Mines at New Mexico Highlands, Sunday, noon (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines at New Mexico Highlands, Monday, 11 a.m. (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Washburn, Wednesday, noon (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]

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OREDIGGERS VISIT NMHU, HOST WASHBURN 
Colorado School of Mines is ready for a busy stretch of softball as they visit New Mexico Highlands for a four-game series on Sunday and Monday before returning home to host Washburn for a Wednesday non-conference doubleheader. The NMHU series has been shifted back a day from the original schedule due to snow in Las Vegas, allowing them time to prepare the field; Sunday's doubleheader begins at noon and Monday's at 11 a.m. Wednesday's games begin at noon at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field.

GAME COVERAGE
Every conference and home game this season will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network, which has relaunched for  the 2021-22 school year. Fans used to watching on their smart TV or other device must download the new app by searching "RMAC" in your device's app store. The new watch portal is available at minesathletics.com/tv or rmacnetwork.com. 

THE FORECAST
After snow on Thursday in New Mexico, the forecast for Sunday is for sunshine and temperatures in the 50s but with winds approaching 20 mph. Monday will be sunny with highs around 55 and calmer winds. Wednesday's forecast in Golden is for evening rain, but dry conditions during the day and highs around 60. 

LAST WEEKEND
Mines only got two of four games in against Colorado Mesa last weekend due to extremely cold temperatures on Saturday, and dropped a pair of games to the Mavericks. Mines battled in a 6-3 loss to start the day on Friday as Trystin Oshiro-Sano went 2-for-3 and Grace Gonzales knocked in a two-run single in the ninth as Mines mounted a rally. CMU was too much in game two in an 11-0 five-inning win keyed by a seven-run third inning. 

LEADING THE WAY
Trystin Oshiro-Sano has been Mines' most consistent bat in the lineup so far this season hitting .333 with a team-high five doubles and six runs scored. Renata Boyd is hitting .280 with five runs scored while Kayleigh Krueger's five RBI leads the team. Sadriena Rodriguez is leading the pitching staff with a 3.45 ERA and .267 opposing batting average, while Cassidy Chvatal has a 5.92 ERA and 17 strikeouts in six starts. 

IN THE POLLS
Mines was chosen fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll released on Jan. 25. Mines received 81 points to tie for fourth with Regis. Colorado Mesa topped the poll followed closely by Colorado Christian, and MSU Denver is third. 

SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS
New Mexico Highlands is 4-12 overall and 2-6 in RMAC play after being swept by Regis last weekend. They are led at the plate by Heaven Medina, who is hitting .441 and slugging .765 with 12 RBI and seven extra-base hits. Arianna Ramirez is hitting .368 with seven driven in and Samantha Gamboa .341 with nine runs scored. Their pitching staff has a 7.36 ERA led by Nathalie Blattmann (4-2, 3.03), who has picked up all four wins this season holding opponents to .268.

Mines and NMHU have met 125 times since 1985, with the Cowgirls leading the series 73-52. The Orediggers have dominated in recent years, however, with nine straight wins and 17 of the last 20 including a four-game series sweep last year in Las Vegas. 

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn is one of the nation's hottest teams winning 15 in a row to be 17-6 this year as they begin MIAA play this weekend at Newman and Central Oklahoma. They are led offensively by the duo of Hadley Kerschen (.429, 25 RBI) and Ashton Friend (.410, .902 SLG, 9 HR, 27 RBI) with Marritt Mead also hitting .403 with a team-high 26 runs scored. Jaycee Ginter is the staff ace going 12-1 with a 1.39 ERA in 15 appearances, with Raegen Hamm splitting the majority of the rest of the starts with a 5-3 record and 5.12 ERA. 

Mines and Washburn have played only once before, an 11-2 Ichabods win back in 1995 at Nebraska-Kearney. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will host UCCS in an RMAC series on March 20 before visiting Northern Colorado on March 22 and MSU Denver on March 23, both non-conference doubleheaders.