Mines at Colorado Christian, Saturday, 9 a.m. (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
Mines at Colorado Christian, Sunday, 2 p.m. (DH) [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]

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OREDIGGERS STAY LOCAL TO FACE COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado School of Mines won't have to go far for their road series this weekend as they visit co-league leader Colorado Christian for a four-game set. The games will be played at All-Star Park in Lakewood. A schedule change has altered the start times, with Saturday beginning early at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

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
Saturday promises to be spectacular for softball in Lakewood with a gametime temperature of 55 going up to 73 and partly cloudy skies. Sunday will be cooler with temperatures in the upper 50s and partly cloudy conditions. 

LAST TIME OUT
Mines took three out of four from Adams State last weekend, marking their fourth straight RMAC series that they have either won or split. Sadriena Rodriguez got both wins on Saturday as Emilee Sloan's squeeze bunt in the eighth gave Mines a 5-4 extra-innings win to start and Rodriguez threw a one-run gem as Sidney Wilson and Kailey Robb drove in runs to win game two 2-1. On Sunday both teams got their hits in as ASU won 14-3 to start before Mines took the finale 8-4 behind Cassidy Chvatal's start and a Trystin Oshiro-Sano home run. 

IN THE HUNT
This weekend's series is an important one for both the Orediggers and CCU. For Mines, they are 13-9 in RMAC play and enter the weekend in the sixth and final spot for the RMAC Tournament; they have a healthy lead over the seventh-place CSU Pueblo (10-14), though. For CCU, they are tied with Colorado Mesa for the top spot in the RMAC at an impressive 21-1 having won 19 straight games. CCU and CMU will play on April 23-24. 

AT THE PLATE
The Orediggers' bats have gotten hot over the past few weeks and Mines is hitting .332 as a team in RMAC play. Freshman Hannah Roberts is hitting a team-best .382 including .442 in RMAC play, driving in 11 RBI with 14 runs scored this season. Renata Boyd is hitting .373 out of the leadoff spot scoring a team-high 22 runs, while Sidney Wilson has been one of Mines' most consistent bats through conference play hitting .366 with 19 RBI and 12 walks. Sara Larson leads the team in RBI (23) slugging .557 while Lexie Semeyn leads Mines in slugging at .565 with eight extra-base hits. 

RODRIGUEZ LEADS MINES STAFF
Sadriena Rodriguez added two wins to her total last weekend to improve to 4-4, but her record belies how good she's been in leading the Mines staff this season. Through 59.0 innings, Rodriguez has a 2.25 ERA and .235 opposing average - both best on the team - and her 1.1 K/inn. rate is also the best. The southpaw appeared in all four games of the Adams State series, allowing only one run over 10.1 IP, and she has given up just two earned runs in her last seven appearances. Rodriguez is fifth in the RMAC in ERA and opposing average, and has allowed the third-fewest runs of any qualified starter. 

SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Colorado Christian is one of the nation's hottest teams having won 19 in a row to enter the weekend at 33-5 overall and 21-1 in the RMAC. The Cougars hit .354 and slug .618 as a team led by Sami Edwards (.488/.850) with Kenzie Middleton's 42 RBI and 11 home runs leading the team. Four players - Edwards, Middleton, Taylor Olsen, and Sydney Reamer - have an OPS over 1.000. The Cougars are also tough in the circle with a 3.45 staff ERA led by workhorses Alexis Hamilton (13-1, 2.20 ERA) and Abrie Castillo (12-2, 3.73 ERA). 

Since CCU began softball in 2012, Mines and the Cougars have split their all-time series at an even 14-14. Last year they halved the series in Golden with both of Mines' wins coming via walkoffs from Kayleigh Krueger and Stefanie Brunello. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will return home to play Regis April 15-16. Friday's doubleheader will be the Orediggers' annual Strike Out Cancer day.