By: Tim Flynn
MINES TOURS FRONT RANGE FOR SPRING BREAK
Eight games in five days await Colorado School of Mines as they've set up a busy front half of spring break, visiting UCCS for an RMAC series on Saturday and Sunday before heading to Greeley and Northern Colorado for a Tuesday doubleheader and then a non-conference twinbill at MSU Denver on Wednesday. The Orediggers (5-13, 5-5 RMAC) hope to build off the momentum of series sweep at New Mexico Highlands last weekend.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
This weekend's series against UCCS was originally slated to be played in Golden, but a significant snow storm on Thursday forced the move to Colorado Springs and the Mountain Lions' turf field. The home doubleheader originally scheduled against Washburn last Wednesday has been canceled and will not be made up.
GAME COVERAGE
The games at UCCS and MSU Denver this week will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. Tuesday's games at UNC will be carried on the
ESPN+ subscription service.
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
It should be a beautiful weekend in Colorado Springs with sunshine and temperatures in the upper 50s both days. Bundle up for Tuesday's games in Greeley with a high of 45 and high winds forecast, and it'll be similar weather downtown in Denver on Wednesday with a high of 46 and wind.
LAST WEEKEND
Mines is coming off its first series sweep of the season as everything finally clicked into place at New Mexico Highlands. The Orediggers pounded 30 runs across the four games, which included a pair of run-rule victories; defensively their pitching was spectacular allowing just two runs across the series as both
Lauren Decker and
Sadriena Rodriguez tossed shutouts. At the plate, Mines was led by a breakout performance by freshman
Hannah Roberts, who hit .818 and slugged 1.182 with six runs scored and three RBI, and eight players hit .500 or better overall.
Kayleigh Krueger drove in a team-high six runs with four doubles as well. In the circle, all four starters picked up wins led by Rodriguez, who also had a save as she struck out 10 over 7.1 IP, and Decker, who carried a no-hitter into the fifth in a one-hit shutout.
LEADING THE WAY
Hannah Roberts has jumped into the team lead in batting after last weekend, hitting .469 with a 1.125 OPS.
Sidney Wilson is having a career year at the plate as well hitting .352 with nine RBI and six doubles, and
Renata Boyd has a team-high 11 runs scored hitting .333 out of the leadoff spot.
Kayleigh Krueger leads Mines with 11 RBI. In the circle,
Sadriena Rodriguez has posted a 2.60 ERA in 10 appearances, striking out one per inning (30K in 29.2 IP) with a .252 opposing ERA.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
The Mountain Lions are 10-8 overall and off to a solid 8-4 RMAC start after splitting their series against Regis last weekend. They are led by Sawyer Brewster's .421 batting average and 1.301 OPS as she has driven in 18 runs with six home runs. Paige White also has big power numbers with six homers and 18 RBI, and Solana Martinez is hitting .383 with six doubles. UCCS has a staff ERA of 4.21 led by Lexi Rayburn, who is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA, and Braelyne Crenshaw, who is 3-5 with a 4.56 ERA; the tandem has thrown nearly three-quarters of the Mountain Lions' innings this year.
The two teams have played 124 times previously dating back to 1990 with UCCS leading 67-56-1. Last year they split their series in Colorado Springs, and Mines has won 16 of the last 21 games dating back to 2017.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Mines is slated to visit Division I in-state foe Northern Colorado for the first time ever as they head to Greeley on Tuesday. The Bears are 7-16 overall as they are still yet to begin Big Sky Conference play; they visit Texas Tech and Incarnate Word this weekend. Lauren Strathearn is their leader at the plate hitting .377 while Kaileigh Holland is their top slugger at .537 with 20 RBI and three home runs. Peyton Gale has driven in 14 as well. Meghan Golden (5-5, 5.61 ERA) is their pitching leader with 61.0 IP, nearly twice as much as any other hurler on staff. The Bears are coached by a familiar face in former Colorado Mesa head coach Ben Garcia.
The two teams have played just four games against each other all-time, all coming in Golden in 1999 and 2002 when UNC was still a member of Division II; UNC holds a 3-1 series lead.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
Mines and MSU Denver will meet in a non-conference doubleheader as the two local RMAC rivals do not meet in conference play this season. The Roadrunners are 14-11 overall and 4-6 in the RMAC as they play NMHU this weekend. The 2021 RMAC Freshman of the Year Shelby Robb leads them at the plate hitting .317 with 16 RBI, while Katie Maney has driven in 17 slugging .622 with six home runs and Hannah DiFabio is slugging .526 with 11 RBI. They hold a 3.92 staff ERA led by Julia Heltz's 2.21 ERA and 2-0 record, with Sarah Norton (4-3) their workhorse with 58.2 IP and a 3.94 ERA.
The two have met 78 times dating back to 1983, with MSU Denver leading the series 47-31. It has been a very competitive series in recent years as they two have alternated wins across their last six games, and Mines holds an 8-7 edge dating back to 2017.
LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will end spring break at home against Fort Lewis on March 26-27; it will be alumnae weekend as the Orediggers celebrate 40 years of softball.
