Mines (11-18, 10-10) vs. CSU Pueblo (10-19, 5-15) (DH) – Friday, 12 p.m. (DH) – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (11-18, 10-10) vs. CSU Pueblo (10-19, 5-15) (DH) – Saturday, 12 p.m. (DH) – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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MARATHON WEEK
Despite this week being spring break and no classes on tap, that doesn't mean that it's been a light week for the Colorado School of Mines softball team, as they'll return to Golden and Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field to play CSU Pueblo this weekend to cap a stretch of 11 games in the span of seven days against three different opponents in three different states.
 
YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE
For the sixth time this season, the weekend weather forecast has necessitated a schedule change to the action this weekend with CSU Pueblo. Originally set to be contested Saturday and Sunday, the Orediggers' four-game game series with the ThunderWolves will be moved up a day and be played Friday and Saturday March 24 and 25 with doubleheaders scheduled for both days to start at 12 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All games this weekend will be available free of charge on the RMAC Network and have live stats available on Sidearm.
 
AT THE HELM
Mike Coutts begins his second season at the helm of the Orediggers softball program and looks to improve off a 16-30 mark from 2022. Before arriving at Mines, Coutts was the head coach of the softball program at Maine for six seasons, where he posted a 94-129 record with two 20-win seasons in 2016 and 2018.
 
IN THE POLLS
The Orediggers were picked to finish in the exact middle of the RMAC this year in the preseason poll, checking in at #7. Defending tournament champions Colorado Christian were tabbed to win the league followed by the reigning regular season champs Colorado Mesa. On the national stage, Colorado Christian moved up two spots to #12 this week while week one opponent Nova Southeastern continues to receive votes.
 
LET'S RECAP
To say the Orediggers have been able to kick back and relax over spring break might be the understatement of the season. Mines played seven games from Sunday to Wednesday to begin the week, taking on Chadron State in a weather-adjusted series Sunday and Monday before stepping out of conference Tuesday and Wednesday to play former RMAC member Fort Hays State. Mines took three out of four from the Eagles in Nebraska to win their second conference series of the season, winning the opener 4-2 and sweeping day two 7-0 and 9-0 after dropping the second game of the weekend 4-2. Sadriena Rodriguez shined in the circle in both games, combining to strike out 16 CSC batters and allowed just two unearned runs in the series opener Sunday, while the offense erupted for 16 runs on 23 hits and saw several players turn in multi-hit games as they recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2019 and two shutouts in the same day for the first time since 2017.
 
Tuesday against Fort Hays was a little tougher sledding for Mines, as a big first inning lifted the Tigers to an 8-0 win in five innings. A game two pitcher's duel also went the way of FHSU, despite Allison Westbrook allowing just two runs, both of which came on a fourth inning home run as one of only three hits surrendered, and Kailey Robb going 3-3 at the plate in just her second start of the season in the outfield. Wednesday only saw one of two originally scheduled games played after a delayed start due to the elements in game one before game two was canceled due to deteriorating conditions. Kayleigh Krueger played Kendall Aragon in the first inning to give Mines the lead, but lone runs in the home first, second and fourth led FHSU to a 3-1 win. Kat Miller made her first start in a Mines uniform and allowed two earned runs on seven hits in four innings of work, while Lauren Decker worked two scoreless innings of relief in her first pitching appearance in almost three weeks.
 
SAME SONG, SECOND VERSE
For the second time this season, Sadriena Rodriguez took home RMAC Pitcher of the Week honors. The left-hander from Imperial, California led the Orediggers to a 3-1 series win over the weekend on the road against Chadron State, turning in a pair of complete game performances along the way to improve to 5-2 this season. In the series opener Sunday, Rodriguez struck out six and allowed just two unearned runs in a 4-2 win while in game one Monday, absolutely silenced the Eagles' lineup, allowing just one hit and tying a season-high 10 strikeouts and facing just five batters over the minimum in a 7-0 win.
 
For the weekend, Rodriguez compiled 16 strikeouts over 14 innings of work and did not allow an earned run and held Chadron State to 8-50 (.160) at the plate while also fielding 1.000 in three opportunities in the field. On the season, she now owns a 2.62 ERA over 13 starts and has struck out 74 over 67 innings of work and is holding opponents to a .209 batting average. One of the top arms in the RMAC this season, Rodriguez ranks sixth in the conference in ERA, third in opponent batting average and fourth in strikeouts.
 
TRACK MEET
29 games are in the books this season and Mines is currently second in the RMAC with 53 stolen bases, trailing only MSU Denver and tying their mark as a team from the entirety of last season in 46 games. That breaks down to an average of 1.83 swipes per game, which dropped a little over the weekend as the Orediggers will look to get back on track this weekend. Already nine different players have at least one steal to their ledger this season, as Lauren Decker leads the team with 17 while Renata Boyd has 11 and Sara Larson has eight.
 
SPEED QUEENS
Speaking of Renata Boyd, last time Mines was at home against Colorado Christan, she became the program's all-time leader in stolen bases, passing Brielle Asato (2015-18) for most all-time with the 51st of her career on the first day of the series. Now the race is on to see how many Boyd will accumulate over the final 32 games of the season. Also working her way up the all-time rankings for steals is Lauren Decker, who entered the season with 25 in her first three seasons but with 17 already this year, has rocketed up the top 10 list and is now tied for fifth with 42 in her career with Sarah Van Lingen (2008-11) after passing Molly Thiebaut (2010-13). She's also passed her previous single-season career high set last season and could very well join Boyd with more than 50 swipes for her career.
 
