SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team (12-31, 11-27 RMAC) will head to the state of Nebraska for the final series of the season in a clash with the Eagles of Chadron State College (11-35, 11-25 RMAC) Thursdsay-Friday, April 25-26 from the CSC Softball Field.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (12-31, 11-27 RMAC) at Chadron State (11-35, 11-25 RMAC)
Date: Thursday-Friday, April 25-26
Time: 12:00 PM (MT) (DH) // 11:00 AM (MT) (DH)
Location: Chadron, Neb. (CSC Softball Field)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Live Stats: chadroneagles.com
 
AROUND THE HORN

• BHSU heads to the state of Nebraska for a four-game set with Chadron State to conclude the 2024 season this weekend.
• Ashlynn Pauwels tied the single-season record with her 12^th double against Fort Lewis.
• Kayla Lee enters the weekend with 37 stolen bases and needs just three to move into sole possession of second-place all-time in program history.
• The Yellow Jackets have hit multiple home runs now in five-straight series.
• A pair Yellow Jackets have posted 40+ hits this season: Lily Simmons (41) and Pauwels (40); as 44 hits will crack the program's single-season top-10 list.
• By the end of the weekend, Laci Peskey could reach as high as second in BH single-season history for appearances in a season.
• Furthermore, she has a good shot of jumping into second for starts in a single-season, needing two to sit in sole possession of second-best.
• Nine strike outs will see her move into a tie for 10^th for strike outs in a season.

"LACI IS A DAWG!"

• Laci Peskey (Fr.) has stepped up and made a name for herself in the circle for BHSU.
• She threw 16.1 innings against the Cougars, including a pair of complete games.
• The workhorse mentality has put her in the team lead in innings pitched (124.2), strike outs (70), and ERA (6.01).
• Entering the final weekend of the season, she sits T3rd in games started (21), T5th in appearances (26), and 7^th in innings pitched (124.2) in single-season program records.
• Her 14 complete games in just her freshman campaign has cracked the top-10 program list for most in a BH career, currently sitting ninth.

QUEEN GIANNA

• Graduate Gianna Haley has been a glue-piece in the BH line-up her entire career leading the program in both games played and games started (172 for both).
• One double for Haley against Chadron State will mark the first time in program history that multiple Yellow Jackets have posted double-digit doubles in a season (joining Pauwels, 12).
• Haley hit .500 (5-for-10) against Colorado Christian with two doubles, a home run, and five RBI.
• She became just the second Yellow Jacket in program history to notch 50+ walks last weekend against CCU.
• She looks to be just the third Jacket with 140+ hits in her career (enters weekend with 139 career hits).

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 12 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 – which was tied against Colorado Mines.
• One win this weekend will also set a single-season program record for most wins at Yellow Jacket Field.

SWIPIN' BAGS!

• Only three players in program history have recorded 20+ stolen bags in a single season (see page 7 of the game notes for more).
• BHSU is 53-for-59 (89.8%) in stolen bases this season, sitting seventh in the RMAC.
• 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 and Kayla Lee are back into a tie for the team lead in stolen bases, both are sitting 15-for-16 on the year.

100 HITS CLUB

• A pair of Yellow Jackets on the 2024 roster have joined the 100 hits club in their BH careers: Gianna Haley (139) and Shayla Tuschen (133).
• Tyler Whitlock is on the 100 Hits watch list, currently entering the weekend with 96 hits to her name.
• Kayla Lee also goes on watch, entering the weekend with 85 hits as a Yellow Jacket.
• 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 tied for the single-season program record with 12 doubles. Gianna Haley jumped up to sit second on the team with nine doubles.  
• PITCHING WINS (single-season record - 9): Shayla Tuschen picked up her fifth win in New Mexico, while Laci Peskey picked up her fifth win against Colorado Mines.
• Already mentioned above is where stolen bases stand for single-season records.
• STOLEN BASES (TEAM): The team single-season record in stolen bases is 63 set back in 2015, the Yellow Jackets currently sit with 53 so far this season.
• More information can be found on page seven of the game notes (linked above).

SERIES HISTORY – CHADRON STATE

• Chadron State leads the all-time series, 43-9.
• In Chadron, the Eagles are 20-7 against BHSU.
• CSC has won the last three meetings against the Yellow Jackets.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• The Eagles enter just ahead of the Yellow Jackets in the RMAC standings with an 11-25 league record, after being selected to finish eighth in the preseason coaches' poll.
• CSC enters the final weekend on a five-game win streak, coming off a sweep of Adams State last weekend.
• Chadron State is led by the bat of Lauren Zimmerman who is hitting .347 on the season, while Mackenzi Kroll is reaching base at a clip of .427.
• In the circle, Kenzi Garner leads the team in both innings pitched (100.0) and ERA (4.69).

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.