Mines (6-8, 2-2) at Fort Lewis (1-13, 0-4) – Saturday, 12 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network PPV]
Mines (6-8, 2-2) at Fort Lewis (1-13, 0-4) – Sunday, 11 a.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network PPV]

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BACK ON THE ROAD
After spending the last three weeks in and around Golden, the Colorado School of Mines softball team will head back on the road this weekend as they continue Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action with a four game series at Fort Lewis Saturday and Sunday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
This weekend's games will be available for purchase on the RMAC Network. Free live stats will be available as well. Links for video and stats can be found on minesathletics.com.
 
RMAC NETWORK CHANGES
As was announced on June 30, this year the RMAC Network is moving to a pay-per-view model for all events beginning with the 2025-26 season.
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours. For technical support questions, fans may submit a support ticket with Hudl Support or email the RMAC directly (rmac@rmacsports.org). For further support, fans can visit the RMAC Network Help page.
 
WEEKEND WEATHER REPORT
Another fine weekend looks to be in store in Durango with highs forecasted to be in the mid-60s all weekend with partly cloudy skies and winds 10-20 miles per hour out of the west.
 
AT THE HELM
2026 will be the second season of the Tobin Echo-Hawk era in Golden as the Orediggers look to return to the postseason after missing out in 2025. In Echo-Hawk's first season, Mines went 22-32 overall and 21-22 in the RMAC. The 2026 season will be Echo-Hawk's 13th as a head coach at the NCAA level which has included stops at Portland State and UTEP as she sports a career record of 280-374 (.428). Eight times her teams have won 20 or more games in a season and twice recorded 30-win seasons as she looks to elevate the Orediggers in 2026 and beyond.
 
JOINING THE STAFF
Some new faces will be in the dugout this spring for Mines as Zoe Bacon joined the program as the top assistant in the summer of 2025. Most recently the assistant coach at St. Edward's University in Texas, Bacon will work primarily with the pitching staff this season. Get to know Coach Bacon more ahead of the 2026 season here. Also joining the program in a more prominent role this season is Jordan Ruiz, who was a part-time assistant last fall.
 
WEEK 4 RECAP
Mines went 2-2 against UCCS in their RMAC opening series at home last weekend, dropping games one and three 8-0 and 7-6 while taking games two and four 8-3 and 9-3. Taylor Wayne headlined the wins as she pitched a pair of complete games and allowed just four earned runs in 14 innings of work while going 4-5 at the plate as well with four runs scored and a home run. Freshman Miquela Tammaro also shined at the plate, going 4-10 with three extra-base hits and five RBI. Kellan Ton stole five bases and become the program's all-time stolen base leader while five different Orediggers, Wayne, Kendall Aragon, Katie Bauer, Emily Rogers and Kylie Bickford all homered in Sunday's doubleheader.
 
MEET THE CAPTAINS
A new year means a new group of captains as in 2026 Kendall Aragon, Taylor Wayne, Lauren Romero, Emiaj Self, Lindy French and Kylie Bickford will be leading the way on the field this spring.
 
Aragon has been an undisputed leader for the Orediggers since her arrival in 2023 and has been of the best defensive outfielders and hitters in the RMAC during her time at Mines. Last season she led the team ranked near the top of the conference with a .409 average while slugging .454 with 16 doubles, four triples and two home runs while scoring 43, driving in 38 and stealing 12 bases as she posted career numbers across the season on her way to Second Team All-RMAC honors. Go ahead and pencil Aragon's name into the lineup in center field and somewhere in the top half of the batting order this weekend.
 
After missing all of 2024 with injury, Wayne returned to action in 2025 and made 16 starts in 27 appearances on her way to a 7-9 season with a 5.43 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 120 innings of work. She led the team in strikeouts and innings pitched and spun 10 complete game efforts while recording statistical bests across the board. She also hit .200 at the plate while seeing some late-season action in right field. The fifth-year senior will bring valuable experience to a deep pitching staff this spring as she looks to lead the Orediggers back to the postseason.
 
Romero quietly had herself a stellar sophomore season as she took over duties at third base full-time as the season went on. She started 37 times in 41 games and posted a strong second half to close the year fourth on the team with a .337 average, four doubles, a triple, 19 runs and nine RBI. Entering her junior season, Romero will remain a fixture on the Mines infield and may slide over to second base in 2026.
 
In her debut season in 2025, Self emerged as the everyday starter at shortstop for the Orediggers and finished third on the team with a .349 batting average and posted 10 doubles, five triples, 24 RBI and 31 runs scored. Her five triples were tied for the sixth-most in a single season, three of which came on the final day of the season against New Mexico Highlands.
 
French started 31 of 33 games in her debut season before having things cut short with an injury at the end of March. Despite missing the final 21 games of the year, French batted .341/.363/.364 with two double, 10 runs and eight RBI while platooning between second and third base. She led the team in batting average for the first month of the season and went 7-11 in her first weekend of action in 2025. The Festus, Missouri native returns to action this weekend and figures to see time around the infield in 2026, particularly at first base.
 
