Mines (9-11, 6-8) at Regis (14-12, 10-6) – Sunday, 12 p.m. (DH) – Denver, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (9-11, 6-8) at Regis (14-12, 10-6) – Monday, 11 a.m. (DH) – Denver, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (9-11) at Fort Hays State (13-11) – Wednesday, 1 P.M. CT (DH) – Hays, Kan. [Live Stats] [MIAA Network PPV]

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A WHOLE LOT OF SOFTBALL
It'll be a busy stretch for the Colorado School of Mines softball team starting Sunday as they'll wrap up what is now a 10-game road trip with six games over four days over spring break, as they'll make the short trip down I-70 Sunday and Monday for a four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series against Regis before wrapping up non-conference play with a trip east to take on Fort Hays State in doubleheader action on Wednesday.
 
YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE
As mentioned above, the Orediggers will take on the Rangers and Tigers, but not as originally scheduled. As a result of forecasted significant winter weather expected to impact the Denver metro and surrounding areas starting Wednesday night, this weekend's RMAC series against the Rangers in Denver has been shifted back a day to be played March 17-18 with action starting Sunday at noon and Monday at 11 a.m. with doubleheaders scheduled for both days. As a result of the shifting RMAC schedule, the Orediggers' final non-conference trip of the season to Fort Hays State for three games originally scheduled to be played March 19-20 has been altered to just consist of two games played as a doubleheader on March 20.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live coverage of this weekend's games against Regis will include free streaming on the RMAC Network, while Wednesday's games at Fort Hays State will be available via pay per view on the MIAA Network. Live stats for all games will be available at no charge. All links can be found on minesathletics.com.
 
AT THE HELM
Mike Coutts enters his third season at the helm of the Orediggers and owns an overall record of 51-68 with a mark of 47-45 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play and is coming off his first 20-win season in Golden in 2023. He oversaw a nine-win improvement overall and an eight-win improvement from year one to year two and guided the Orediggers to an appearance in last season's RMAC Tournament. 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
Mines was tabbed to finish fifth the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll this season, up two places from their projected result last season of seventh. Defending RMAC champions Colorado Christian were picked to repeat this season with eight first-place votes followed by MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa, who each earned a pair of first-place ballots and were separated by just one point in the poll. Regis checked in just ahead of Mines in fourth with UCCS in sixth with CSU Pueblo and Chadron State in seventh and eighth. Fort Lewis and New Mexico Highlands each earned 37 points to finish tied for ninth in the standings while Adams State and Black Hills State each earned 18 points to finish tied for 11th.
 
WEEK 5 RECAP
Last week Mines was back on the road and back at All Star Park in Lakewood for the second time this season taking on then ninth-ranked Colorado Christian in a four-game series against the defending league champions. Game one saw Mines come out on top 4-3 behind a four-run second inning highlighted by a two-run single from Sidney Wilson while sophomore Kat Miller battled in the circle, allowing single runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings before setting CCU down in order in the seventh to close out a 4-3 win. The Cougars did bounce back in game two Saturday winning 9-4 and took the opener Sunday behind the strength of four home runs to post a six-inning 8-0 win. Looking to avoid dropping the series, the Orediggers turned to Sadriena Rodriguez in the circle in the finale and the fifth-year lefty delivered one of the best performances of her career, spinning a four-hit shutout and facing seven over the minimum as Wilson belted a go-ahead solo homer in the third with Hannah Roberts adding insurance on a single in the fith as Mines posted a 2-0 win to split the series, becoming the first team since Colorado Mesa in 2022 to split a four-game RMAC series with CCU and also shut them out in league action.
 
OH CAPTAINS, OUR CAPTAINS
With a series split on the line in the finale Sunday against then #9 Colorado Christian, two of the veteran leaders for the Orediggers stepped up when it mattered most to deliver the result Mines was looking for. Rodriguez picked a dandy of a time for her third shutout of the season, becoming the first RMAC pitcher in almost two calendar years to hold the Cougars off the scoreboard. Wilson meanwhile was responsible for driving in the go-ahead runs in each of Mines' two wins over the weekend, posting a two-run single as part of a four-run second inning in the series opener that resulted in a 4-3 win before blasting her second solo home run of the season in the third inning on Sunday in the finale for what ended up being a 2-0 win. Those two proved than when the pressure is greatest and the lights are brightest, experience brings a positive result.
 
