SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team head on the road to take on New Mexico Highlands in a four-game series this weekend. The Yellow Jackets take on the Cowgirls in a doubleheader on Friday, March 30, before playing two games on Saturday, March 31. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for noon.

Scouting the Cowgirls (5-23, 1-18 RMAC)
New Mexico Highlands University, located in Las Vegas, New Mexico, most recently was swept in a four-game series with MSU Denver. The Cowgirls one conference win came against Adams State, a 13-4 victory on March 18.

The Cowgirls are hitting .277 as a team, led by Haley Rodriguez, who is hitting .459, in 18 games. Isabella Scarale (.394) and Brooklyn Delozier (.280) are tied for the team lead in home runs, with three each, while Breanna Cabrera (.370) leads the squad with 13 runs batted in.

The NMHU pitching staff has a 9.36 earned run average. Desiree Bogarin has a 2-9 record and a 7.98 ERA. She has struck out 21 batters in 66.2 innings pitched, throwing four complete games. Brianna Velasquez (1-7) has an 8.13 ERA in 47.1 innings, while Isabelle Scarale (2-7) holds an 11.56 earned run average in 49.2 innings of work.

The Cowgirls are currently in 12th place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

The Last Time Out
The Yellow Jackets (6-18, 6-10 RMAC) went 1-3 against Chadron State College in Gillette, Wyoming. All four games were decided by one run, including the 11-inning marathon of game three, which ended 3-2 in favor of the Eagles.

Melissa Gellermann threw two complete games, striking out 26 in 18 innings. She recorded 18 strikeouts in the 11-inning game, a new BHSU single-game record. Alex Wiley earned the victory for the Yellow Jackets, a 2-1 win in the final game of the series.

Jacket Leaders
Maddi Fidler leads the Green and Gold with a .338 batting average and 11 RBI. Alex Wiley (.333) leads the squad with five homers, while Kindall Bethke has four home runs.

Melissa Gellermann (3-9) has a 4.52 ERA, striking out 77 in 86.2 innings, while Alex Wiley (3-6) has a 4.17 earned run average. She has struck out 21 in 48.2 innings of work. Gellermann's strikeout count is the fifth best total in the RMAC.

Next Up
After the four-game series with the Cowgirls, the Yellow Jackets are scheduled to host the number one team in the nation, Colorado Mesa, for a four-game series. The undefeated Mavericks come to Spearfish for two games on Saturday, April 7, and two games on Sunday, April 8.