MAKING STRIDES
Year two of the Orediggers under Mike Coutts has already seen some improvements across the stat sheet from 2022 to this point in 2023. As a team, Mines has an earned run average nearly a full run and a half lower than last season, entering the weekend with a mark of 4.00 compared to a 5.41 last season. Already Mines pitchers have recorded four saves this season, surpassing last year's mark of three and currently lead the RMAC. Expanding on pitching, the Orediggers have help opponents to a .259 batting average, the third-lowest mark in the conference to date and 57 points lower than the .325 opponents hit last season. On defense, Mines is second in the conference in fielding at .965, trailing only Colorado Christian following a 2022 that saw them field .954, and has committed the fewest errors in the league this season with 23.
 
CHECKING THE STATS
Entering play this weekend, Sidney Wilson remains the clubhouse leader when it comes to hitting, slashing .385/.456/.473 this season with a team-leading 35 hits, 18 runs scored and eight doubles in addition to driving in 14 and stealing five bases. Freshman Kendall Aragon is now second with a .326 average at the top of the order with 31 hits and 16 runs scored. Lauren Decker dropped below the .300 mark over the last few games but is still hitting .297 with 17 stolen bases and nine runs scored while Renta Boyd is hitting .273 with 11 swipes and has also scored nine times.
 
Kayleigh Krueger picked up her 18th RBI of the season on Wednesday against Fort Hays and is second behind Wilson with seven doubles with Sara Larson being the third Oredigger in double-digit runs batted in with 10. Sophie Furniss saw time as the designated player the last few games and figures to be in the conversation to be there again this weekend, batting .364 with three doubles and slugging .500 while Trystin Oshiro-Sano is hitting .341 with seven RBI and three doubles.
 
In the circle, Sadriena Rodriguez continues to be the ace of the staff, entering the weekend 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 67 innings while holding opponents to a .209 average. The reigning RMAC Pitcher of the Week currently ranks sixth in the league in ERA, third in opponent batting average, fourth in strikeouts and ninth in runs allowed. Taylor Wayne picked up her second win of the season against Chadron State to improve to 2-4 and sports a 5.09 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 42.2 innings of work. RMAC saves leader Cassidy Chvatal has split time between the bullpen and the rotation and is second on staff with 43.2 innings of works and 24 strikeouts while Allison Westbrook continues to pitch it well and despite falling to 1-1 Tuesday in a 2-0 loss to FHSU, still sports a 3.07 ERA in 13.2 innings of work and has held opponents to a paltry .146 average.
 
Kat Miller made her first collegiate start against Fort Hays and is 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 12.2 innings with six strikeouts, while Decker was able to get some work in on the midweek as well and sits at 1-2 with a save on the season along with a 3.20 ERA with six strikeouts in 19.2 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO
The ThunderWolves are still in search of their first RMAC series win of the season following a split with New Mexico Highlands at home last weekend, winning games one and three 3-1 and 7-4 while dropping games two and four 2-0 and 6-5 following a pair of midweek losses to Fort Hays on Wednesday in non-conference action.
 
A team hitting .256 as a group, CSUP has three regulars batting .333 or better, led by Caitlyn Cole at .373 who leads the team in several categories, including hits (31), runs (22) and extra-base hits (13). She's tied for the team lead in doubles with seven and home runs with four and has a pair of triples to boast a .651 slugging percentage and has also swiped nine bases in 14 attempts. Madelyn Huerta and Ashley Tosh are both batting .333 on the season and have four doubles apiece, while the former also has two home runs and is second on the team with 17 RBI and 21 runs scored, and the latter has driven in 10 and scored 12.
 
Marissa Robertson bats just .286 but is tied with Cole in home runs this season with four and is the clubhouse leader with 18 run batted in. Jill Bishop warrants keeping an eye on as well, having driven in 14 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs despite a .255 average, as does Raelynn Rogers (.212 AVG, 19 R) and her team-leading 15 stolen bases.
 
In the circle, a trio of arms have seen the bulk of the innings this season headed by Lucy Carney who enters the weekend 6-5 over 14 games with a 4.48 ERA in 64 innings with 27 strikeouts, but has issued 38 free passes and allowed opponents to hit .312 against her. Jacelynn Trujillo has made nine starts in 15 games and is 2-7 with a 5.75 ERA with a team-high 42 strikeouts in 63.1 innings of work with 33 walks, while Robertson is 2-5 in eight starts over nine outings with 23 strikeouts and 44 walks issued in 40 innings. Marika Spector has seen action in eight games, all in relief, and is currently 0-2 with a 6.44 ERA in 202. Innings with seven strikeouts against 17 walks.
 
As a pitching staff, The ThunderWolves sport a 5.59 ERA and have walked 131 in 188 innings while striking out 99 as opponents have batted .318 against them.
 
SERIES HISTORY
In the previous 109 meetings between the Orediggers and ThunderWolves, CSU Pueblo leads 69-40 after taking three out of four games last season in Pueblo. The last time the teams played in Golden was in the 2021 season, which saw Mines take three out of four, winning 7-6, 12-5 and 5-4 in eight innings. All time at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field, the Orediggers are 19-24 against the ThunderWolves.
 
ON DECK
Mines will be back on the road to open the month of April as they'll make the trip down I-25 to play UCCS in a four-game set April 1-2 in Colorado Springs.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on Twitter at @MinesSoftball and Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.