MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead softball will begin NSIC play this weekend in a pair of adjusted road doubleheaders. The Dragons will take on Minnesota State on Friday, March 22 beginning at 11:30 a.m. in Mankato, Minn. MSUM will close the weekend playing Augustana on Saturday, March 23 beginning at 1 p.m. from the Dundas Dome in Northfield, Minn.

Live stats and video will be available at msumdragons.com. Note that because of the location change in the Augustana series, live video may not be available for these contests. 

The Dragons are coming off an eight-game swing in the Show-Me State of Missouri last week to wrap up non-conference action. MSUM went 5-3 in those contests including a pair of twinbill sweeps over Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri State. The Dragons enter conference play with a 13-9 overall record including a 6-4 ledger in true road games. 

In the circle, Azalya Lopez continues to dazzle for MSUM as she leads the team in ERA (2.45), wins (6), innings pitched (48.2), strikeouts (44) and opponent batting average (.247). Lopez was named the NSIC's Pitcher of the Week thanks to a stellar group of performances in Missouri. The sophomore pitched a total of 16.2 innings and only surrendered one earned run for a 0.41 ERA for the week. She struck out 17 batters across her performances and held opponents to a .116 batting averaged. The highlght of the week was Lopez's first career complete game shutout against Central Missouri on Thursday. Teagan Clemmons has also been strong for MSUM this season in the circle, slinging 37.2 innings with a 3.35 ERA and 27 strikeouts. 

At the dish, Chloe Makinney has emerged as one of MSUM's best weapons with a team-best average of .364. Makinney drove in four runs in MSUM's win over Northwest Missouri State on Saturday and hit an even .500 for the week. Lopez leads MSUM with 17 RBIs this season while Mack Gallagher is just behind her with 10 runs batted in. Gallagher also leads the team with seven doubles so far this year as Lopez has hit a team-best two triples. Speedster Grace Oeltjen leads the Dragons with six stolen bases in seven attempts this year. 

In the field, MSUM has a collective .970 fielding percentage with 10 Dragons bolstering a perfect 1.000 rate in the field (Makinney, Oeltjen, Sam Centeno, Eliya Johnson, Eliyah McCarthy, Teagan Pranchke, Avery Steffen, Ella Holiman, Brynna Farman and Hannah Losee). 

Mike Armitage is in his third season as MSUM's head softball coach.