Mines vs. UCCS, Saturday, 12/2 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines vs. UCCS, Sunday, 11 a.m./1 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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THE WEEKEND
Mines returns home after eight straight road games to host UCCS this weekend in an RMAC series. They start with two on Saturday at noon and play the final doubleheader Sunday at 11 a.m. All games will be seen live on the RMAC Network.

LAST WEEKEND
After a win to start their series at Regis, the Orediggers dropped three in a row to finish against the Rangers. Mines held off the Rangers to win 6-5 in the opener, but their bats went silent with a combined five runs over the next three games. Mines' top plate producer in the series was Kara Jones, who hit .600 with four RBI and three doubles over the four games.

LAST YEAR VS. UCCS
Mines took three out of four from the Mountain Lions in 2017, working a 5-3, eight-inning win to open the series and also snagging 10-4 and 7-3 victories. UCCS' lone win was a 3-2, eight-inning game won thanks to a walk-off double by Alex Cook. In Mines' 5-3 extra-inning victory, Katie Leiker hit a home run in the eighth to key the win as Maddie Rogers threw six scoreless innings to earn the win. In the 10-4 game, Clara Larson and Sonoma Toot went yard to lead the offense, while in the 7-3 game, Hallie Smith pitched a complete game victory as Larson and Pua Fujinaga hit home runs.

OUT FOR A STROLL
One category in which Mines has vastly improved this season is walks. The Orediggers are tied for second in the RMAC in walks this season with 63, and their 3.2 walks per game rate is well ahead of last year's 1.9. The plate patience is led by Sonoma Toot, who ranks fourth in the league with 12 walks, and Megan Dickson, who is sixth with 10.

LARSON PRODUCES FOR MINES
Sophomore Clara Larson was named Second-Team All-RMAC as a freshman in 2017, and she's shown no signs of slowing down this year. The shortstop has been one of the RMAC's most productive hitters this season, ranking in the RMAC top 10 in hits (3^rd, 27), runs scored (6^th, 21), home runs (1^st, 7), at-bats (1^st, 69), and runs scored (4^th, 24). She's also walked seven times and had five stolen bases, and nationally ranks in the D-II top 20 in RBI, total bases, and home runs.

STRINGFELLOW SHINES
Claire Stringfellow has been Mines' leader in the circle so far this season, notching a 2.04 ERA (fifth-best in the RMAC) and a .259 opposing average (eighth in the RMAC). Stringfellow is 5-3 overall in her sophomore season.

SMITH TIES SAVES MARK
Senior Hallie Smith tied the Mines career record for saves last weekend at Regis, notching the 11th of her career to knot her with Kelly Unkrich (2010-13). Smith, who tied the RMAC single-season record last year with seven, is now coming up on the RMAC record of 14 set by Adams State's Morgan McWilliams between 2012 and 2015.

SCOUTING UCCS
The Mountain Lions are 8-12 overall and 3-5 in RMAC play led by Lexi Andersen, who is hitting .438, and Taylor Reidhead, who is slugging 1.000 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. While UCCS can certainly produce at the plate – they rank third in the RMAC in team average at .330 – they have struggled in the circle with a staff ERA of 8.08, which ranks tenth in the league.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will be home again next weekend, hosting Black Hills State beginning Saturday, March 17.