Following a strong fall, Bickford will factor into the Orediggers' plans this spring right away as a true freshman at the hot corner. A second-generation Mines student with family ties to the softball program, the Littleton native was a three-time All-Conference selection at the prep level and batted .393 with a .466 OBP while also fielding .960 defensively.
 
IN THE POLLS
Mines was voted to finish sixth in the RMAC in January's Preseason Coaches' Poll. Defending champions Colorado Christian was picked to repeat as champions ahead of Colorado Mesa. MSU Denver was voted third followed by UCCS and CSU Pueblo to round out the top five.
 
EARNING THAT SILVER
A pair of Orediggers have already earned one silver-plated diploma and are working on their second as they wrap up their careers in 2026. Fifth-year pitcher Taylor Wayne wrapped up her undergraduate work in Mechanical Engineering last May and is now working toward a graduate degree in the same field. Senior outfielder Kendall Aragon meanwhile picked up her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering in just three years and is now working on a Master's in STEM Education.
 
ONE OF THE BEST
One of the most prolific hitters in program history, Kendall Aragon enters 2026 with her name on several lists in the program record book. Presently, the Legacy High School alum ranks third all-time in career batting average at .396 (218-551) and is up to seventh on the all-time hits closing in on sixth all-time with Katie Kocman (2006-09) who recorded 223. Her 16 doubles from last season are tied for the eighth-most in a single season while she owns three career hitting streaks of 10 games or more including a 15-game streak that's the seventh-longest all-time, and is the only player in program history to have three such hitting streaks.
 
RMAC RESET
With one week in the books, Colorado Christian and MSU Denver lead the standings at 4-0 ahead of Colorado Mesa at 3-1. Six teams went 2-2 to open league play as Mines, UCCS, CSU Pueblo, Black Hills State, Adams State and Chadron State are all tied for fourth. Regis went 1-3 while New Mexico Highlands and Fort Lewis are coming off 0-4 starts to league play.
 
YARD WORK
With favorable conditions Sunday at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field, the Orediggers flexed their muscle at the plate and homered five times over the course of the doubleheader against UCCS. Mines left the yard three times in the opener as Kendall Aragon, Katie Bauer and Kylie Bickford became the first trio to homer in the same game in 370 days when Cassidy Chvatal, Lexie Semeyn and Hannah Roberts did so in Colorado Springs last year. Emily Rogers and Taylor Wayne got in on the action in game two as all five home runs on the day went out to either left field or left center. For Bauer and Bickford, their home runs were the first of their careers, while Aragon's was her third career big fly and first of the season. Rogers added to her team-leading home run total of two after leaving the yard for the first time (her homerun against MSU Moorhead opening weekend was of the inside-the-park variety) while Wayne homered for the second time in her career and first time in more than 1,400 days with her last blast also coming as the starting pitcher in a game she earned the win in at New Mexico Highlands back in 2021.
 
FASTEST WOMAN IN GOLDEN
With her first steal of second base in game two over the weekend against UCCS, Kellan Ton took a step into history as she passed Renata Boyd (2020-23) for the Mines program record for stolen bases with 59. After finishing the weekend with five swipes, Ton is the first player in program history to reach 60 career stolen bases and heads into this weekend's series at Fort Lewis with 63 to her name over 114 games. She's also on pace to break her own single-season record for the third consecutive season and is averaging nearly one stolen base per game. And oh by the way, she's just a junior. By the time Ton is done terrorizing
 
MILESTONE WATCH
Senior Kendall Aragon is closing in on 100 career runs batted in as she stands at 94 following action last weekend against UCCS, while fellow senior Kat Miller needs just five strikeouts to hit the century mark in her career. If traffic gets on base in front of Aragon this weekend, she might get there against the Skyhawks while if the hard-throwing Miller gets on a roll in the circle, those five strikeouts could happen in a hurry. One factor in Miller's favor this weekend, and the pitching staff as a whole, is that Fort Lewis has struck out 94 times in 14 games, the second-most in the RMAC this season.
 
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
With the departure of Lexie Semeyn and Kailey Morales behind the dish following the 2025 season, the Orediggers were going to be turning to some new faces to take over this spring. With three different faces having logged time wearing the tools of ignorance this season, Katie Bauer has emerged as the primary option through the first 10 games of the season. After joining the program as a walk-on for the 2023 season and not making her debut until a handful of pinch hit opportunities in 2025, the Danville, California native has started six times in eight games this season and is batting .250 with two doubles and two triples and is second on the team with seven RBI. After waiting for her opportunity for three seasons, Bauer is making the most of 2026 in the early going and figures to build on the strong start as the season goes on.
 
CHECKING THE STAT SHEET
Kellan Ton leads the team entering the week at the plate with a .477 batting average, 13 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Kendall Aragon sports a .385 mark with two doubles, a home run and is tied for the team lead with 10 RBI. Emily Rogers is slugging .706 thanks to six extra-base hits including three triples and two home runs while scoring 11 times and hitting .324. Lauren Romero is batting .313 with four doubles and six RBI while Katie Bauer is batting an even .300 with five of her nine hits going for extra bases with eight RBI. Emiaj Self rounds out the regulars with a .278 mark at the dish, but sports five extra-base hits of her own and is tied with Aragon in RBI with 10.
 
