SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team (9-12, 8-8 RMAC) prepares to hit the road for the first time in the month of March with a trip down to Las Vegas, New Mexico for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) showdown with New Mexico Highlands University (7-14, 3-13 RMAC) on Sunday and Monday.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (9-12, 8-8 RMAC) at New Mexico Highlands (7-14, 3-13 RMAC)
Date: Sunday-Monday, March 17-18
Time: 12:00 PM (MT) (DH) // 11:00 AM (MT) (DH)
Location: Las Vegas, N.M. (Cowgirl Softball Field)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Live Stats: nmhuathletics.com
 
FIRST PITCH BH NOTES

• The current NCAA Division II-era record of seven-straight games won is tied for the program's longest win streak (2007, NAIA).
• Alyssa Wong holds an eight-game hit streak heading south, followed by a six-game hit streak for Gianna Haley.
• After the sweep of Adams State last weekend, BHSU now averages 4+ runs per game at 4.2.
• BHSU continues to sit third in the RMAC in stolen bases with 44 as a team; led by Tyler Whitlock's 13 for the Jackets.
• Three Yellow Jackets remain perfect on the season in stolen bases: Whitlock (13-for-13), Lee (12-for-12), and Taylor Dowden (10-for-10).
• Alyssa Wong continues to swing a hot bat: leading the team in batting average (.458) and multi-hit games (7).
• For head coach Ashlyn Englehorn, the current seven-game win streak is a new career-best, topping her previous best of three straight wins in 2023 at Crown.

THE JACKETS WHEN…

• Black Hills State is 5-0 on the season when they lead after five innings of play.
• The Jackets hold a winning record with games played on Saturday (4-3).
• When scoring 6-9 runs in a game, BH is 5-1 this year & 2-0 when scoring 10+ runs.
• When holding opponents to 0-2 runs, BHSU is a perfect 5-0.
• Out-hitting opponent tends to lead to victories, sitting 7-0 when doing so in 2024.
• BH is 7-1 both at home and in the month of March.

RMAC RANKINGS

• Alyssa Wong enters the weekend fifth in the RMAC in batting average (.458).
• Tyler Whitlock is sits T5th in stolen bases (13).
• Shayla Tuschen sits T9^th in the RMAC with her 37 strike outs in the circle.

SWIPIN' BAGS!

• BHSU is 44-for-47 in stolen bases this season, still third in the RMAC.
• In league games only, BH leads the RMAC with 37 stolen bases (37-for-40).
• The Yellow Jackets have swiped 13 bags in the last two series, winning both, against CSU Pueblo and Adams State.
• Tyler Whitlock continues to lead the team in stolen bases with her 13 stolen bags (13-for-13).
• She has now surpassed her grand total in the 2023 season (8) through just four weekends of the 2024 season.
• A pair of Jackets join Whitlock in double-digit stolen bases: Kayla Lee (12-for-12) and Taylor Dowden (10-for-10).
• All three Yellow Jackets in double figures already this season sit top-10 in program history for a single season.
• The single-season record is 36 stolen bases held by Nia Shumpert in 2015.

100 HITS CLUB

• A pair of Yellow Jackets on the 2024 roster have joined the 100 hits club in their BH careers: Shayla Tuschen (123) and Gianna Haley (122).
• Tyler Whitlock is on the 100 Hits watch list, currently entering the weekend with 82 hits to her name.
• Note: Counting only hits had in a BHSU uniform, hits at other institutions not included.

A GLANCE AT THE RECORD BOOK

• A look at where individual Yellow Jackets would stand inside the top-10 in single-season records, if the season ended today:
• DOUBLES (single-season record - 12): Ashlynn Pauwels enters the weekend with seven doubles to her name, while both Alyssa Wong and Lily Simmons both sit with five.
• PITCHING WINS (single-season record - 9): Both Shayla Tuschen and Laci Peskey enter the NMHU series with four wins to their name, and counting!
• Already mentioned above is where stolen bases stand for single-season records.
• More information can be found on page seven of the game notes (linked above).

SERIES HISTORY – NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS

• New Mexico Highlands leads the all-time series 22-10.
• In Las Vegas, the Cowgirls lead the series 13-7.
• The two teams split the series last season, also down in Las Vegas.
• The last 10 meetings between the two teams is also knotted up at 5-5.

SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS

• NMHU enters the weekend after dropping a 3-1 series to CSU Pueblo last time out.
• The Cowgirls sit a 7-14 overall and 3-13 in RMAC play, sitting 11^th in the league standings.
• NMHU has taken one in in three of their four RMAC series this season (all but against undefeated MSU Denver).
• Karla Banegas paces the offense with her .429 batting average and Heaven Medina gets on base at a clip of .379.
• Gabriella Varela is the biggest threat to swipe bags, but only with three on the year with three attempts.
• As a team, the Cowgirls have only attempted 17 stolen bases (14-for-17).
• In the circle, Maya Milano is the go-to arm with her 5.41 ERA and 5-4 record, she also leads the team with her 59.0 innings pitched.

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 return home next weekend to host the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa University (13-7, 11-3 RMAC) at Yellow Jacket Field on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24.