Mines vs. Fort Lewis, Saturday, noon (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Fort Lewis, Sunday, 11 a.m. (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines at Northern Colorado, Wednesday, 3 p.m. (DH) [ESPN+] [Live Stats]

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OREDIGGERS RETURN HOME FOR FORT LEWIS SERIES
A busy spring break comes to an end at home for Colorado School of Mines as they return to Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field to host Fort Lewis in a four-game RMAC series this weekend. The Orediggers will also head to Greeley for a midweek makeup doubleheader at Northern Colorado on Wednesday. Saturday's doubleheader vs. Fort Lewis starts at noon and Sunday's at 11 a.m.; the UNC games begin at 3 p.m. 

ALUMNAE WEEKEND CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF MINES SOFTBALL
The 2022 season marks the 40th for Mines Softball, which began play in 1983. This weekend, the Orediggers welcome back alumnae from all of its teams to join in the celebration. Former Oredigger third baseman Brianne (Brennan) Stebbins will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday's game. 

GAME COVERAGE
The Fort Lewis series will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. Wednesday'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 will be, at long last, a spectacular weekend for softball in Golden with forecast highs in the low 70s and sunshine both days. Wednesday's forecast for Greeley calls for mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid-50s with a windy start decreasing throughout the games. 

LAST TIME OUT
Mines is 7-17 overall and 7-7 in the RMAC, hoping to get on the right side of .500 in-conference this weekend. The Orediggers split their series at UCCS last weekend, winning 7-4 to open on a dramatic walk-off grand slam by Sara Larson before suffering consecutive losses to the Mountain Lions; Mines ended the series strongly in a 10-2 run-rule victory. Larson led the Orediggers in that series with 10 RBI and two home runs, slugging 1.143. On Thursday, Mines dropped a pair of non-conference games at MSU Denver, 4-3 and 6-2. Renata Boyd led the team at the plate going a combined 6-for-8. 

JOIN THE CLUB
Junior Renata Boyd has a chance to become the newest member of Mines' 100-hits club as she enters this weekend with 99. The Orediggers' active hits leader, Boyd is a career .372 hitter and has big production numbers this season out of the leadoff spot, hitting a team-best .404 with a .411 on-base percentage and 15 runs scored. 

LEADING THE WAY
The 1-2 punch of Renata Boyd and Lauren Decker has anchored Mines at the top of the lineup as Boyd is hitting a team-best .404 and Decker is right behind her at .387. Freshman Hannah Roberts is having a breakout rookie season hitting .386 and getting on base at a team-high .438 clip, while Sara Larson has emerged over the past two weeks to slug a team-high .578 with 16 RBI and 10 extra-base hits. In the circle, Sadriena Rodriguez's 3.03 ERA and 1 K/inn. rate both lead the team, and freshman Cassidy Chvatal has battled to a 4.14 ERA in a team-high 49.0 innings pitched. 

SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
Fort Lewis comes into the weekend at 5-20 overall and 5-11 in RMAC play after splitting their home RMAC series with CSU Pueblo last weekend. They are led at the plate by Jadyn Gilley, who hits .389, and Alex Tenorio, who tops the team in slugging at .605 with nine RBI and 12 extra-base hits including six triples. The Skyhawks have struggled in the circle with a staff ERA of 10.71; Amiee Shanks (4-4) has four of the team's five victories while Hailie Mann has pitched the most innings at 64.0.

Mines and Fort Lewis have met 131 times with Mines holding a 71-60 all-time series lead. The Orediggers have won four of the last five meetings, sweeping the regular-season series last year in Durango but losing to the Skyhawks in the RMAC Tournament last season. 

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 Wednesday after their games this past Tuesday were postponed due to weather. The Bears are 9-18 overall as they begin Big Sky play this weekend at Southern Utah. Kaileigh Holland is their top slugger at .550 with 25 RBI and four home runs. Peyton Gale has driven in 14 as well. Meghan Golden (6-5, 5.23 ERA) is their pitching leader with 74.0 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. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines returns to RMAC play April 2-3 at Adams State. After this weekend they will not be home again until mid-April when they host Regis on Easter weekend, April 15-16.