 hits per game, the 7^th fewest in NCAA D2. The staff's WHIP (Walks + Hits/Innings Pitched) is 1.19 to rank 13^th.  
 
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