STEPPING IT UP
Sophomore hurler Kat Miller saw only limited action in her first season as Mines in 2023, appearing just seven times for 12.2 innings and going 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA. This season, the Coppell, Texas product has as many starts as she did appearances a year ago, entering this weekend with seven starts in 12 games for 40.2 innings and posting a 2-2 record with a 3.27 ERA with two complete games and a shutout while bringing a power presence to the circle with her velocity. The Orediggers will definitely rely on her to continue her performance over the first half of the season as RMAC play picks up along with the race for the postseason.
 
DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY
Through 22 games, Mines can lay claim to the best defense in the RMAC this season, fielding .974 and currently the only team with a percentage over .970. They have committed just 15 errors, seven fewer than the next closest teams and have 13 players with a fielding percentage better than .970 as individuals. An area of emphasis under head coach Mike Coutts, the Orediggers went from fielding .954 in his season to .963 last year and are poised to maintain that upward trend again this year.
 
ONE FINAL RUN
As the era of COVID-extended eligibility begins to wind down, one player from the 2019 signing class is back for a fifth season of college softball. Sadriena Rodriguez earned Second Team All-RMAC honors following a breakout 14-win season in 2023 and was twice named RMAC Pitcher of the Week during the season. She spun five shutouts and struck out 147 in 144.1 innings over work across 24 starts in 25 appearances and held opponents to a mere .200 average. Her 2.18 ERA was the fourth-best in a season all-time while her five shutouts tied for fourth-most in a season, and she enters 2024 with eight career shutouts, good for fifth in program history. She also cleared the 200-strikeout mark in her career, becoming the first Mines pitcher since Sydney Marchando to reach that milestone and will undoubtedly clear 300 before season's end.
 
CHECKING THE STAT SHEET
Following last weekend's series with CCU, Kendall Aragon remains the team leader in hitting at .411 and has hit safely in each of the last eight games and has nine RBI and a double while scoring 10 times, tied for the most on the team. Sara Larson is hitting .333 with four double and a home run while driving in six and scoring six herself while freshman Kellan Ton saw extended time this weekend and is batting .298 with a double and a triple while scoring nine times and leading the way with five stolen bases.
 
Sidney Wilson's strong weekend raised her average to .282 as she has homered twice, driven in 10 and scored eight. Lexie Semeyn is batting .246 with four doubles, two triples and leads Mines with 11 RBI with nine runs scored while Cassidy Chvatal is batting .246 and slugging .414 with a team-best seven extra-base hits, including five doubles along with a triple and a home run and has also driven in nine. Trystin Oshiro-Sano (.227 AVG, 3 2B) has driven in eight this year, Kayleigh Krueger (.219 AVG, 2 XBH) has driven in eight and scored 10 to tie with Aragon for the team lead in runs while Hannah Roberts (.224 AVG, 3 2B) keeps finding a way to get timely hits when needed most.
 
In the circle, Sadriena Rodriguez remains the staff ace at 5-5 with a 3.05 ERA with five complete games, three of which have been shutouts, and has started 10 times in 11 outings for 59.2 innings, striking out 43 while walking 16 and holding teams to a .251 average. Sophomore Kat Miller is 2-2 on the season with two complete games and sports a 3.27 ERA over 40.2 innings worked with 14 strikeouts and a .279 BAA. Allison Westbrook is 3-2 with a 5.92 ERA in 11 games with 10 appearances in relief and has worked 23.2 innings this season while Chvatal and Ellen Shull have combined to work 21.1 innings this season across 10 combined appearances with seven strikeouts.

SCOUTING REGIS
After starting RMAC play 8-0 in their first home games of the season, Regis got stopped cold in their tracks by MSU Denver, getting swept by the Roadrunners before rebounding with a series split against Fort Lewis on the road in Durango to close out an eight-game road trip.
 
The Regis lineup has seven players with at least13 RBI this season and boasts five players batting north of .300 this season and two over .400 led by Miia Campos at .425 with five doubles, four triples, 16 RBI and 23 runs scored and an OBP of .520 thanks to 17 walks. Rachel Barriga is right behind her at .406 with 15 extra base hits, leading the team with nine doubles along with two triples and is tied for the club lead with four home runs while driving in 18 and scoring 14.
 
