Mines vs. Montana State Billings, Saturday, 10 a.m./12 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
at MSU Denver's Regency Athletic Complex
 

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THIS WEEKEND
Colorado School of Mines will take on Montana State Billings in a non-conference doubleheader Saturday, to be played at MSU Denver's Regency Athletic Complex. The games were moved up from Sunday hoping to avoid the forecast for snow later this weekend. Tickets are $8 for seniors, $4 for seniors, students, and children. Due to the game being at MSU Denver, there is no pass list. MSU Denver's campus is pay-to-park; if using a campus lot, use code 1082003 for complimentary parking.

LAST WEEKEND
It was a frustrating weekend in San Antonio as Mines lost three games due to rain and went 0-2 against #14 Tarleton State and St. Mary's. The Orediggers again hung tough in their second meeting of the year with Tarleton State on Friday, taking an early 3-0 lead, but five unanswered runs by the Texans were the difference in a 5-3 game. Mines lost 8-0 to the hosts, St. Mary's, in six innings as they were two-hit by the Rattlers on Saturday.

LARSON SHORTLISTED FOR NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Last week, junior shortstop Clara Larson was one of 50 players named to the watch list for the Schutt Sports/NFCA D-II National Player of the Year award, the first player in Mines history to make the list. As a sophomore, Larson earned NFCA First Team and D2CCA Second-Team All-America honors after hitting .425 and slugging .839 with 15 home runs, a program-record 64 RBI, 21 doubles, and 59 runs scored. The 2019 RMAC Preseason Player of the Year earned a bevy of postseason awards including Google Cloud/CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-America, First-Team All-RMAC, and NFCA and D2CCA First-Team All-South Central.

LAST YEAR VS. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
Mines swept MSUB by scores of 7-1 and 7-2 last year at home, supporting strong pitching with 19 combined hits in the doubleheader. In game 1, Claire Stringfellow tossed a three-hitter and took a shutout into the sixth as Megan Dickson drove in two and Boston Ludlow and Stefanie Brunello had two-hit games. In the second game, Mines had 12 hits as Maddie Rogers picked up the win. Four Orediggers, including Katie Leiker, Loren Dempsey, and Kelsey Buechler, had two-hit games.

MINES NOTABLES
Boston Ludlow is two hits away from 100 for her career ... Freshman Kendall Murphy has been a bright spot for Mines at the plate, hitting a team-leading .364 out of the leadoff spot this season ... Katie Leiker is Mines' active hits leader at 147 ... Clara Larson is Mines' active leader in career RBI (110) and home runs (25) ... Larson is second all-time at Mines in homers, chasing Kaleigh Starr's record of 34 ... Kara Jones ranks ninth all-time at Mines in doubles with 38.

JONES PICKED FOR PRESEASON ALL-RMAC TEAM
Kara Jones was selected to the Preseason All-RMAC team in the utility spot as she heads into her senior season. Jones split her time between catcher, first base, and designated player last season and hit .388 with a .517 slugging percentage and .459 on-base percentage. Jones drove in 30 runs with a home run and 16 doubles, and walked 15 times. Defensively she turned in a .981 fielding percentage.

MINES VOTED SIXTH IN RMAC POLL
Mines was chosen sixth in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll coming off three consecutive RMAC Tournament appearances. New RMAC member Dixie State was picked first just ahead of defending champion Colorado Mesa as the two split first-place votes; Colorado Christian, Regis, and MSU Denver rounded out the top five ahead of Mines.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines opens RMAC play Feb. 23 with a four-game series at Black Hills State.