Mines vs. MSU Denver, Saturday, 12/2 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. MSU Denver, Sunday, 11 a.m./1 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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SENIOR DAY
On Sunday, Mines will honor senior center fielder Paige Noehring as she plays for the final time at home. Noehring is a two-time all-RMAC centerfielder and two-year captain, and will go down as one of the top all-around players in program history. Entering the weekend, she ranks fourth all-time at Mines in hits (227), sixth in runs scored (126), second in stolen bases (44), and if the season ended today would be fifth in career batting average at .370.

ALUMNAE WEEKEND
Saturday will be Mines' annual Alumnae Tailgate, welcoming back past Orediggers. To register, contact head coach Leah Glasgow. 

THE PLAYOFF PUSH
This weekend's series is an important one as both Mines and MSU Denver position themselves for the RMAC Tournament. The Roadrunners are in second place at 26-6 in league play, trailing first-place Colorado Mesa (28-3) and four games up on Mines (22-10), who is in third. Both teams have already clinched spots in the Tournament. MSU Denver appeared at #10 in this week's first NCAA South Central regional ranking.

SMITH EARNS ANOTHER RMAC HONOR
For the second week in a row and fourth time this season, Hallie Smith is the RMAC Softball Pitcher of the Week. Smith notched a 1.02 ERA over 13.2 innings and three appearances to lead Mines against Chadron State. Smith won both of her starts, allowing two earned runs and holding batters to a .188 average; she threw her RMAC-leading fifth shutout of the season on Saturday in a 4-0 win. This season, Smith ranks in the top five in the RMAC in ERA (2.31), opposing average (.245), innings pitched (143.2), wins (13), saves (6), and shutouts (5). Over the last three weeks, Smith has a 1.17 ERA over eight appearances totaling 41.2 innings.

FUJINAGA NEARS 100 HITS
Junior Pua Fujinaga has a chance to be the newest member of Mines' 100 hits club this weekend. The junior third baseman enters the Chadron State series with 97 career hits, and is on pace for a career season hitting .280, the best in her three years.

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
One of the biggest factors in Mines' improvement from 2016 has been its defense. Last year, the Orediggers ranked eighth in the RMAC with a .944 fielding percentage and allowed 76 stolen bases; this year, Mines' fielding percentage is .963, ranking fifth, and they have allowed only 44 stolen bases. Mines is on pace to commit 20 fewer errors in 2017 than in 2016. The biggest key: the Mines infield. Second baseman Katie Leiker (.918 to .957), third baseman Pua Fujinaga (.921 to .961), and first baseman Boston Ludlow (.979 to .991) have all jumped their percentages, and the Mines pitching staff has committed only two errors this year to six last season.

TWICE AS NICE
Speaking of defense, Mines enters the weekend fifth in the nation in turning double plays. The Orediggers have turned two 21 times this season, including five times from the outfield (four by Paige Noehring alone).