Lubbock Christian Softball Classic
Mines vs. Texas-Permian Basin, Friday, 2 p.m. CT [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Midwestern State, Friday, 6 p.m. CT [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines vs. Emporia State, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. CT [Live Stats]
Mines at Lubbock Christian, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. CT [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines vs. Midwestern State, Sunday, 1 p.m. CT [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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THE WEEKEND
Colorado School of Mines opens the 2018 with high expectations as they head to Texas for the Lubbock Christian Softball Classic. The Orediggers will play five games in three days starting Friday, taking on Texas-Permian Basin, Midwestern State (twice), Emporia State, and the host and 2017 NCAA Tournament participant Lubbock Christian. The Orediggers will play UTPB and Emporia State at Lubbock High School's field, with the other three games at LCU's Plainscapital Park. The three games at LCU will also be video streamed, with live stats provided for all five games at the links above.

PRESEASON POLL
Mines was chosen second in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, announced on Monday. The Orediggers (32-15 in 2017) earned 103 points in the poll to sit second behind Colorado Mesa, which earned 121 points and 11 first-place votes. MSU Denver (102), Regis (90), and Chadron State (80) round out the top five.

WHERE WE LEFT OFF…
Mines is coming off a terrific 2017 season that saw them finish second in the RMAC regular-season standings while advancing to the RMAC Tournament title game. The Orediggers went 32-15 overall under RMAC Coach of the Year Leah Glasgow, their best record since 2013, and advanced to the RMAC Tournament final for the first time since that same year.

AROUND THE HORN
One of the biggest strengths for Mines will be its infield, as the Orediggers return every player from 2017 and add four freshmen to the mix. Two-year starter Boston Ludlow has first base locked down after earning Honorable Mention All-RMAC and All-RMAC Tournament honors last year hitting .319, while Katie Leiker turned her move to second base in 2017 into NFCA All-Region and Second-Team All-RMAC nods slashing .352/.435/.493 with 37 RBI and 18 walks. Shortstop Clara Larson was one of the region's top freshmen, earning Second-Team All-RMAC honors with a .331 average and Mines-best .601 slugging percentage with 10 home runs. At third, senior Pua Fujinaga returns having started every game of her career for the Orediggers coming off a career-best .288 season with a .961 fielding percentage at the hot corner. Behind the plate, Mines returns both Kara Jones (.296, 25 RBI, 11 2B in 2017) and Loren Dempsey (.185, 6 RBI, 6 BB) who split time last year, and add freshman Megan Dickson. CJ Bewley will also be an option behind the plate and at DP after hitting .263 in 16 games as a freshman, and freshman Hana Mawlawi will be a bench option in the infield as well.

IN THE CIRCLE
Mines returns all three starters from a staff that ranked second in the RMAC last year in ERA (2.79) and opponent average (.256), with Hallie Smith, Maddie Rogers, and Claire Stringfellow all back. Smith was the workhorse of the staff, earning NFCA Second-Team All-Region and Second-Team All-RMAC honors with four RMAC Pitcher of the Week awards last season, notching a 2.54 ERA with a 14-8 record. Rogers had a very strong second half to finish with a 2.95 ERA and 5-4 record as a sophomore, holding opponents to a staff-best .251 average, while Stringfellow impressed as a freshman earning RMAC All-Tournament honors and going 13-3 with a 3.12 ERA. Mines will have two more options on the rubber with freshmen Sydney Marchando and Kylie Redding joining the program.

IN THE OUTFIELD
The outfield is the only question mark for Mines, with the graduation of all-RMAC centerfield Paige Noehring leaving a hole. However, the Orediggers return five outfielders with starting experience across all three slots. Senior Sonoma Toot, an Honorable Mention All-RMAC pick last year hitting .326 and slugging .493 in right, figures to move to center, while left returns four players with starts there last year: Dani Valerio (18), Kelsey Buechler (11), Stefanie Brunello (10), and Brielle Asato (7).

STREAKING INTO 2018
Sonoma Toot was Mines' hottest bat in the 2017 postseason, and she carries a 13-game hitting streak into her senior season. Toot hit .326 overall last season, but was unstoppable in the RMAC Tournament hitting .467 that included a walk-off RBI single in the quarterfinals.

GET UP AND STAY UP
One of the keys to Mines' 2017 success was holding leads; the Orediggers did not blow a single lead in the second half of a game last season, going 20-0 when leading after four innings and 18-0 when leading after six. Mines also had the ability to rally late, winning four games when trailing after six and five when tied after six. It's no coincidence, then, that Hallie Smith tied the RMAC record for saves in a season with seven as a closing option for the Orediggers.

FLASHING THE LEATHER
Another major factor behind Mines' 2017 success? Defense. The Orediggers were one of the nation's most-improved teams in the field last year, recording a .963 team fielding percentage with 53 errors on 1,439 total chances, which ranked third in the RMAC. Compare that to 2016, when Mines committed 74 errors in 1,264 chances for a .941 percentage, ranking eighth in the league. Mines returns eight defensive starters, including first baseman Boston Ludlow (.990), who ranked fourth in the RMAC last year in fielding percentage among players with 250+ chances.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will spend the second weekend of the season in Utah at the Dixie State Easton Classic on Feb. 9-11, and will open up at home Feb. 18 against Montana State-Billings.