Morgan Norris enters the week batting .351 and leads RU with 26 RBI thanks to seven doubles, a triple and two home runs with Olivia Wick batting .337 with 17 RBI and a team best 12 steals in 15 attempts in addition to her 27 runs scored while Sydney Young checks in at .304 with five doubles, two triples, three home runs and 19 RBI. Just behind are Rachel Williams (.290 AVG, 17 XBH, 17 RBI) who is tied with Barriga with four home runs and Ariana Ybarra (.288 AVG, 15 R, 3-5 SB).
 
In the circle, seven different arms have logged at least one out this season as Kylie Harpman returns to lead the way as one of the top arms in the RMAC again this year with a 9-4 record in 13 starts across 16 games and a 2.79 ERA with eight complete games across 85.1 innings of work with 54 strikeouts against 16 walks. Ava Edwards has been the number two this season, starting eight times in 10 games for a 2-2 record and 3.46 ERA with 30.1 innings worked and 16 strikeouts with 11 walks and a .289 BAA. Next up in terms of innings is Alexis Kemp who is 2-3 with 10 appearances of mostly relief work for 21 innings with 12 strikeouts and a BAA of .340. Vanessa Candito is 1-2 in four starts in six outings with an 8.04 ERA over 15.2 innings with 11 strikeouts and 11 walks, but has held opponents to a staff-low .284 average. The trio of Katherine Raper, Hallie Crappell and Jenna Fraser have combined for the remaining 9.1 innings worked by the Ranger staff and are 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA between them.
 
Defensively Regis fields at a .957 clip, ranking eighth of 13 teams in the league while their 32 errors of the fourth-most in the league.
 
SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE
The Tigers dropped their first four games of MIAA Conference play to Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State and took advantage of their off week from league play to host Rockhurst and Bethany Wednesday and Thursday, knocking off the Hawks twice in two close games 2-1 in eight innings and 2-0 before taking two from Bethany Thursday by scores of 7-2 and 8-5 in their first four home games of the season.
 
FHSU boats three players batting north of .300 on the season led by Peyton Shepard at .395 with a team-leading 32 hits and 16 runs scored and is a perfect 12-12 on stolen bases. Loren Beggs has been the leading run producer, driving in a team-best 15 with five doubles and two home runs and posting a .386/.449/.543 line. Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson rounds out the group at .323 and also has five doubles while driving in 12.
 
Caryl Stuke checks in at .295 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs with 12 RBI as well while Sarah Tiffany is hitting .284 with 13 runs scored and six steals in as many attempts. Alondra Dominguez (.261 AVG, 2 2B, 8 RBI) and Madison Pierce (.257 AVG, 4 XBH, 9 RBI) round out the regulars batting over .200.
 
In the circle, Savanah Egger has been the #1 for the Togers, going 7-5 with a 1.92 ERA in 12 starts with two shutouts and 10 complete games, striking out 80 to just 15 walks over 76.2 innings and posting a .203 BAA. Morgan Schmidt has been behind her as the second starter, going 3-5 with a 2.92 ERA in 10 starts over 12 games with two shutouts and five complete games, striking out 50 against 16 walks in 50.1 innings of work and limiting offenses to .223 at the plate. Emma Montoya is 1-0 in two games for 4.2 innings and has yet to allow an earned run in her limited action while Bailey Carlson is 2-1 in seven games with two starts and owns a 3.60 ERA with 11 strikeouts and 13 walks.

SERIES HISTORY
All-time against the Rangers, Mines is 40-109 and 19-55 when playing on the road. Last season the Orediggers dropped four of five decisions, avoiding a sweep in the regular season series by picking up a 7-6 win in 11 innings in the final game of the weekend following losses of 5-4 and 11-3 twice before seeing their season end in the RMAC tournament by a final score of 6-4 due to a five-run sixth inning. Looking at the last 10 meetings, the Orediggers are 3-7 and will be playing the Rangers in Denver for the first time since 2019. That year, Mines took three out of four games, winning 9-3, 6-3 and 6-2.
 
Against the Tigers, Mines is 14-24 after losing all three games last season after the teams played for the first time since 2016. On the road, the Orediggers will look to improve on a 3-11 record and pick up their first win away from Golden against FHSU since 2005.

ON DECK
After closing out their now 10-game road trip, Mines will return to Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field March 23-24 to take on Fort Lewis in a four game RMAC series.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on X at @MinesSoftball and on Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.