Mines vs. Colorado Christian, Saturday 12/2 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Colorado Christian, Sunday 11 a.m./1 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
 

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OREDIGGERS CONTINUE HOMESTAND VS. COLORADO CHRISTIAN
In a battle of local rivals, Colorado School of Mines welcomes Colorado Christian to Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field for a four-game series starting Saturday. Saturday's doubleheader has a noon start and Sunday will begin at 11 a.m. Both teams have been on a roll recently with Mines winning 13 of its last 16 games and the Cougars riding a 14-game win streak.

NO SPECTATORS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S SERIES
Until further notice, no spectators will be admitted to Mines home games due to university policy; road contests may have different policies and those will be posted on the Mines Softball schedule at minesathletics.com and on social media as they're determined. All games are streamed live on the RMAC Network.

IN THE HUNT
This weekend's series has significant postseason implications for both teams. For Mines (17-11 overall, 16-8 RMAC), they hope to solidify a top-six spot in the standings to make the RMAC Tournament field; the Orediggers are currently fourth ahead of Regis (8-6) and UCCS (12-10). For CCU (15-4 overall, 14-1 RMAC) this weekend is crucial as they try to keep pace with unbeaten Colorado Mesa (20-0) atop the RMAC standings before they meet later in April.

OREDIGGERS WIN ADAMS STATE SERIES
Mines won three of four off Adams State last weekend, with all three wins coming by run-rule. The Orediggers swept Friday's doubleheader with 10-1 and 9-0 wins, then won Saturday's opener 9-1 before errors caught up with them in a 6-2 loss in game 4. As a team, the Orediggers hit .396 and slugged .594 for the series led by Clara Larson (.769 BA, 1.692 SLG, 9 RBI) and Aubree Karraker (.500 BA, .875 SLG, 3 2B). All three pitchers used in the series shined as Sydney Marchando, Kylie Redding, and Sadriena Rodriguez combined for a 1.12 ERA and .230 opponents' average.

LARSON, MARCHANDO SWEEP RMAC WEEKLY AWARDS
Shortstop Clara Larson and pitcher Sydney Marchando swept the RMAC Player and Pitcher of the Week awards on Tuesday after huge numbers in the Adams State series. Larson hit .769 and slugged 1.692 against the Grizzlies while driving in nine RBI and scoring 9 runs. She was 10-of-13 with four doubles, a triple, and two home runs (both of which came in game 3 of the series), and she also drew two walks for a .800 OBP. Marchando went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, allowing only two runs in 12.0 innings of work, including a two-hit, six-inning run-rule in game 1 and a one-run effort in six in game 3. Opponents hit just .205 off her as she struck out 11 against only one walk over the two appearances.

LARSON CONTINUES TO MOVE UP IN THE RECORD BOOKS
With two home runs against Adams State, Clara Larson moved into a tie for seventh on the RMAC all-time list with Oredigger head coach Tara (Mickelson) Wheeler, who hit 47 during her time playing at MSU Denver. Larson also became the fourth Oredigger to reach 250 career hits during the series; she now has 256 to rank third all-time chasing Sarah Van Lingen's program record of 277. This weekend, Larson has a chance to tie or break two Mines career records; her 63 doubles are one short of Van Lingen's mark of 64, and her 14 triples is one away from the record co-held by Macy Jones and Heidi Bauer. Larson is also second all-time in runs (179) with Kayleigh Starr's 192 setting the standard.

MARCHANDO AMONG RMAC LEADERS
Mines' recent hot streak has been helped by the pitching of Sydney Marchando, who is 7-4 with a 3.76 ERA this season. In her last five appearances - all Mines wins - she is 4-0 with a save and a 0.88 ERA, with a 13:2 K:BB ratio in that span. This season, Marchando is among the RMAC's leaders in ERA (9th), strikeouts (3rd), wins (3rd), innings pitched (2nd), and fewest walks allowed (6th).

TAKE TWO
This season, no team in the RMAC has hit more doubles than the Orediggers, who have 55 trips to second in 28 games. Stefanie Brunello is second in the conference with 11 and Clara Larson is right behind her with 10; Aubree Karraker has six and four Orediggers - Kylie Redding, Kayleigh Krueger, Sidney Wilson, and Sam Wade - have four apiece.

PATIENCE PAYS OFF
Patience at the plate has paid off for Mines this season as they also lead the RMAC in walks with 67. Stefanie Brunello's 15 walks out of the leadoff spot leads the league while Clara Larson's 14 is tied for third. That's also helped lead to runs as the top three spots in the Mines lineup - Brunello, Renata Boyd, and Larson - have combined for 31 walks to only 17 strikeouts.

SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
The Cougars have won 14 straight games, going undefeated in the month of March as they are in second place in the RMAC at 14-1. They are led by Piper Lujan who hits .450 and slugs .917 with 31 RBI and seven home runs this season; Kenzie Middleton (.415/.723) and Kaelin Morkisch (.400/.475) have also been leaders at the plate. CCU's pitching staff holds a 3.51 ERA led by Samaria Roope (1.75, 3-0) and Jennifer Romero (3.27, 6-2) while Julie Katz (3.79, 6-0) is unbeaten in eight starts.

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
The all-time series between Mines and CCU has been a competitive one any way you slice it, tied at 12-12 all-time; they last met in 2019 when they split a four-game series, and they are 5-5 in their last 10.

RMAC TOURNAMENT MOVED
In late February, the RMAC voted to move back the RMAC Tournament by one week, to May 13-15. This change happened because the NCAA Tournament is also starting a week later than normal this season; with the regular season ending the weekend of May 1-2, the move will give teams scheduling flexibility to use the weekend of May 8-9 for make-up games, if necessary. Another change this year is a reduction to six teams in the tournament due to Dixie State's departure from the conference.

NEW NAME FOR MINES' HOME
Over the summer, Colorado School of Mines officially named its renovated softball facility in honor of the late Joe Coors, Jr., a dedicated supporter of Mines Athletics and the university. The Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field was made possible by an anonymous donation which helped redevelop the dugouts, backstop, press box, infield, bullpen, and scoreboard. Coors served on the Mines Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1999, as well as on the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and Athletics visiting committees. Along with his wife Gail, Coors was a generous philanthropic leader and dedicated Mines supporter; the athletic department continues to hold the Joe Coors, Jr. Memorial Golf Outing every summer in his honor.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines stays local the next two weeks, going to Regis on April 17-18 before ending their home schedule against Chadron State on April 24-25. The regular season finishes April 30-May 1 at Black Hills State.