Taylor Wayne has made a case to start hitting for herself when she's pitching with a .715 mark and four runs scored, while Miquela Tammaro made a strong case to become the starting DP moving ahead and is batting .375 with four three doubles and triple while driving in six. Kylie Bickford is batting .286 with four RBI as the lead at third base, while Mia Lopez and Lindy French are both hitting north of .220 with a double.
 
In the circle, Wayne leads the staff with a 4-1 record and a 2.63 ERA in five starts across seven appearances. In 37.1 innings, she's struck out 15 and issued just 17 free passes and held teams to a .241 BAA. Kat Miller is 1-2 entering the week as she looks to get going following four starts in her first six outings. In 20 innings, she's struck out nine and will look to overcome some command issues. Ellen Shull turned in some of her best work in relief last week and is 1-2 on the year with five strikeouts in 15 innings of work. Madyson Ortiz is coming off her first career start and figures to see more time moving ahead as she's 0-1 with a .3.82 ERA and four strikeouts in 11 innings of action across three games. Rylee Church got last weekend off as she'll look to factor into things this weekend and build on 3.2 innings of work in three appearances as she too seeks her first win. Also seeking her first win and rounding out the staff is Ariana Hughes who has seen action twice for two innings.
 
As a team, Mines is batting .310 and ranks fourth in the conference in batting average while posting a .395 OBP and slugging .475. They are just -10 in run differential at 117-107 and have 36 extra-base hits this season and are tied for second in the RMAC in stolen bases with 32. The pitching staff sports a 5.37 ERA over 90 innings of work and has struck out 37 while issuing 60 free passes and posting a .316 BAA. Defensively, Mines is fielding .961 with 17 errors and has the fourth-best fielding percentage in the league.
 
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS
Fort Lewis is coming off a four-game sweep at the hands of MSU Denver last weekend to open RMAC play, losing a pair of one-run games Sunday 3-2 and 8-7 in 11 innings before coming out on the short end twice more Monday with 12-2 and 7-3 losses. FLC will make their home debut this weekend looking to snap an 11-game skid, as their lone win of the season came on January 31 against preseason #14 Cal State San Marcos 3-2 in eight innings.
 
12 different players have started at least six games so far this year for FLC as third-year head coach Paige Rhodes works to find the best starting nine. Alyssa Fockler is the only player to start all 14 games this season and leads the team with a .277 batting average, eight runs, six RBI and a home run. Carmen Alexander is second with a .258 average and a team-leading four doubles and a homer along with six RBI, while Alex Tenorio is batting .250 with three doubles. Izzy Cueva is also batting .250 with a double while Trista Hoobler is hitting .167 but does have a triple and five RBI.
 
Skyler Dietz would be the top hitter for FLC if she met statistical minimums, as she's batting .308 with a doubles, triple and five runs in 26 at bats. Makenna Milliman is hitting .269 with a double and two RBI, while Mia Cueva, McKenna Timmons and Cali Niccum each have at least one extra-base hit.
 
In the circle, four arms have seen time for the Skyhawks led by Hailie Mann with a record of 1-1 In seven games with four starts and a 4.11 ERA. Over 30.2 innings, she's struck out 14 against 12 free passes and has a BAA of .326. Chloe Padilla leads the team in innings pitched with 34 and is 0-6 in eight games with seven starts and a 4.74 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 25 free passes issued while posting a .286 BAA. Addison Gavigan is 0-3 in six appearances with a pair of starts and an ERA of 8.30 in 14.1 innings with eight strikeouts against 32 free passes issued. Izzy Cueva rounds the staff out with an 0-2 record in three outings with a start for seven innings and has an ERA of 16.00 with five strikeouts and 14 free passes.
 
As a team, Fort Lewis is batting .222 with a .274 on-base percentage and is slugging .286 while being outscored 97-32 this season and is yet to attempt a stolen base this spring. In the circle, they have a 6.02 ERA over 86 innings of work and have struck out 44 while issuing 73 free passes and posting a BAA of .314. Defensively, FLC is fielding .960 with 15 errors in 378 chances.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines leads the all-time series with Fort Lewis 83-64 and is 29-15 when playing on the road against the Skyhawks. Last year the Orediggers took three out of four from FLC in Golden, taking games one, two and four 5-2, 6-2 and 7-6 with a 4-1 game three loss in between. The last time Fort Lewis was the home team was in the 2023 season when weather forced a location change to Bloomfield High School New Mexico. That season, the teams split the series with Mines taking games two and four 8-5 and 6-5 in eight innings while Fort Lewis took games one and three 11-9 and 5-4 in 10 innings. The teams last played in Durango in 2021 when Mines swept the series 13-1, 4-3, 5-1 and 8-6.

ON DECK
Five consecutive weeks of action at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field await the Orediggers next weekend as they welcome Colorado Mesa to town March 7-8.
 
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.