Mines vs. Fort Lewis, Sunday, 11 a.m./1 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Fort Lewis, Monday, 10 a.m./12 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
(SCHEDULE UPDATE: Due to snow, the series has been pushed back a day to Sunday/Monday)
 

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MINES TAKES TWO FROM CONCORDIA
The Orediggers (3-3) are coming off a doubleheader road sweep of Concordia Irvine on Monday, as Mines used clutched hitting on both games to win in their final at-bat. In the opener, Mines trailed 2-1 enter the top of the seventh but went ahead when Taylor Klauser scored on a passed ball and Clara Larson's sacrifice fly scored Paige Noehring. Claire Stringfellow went the distance to win her first career start. In game two, Hallie Smith worked a shutout into extra innings, and Larson's two-run home run – the first of her career – put Mines ahead 2-0 in the top of the ninth while Smith and the Mines defense took care of business in the bottom half to win.

SMITH EARNS RMAC HONOR
Junior Hallie Smith was named the RMAC Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday for her performance at Concordia. Smith tossed the longest start of her career as she was the first Oredigger since 2011 to go nine innings in a shutout. Smith retired 15 straight batters after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, allowing only one hit after the first in the 2-0, nine-inning win.

STRINGFELLOW SHINES IN THE CIRCLE
Through three appearances and a start this season, freshman Claire Stringfellow leads the RMAC in both ERA at 1.31 and opposing batting average at .143. Stringfellow is 2-1 after winning her first career start at Concordia, and has allowed only eight hits and three earned runs over 16 innings this season.

LARSON DELIVERS IN THE CLUTCH
Freshman shortstop Clara Larson has been one of Mines' most consistent bats early in the season. She provided both game-winning RBIs at Concordia, and this season is slashing .381/.364/.619 with 5 RBI, two doubles, and three runs scored.

NOBODY LEIKER
Sophomore second baseman Katie Leiker has picked up where she left off in 2016 as she leads the team batting .421. She co-leads the team with five RBI and has a team-best .450 on-base percentage.

CAN'T CATCH HER
Junior Brielle Asato has been one of Mines' most reliable bets to end up on second base over the past two seasons, hitting .316 with a team-best three stolen bases in six games this year. Asato's base-stealing prowess has been impressive over her career; since being caught in her first career steal attempt early in the 2015 season, Asato has thiefed 25 consecutive bases, and her 16 in 2016 were the fourth-most ever in a season by an Oredigger.

MOVING ON UP
Senior Paige Noehring enters the weekend with 185 career hits, putting her ninth on the Mines all-time list. She is within striking distance of several notches up the ladder, with Margie Cone (186 from 2006-09) next in eighth and Molly Thiebaut (193 from 2010-13) and Macy Jones (194 from 2010-13) ahead of her.

MINES EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Mines has been selected eighth in the RMAC preseason poll with 63 points. Colorado Mesa is the favorite, followed by MSU Denver and Chadron State. Last year, Mines was picked 11th in the preseason poll but exceeded expectations to end up fifth in the final standings at 17-17 in league play. Fort Lewis (15-32/12-22 RMAC in 2016) was picked 10th in the poll. The Skyhawks are 1-8 so far this season.