SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team (10-13, 9-9 RMAC) look to become just the third team in program history in the NCAA Division II era to record double-digit wins in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play, set to take on the Colorado Mesa Mavericks (19-7, 17-3 RMAC) in a neutral site series in Thornton, Colorado on Friday and Saturday.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (10-13, 9-9 RMAC) v. Colorado Mesa (19-7, 17-3 RMAC)
Date: Friday-Saturday, March 22-23
Time: 12:00 PM (MT) (DH) // 11:00 AM (MT) (DH)
Location: Thornton, Colo. (Riverdale Ridge High School)
Watch: Not Available // Live Stats: bhsuathletics.com
 
FIRST PITCH BH NOTES

• Black Hills State was able to set a new program record with eight-straight wins to start the trip in New Mexico last weekend.
• Head Coach Ashlyn Englehorn picked up her 30^th career win with the 10-0 run-rule win over New Mexico Highlands in Game 1 last weekend.
• The Jackets put up a season-high 16 hits in Game 1 against Highlands.
• BHSU is one of six teams in the RMAC to be hitting over .300 so far this season.
• Gianna Haley holds an eight-game hit streak heading back to the state of Colorado.
• Lily Simmons has reached base in nine-straight games for the Yellow Jackets.
• BHSU continues to sit third in the RMAC in stolen bases with 46 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 (11-for-11).
• Alyssa Wong continues to bring an offensive spark to the Jacket line-up: leading the team in batting average (.436) and multi-hit games (8).
• Wong also leads the team in multi-RBI games with five, while Ashlynn Pauwels is the lone Yellow Jacket to post a three-RBI game, doing so twice.
• BHSU holds a positive run differential in four innings this season, highlighted by a +4 mark in the fifth and seventh innings (full breakdown on page 5 of the notes).

STILL CHASING PROGRAM RECORDS

• Black Hills State hunts for a new NCAA Division II era for wins in a season, the record being 13 back in 2022.
• The all-time program record for wins in a season is 17 in 2009 when the Jackets finished with a 17-16 record, the only winning season in program history.
• The 10 wins already this season is just the fourth season in the Division II era the Yellow Jackets have posted double-digit wins.
• The most wins in RMAC play in program history is 11, done back in 2022.
• BHSU looks to be just the third squad to post double-digit wins in RMAC play.
• One more win at home (played at Yellow Jacket Field) will set a BH Division II record for most wins at home in a season (7 back in 2015).

THE JACKETS WHEN…

• Black Hills State is 6-0 on the season when they lead after five innings of play.
• When scoring 6-9 runs in a game, BH is 5-1 this year & 3-0 when scoring 10+ runs.
• When holding opponents to 0-2 runs, BHSU is a perfect 6-0.
• Out-hitting opponent tends to lead to victories, sitting 8-0 when doing so in 2024.
• BH is 7-1 at Yellow Jacket Field and 8-2 in the month of March.

RMAC RANKINGS

• Alyssa Wong enters the weekend sixth in the RMAC in batting average (.436).
• A trio of Yellow Jackets sit in the top-10 in stolen bases: Tyler Whitlock is sits T6th in stolen bases (13), Kayla Lee sits T7th (12), and Taylor Dowden sits 9^th (11).
• Shayla Tuschen sits T10^th in the RMAC with her 40 strike outs in the circle.

SWIPIN' BAGS!

• BHSU is 46-for-49 in stolen bases this season, still third in the RMAC.
• In league games only, BH leads the RMAC with 39 stolen bases (39-for-42).
• The single-game high this year for BH has been five stolen bases, done twice against CSU Pueblo (March 1) and Adams State (March 9).
• 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 (11-for-11).
• 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 (125) and Gianna Haley (124).
• Tyler Whitlock is on the 100 Hits watch list, currently entering the weekend with 83 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. Taylor Dowden now has six, while Alyssa Wong sits with five.
• PITCHING WINS (single-season record - 9): Shayla Tuschen picked up her fifth win in New Mexico, while Laci Peskey sits right behind her with four wins.
• 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 – COLORADO MESA

• Mesa leads the all-time series with a 33-4 record.
• All four wins for BHSU have come in Grand Junction.
• BH took a game from the Mavericks last season, but CMU took the series 3-1.
• It marks the first meeting with Colorado Mesa for Englehorn.

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS

• Colorado Mesa was picked to finish third in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Mavericks currently sit tied for first-place in the league with their 17-3 record.
• CMU leads the RMAC with their 43 home runs as a team.
• Ava Fugate paces the offense with her .413 batting average, while Myah Arrieta gets on base at a clip of .495.
• Preslee Christensen leads the team in the circle, pacing the Mavericks in both innings pitched (54.0) and ERA (3.37).

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, weather permitting, will return home next week to face the Orediggers of the Colorado School of Mines (12-14, 9-11 RMAC) with an adjusted Thursday-Friday schedule due to the Easter holiday next weekend.