SPEARFISH, S.D. – Following the lone non-conference weekend of the season, the Black Hills State University softball team (1-4, 0-0 RMAC) is set to open the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) slate with a four-game set road set against the Roadrunners of MSU Denver (5-5, 0-0 RMAC) this weekend in Denver.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (1-4, 0-0 RMAC) at MSU Denver (5-5, 0-0 RMAC)
Date: Saturday-Sunday, February 17-18 | Sunday-Monday, February 18-19
Time: 12:00 PM (MT) (DH) // 11:00 AM (MT) (DH)
Location: Denver, Colo. (Softball Field; The Assembly Complex)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Live Stats: roadrunnersathletics.com
 
FIRST PITCH BH NOTES

• BHSU went 1-4 at the 2024 Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, hosted by St. Cloud State (Minn.).
• HC Ashlyn Englehorn picked up her first win at BHSU and at the Division II level with a 7-2 win over Bemidji State (Minn.) to conclude the Minnesota trip.
• BH sits sixth in the RMAC in team batting average (.265).
• Tyler Whitlock leads the team with her six stolen bases (6-for-6), sitting T5th in the RMAC entering league play.
• Kayla Lee leads the team with her .412 batting average, which sits T11th in the RMAC.
• She also enters conference play with a five-game on-base streak, reaching base safely in every game in Minnesota.

AGGRESSIVE BASERUNNING IS THE MANTRA

• Black Hills State is a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases on the young season, led by Kayla Lee with her six (6-for-6).
• Despite only having one weekend of softball in the books, the Yellow Jackets still sit sixth in the RMAC in stolen bases.
• They are one of three teams, regardless of attempts, to still be perfect on stolen base attempts as a team (MSU Denver & Fort Lewis).

BHSU IN RMAC OPENERS

• Since joining the NCAA Division II ranks, BHSU is 2-10 all-time in conference openers (RMAC).
• The last conference-opener win came back in 2021 against New Mexico Highlands.
• The other win came in 2016 over CSU Pueblo, where the Yellow Jackets went on to sweep the series (4-0) for their only win in the RMAC opening series.

SERIES HISTORY – MSU DENVER

• MSU Denver leads the all-time series against BHSU 31-4.
• The Roadrunners swept last year's series in also in Denver (4-0).
• BH looks for their first win over MSUD since March 2022 (6-3, W).
• This marks the first-career meeting with the Roadrunners for Englehorn.

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS

• The Roadrunners were picked to finish second in the RMAC this season by the league's head coaches.
• They enter RMAC play with a 5-5 record, coming off a five-game home series with St. Mary's (Texas) and St. Edward's (Texas) last weekend.
• Genevieve Bower leads the offense with a .500 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage.
• Kami Grammerstorf is a threat to steal on the bases, sitting 7-for-7 on the young season.
• Natalie Romero leads the MSUD pitching staff with her 24.0 innings pitched, but Cheyenne Prieto holds the team-best 2.67 ERA.

RMAC PRESEASON POLL

• Following an 8-36 record in 2023, the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish tied for 11^th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced on January 24.
• BHSU was tied to finish along with Adams State in this year's poll.

Up Next: Black Hills State will remain on the road next weekend with a trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado for a four-game RMAC series with the Mountain Lions of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (2-5, 0-0 RMAC) on February 24-25.