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The Northern State baseball team, fresh off clinching its first NSIC Tournament bid in 17 seasons, closes its 2014 regular season with a trip to Southwest Minnesota State for a four-game set with the Mustangs. Doubleheaders in the series will be played on Saturday and Sunday. Games were originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday but have been pushed back due to rain in the forecast.

The Wolves clinched their trip to the NSIC Tournament with a doubleheader sweep Wednesday of U-Mary, winning 4-3 and 13-3. Northern's 27 wins on the season are its most since 1992 and NSU is just one win away from tying the school record for wins in a season with 28 set in 1974 and 1976.

The Mustangs took three games from the Wolves earlier this season down in Arizona in non-conference action, winning 14-9, 7-5 and 4-3. SMSU comes into the weekend looking to jump into the top-eight of the conference standings in order to qualify for the postseason tournament. Southwest is currently in ninth with a 13-13 record in conference play and is 22-20 overall.

SMSU is led by Patrick Rients who has started all but one game this season for the Mustangs. Rients is one of the best hitters in the league as he has a .378 average with 13 home runs and 41 RBI on the season. Southwest has four everyday starters that have hit above .300 this season.

Pitching wise, the Mustangs are led by Jimmy Callahan's 6-1 record. Ryan Ecalbarger is their main man out of the bullpen with a team-leading 3.32 ERA. Steven Wehr leads the team with 12 appearances and 58.2 innings pitched.

NSU is fourth in the league heading into the final weekend of the season with a 20-10 league mark. The Wolves are 27-14 overall.