SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team (12-19, 11-15 RMAC) heads back to the state of Colorado this weekend for a weather-altered series with the Regis University Rangers (22-14, 18-8 RMAC) Sunday and Monday, April 7-8 with the aim to continue to set new program records along the way.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (12-19, 11-15 RMAC) at Regis (22-14, 18-8 RMAC)
Date: Sunday-Monday, April 7-8
Time: 12:00 PM (MT) (DH) // 11:00 AM (MT) (DH)
Location: Denver, Colo. (Regis Softball Field)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Live Stats: regisrangers.com
 
AROUND THE HORN

• BHSU is back in action in the Denver metro area this weekend with a four-game set with Regis.
• With success in many areas this season, the Yellow Jackets look to add another one to the collection: a win at Regis (Regis leads 13-0 all-time on their home field).
• BHSU, with the two less games, sits in seventh-place in the RMAC standings behind CSU Pueblo (12-16 RMAC).
• For the second-straight series – and third RMAC series this season – the Yellow Jackets had multiple home runs against Colorado Mines.
• Lily Simmons and Ashlynn Pauwels both hold seven-game hitting streaks heading to Regis.
• BHSU continues to sit third in the RMAC in stolen bases with 47 as a team; led by Tyler Whitlock's and Kayla Lee's 13 for the Jackets.
• A pair Yellow Jackets remain perfect on the season in stolen bases: Lee (13-for-13), and Taylor Dowden (11-for-11).
• Shayla Tuschen comes into the series sitting ninth in the RMAC in strike outs with 49.
• Alyssa Wong leads the team with her nine multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games.

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 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 last week against Colorado Mines.

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 5-2 this year & 4-0 when scoring 10+ runs.
• When holding opponents to 0-2 runs, BHSU is a perfect 8-0.
• Out-hitting opponent tends to lead to victories, sitting 8-0 when doing so in 2024.
• BH is 9-3 at Yellow Jacket Field.

RMAC RANKINGS

• A trio of Yellow Jackets sit in the top-10 in stolen bases: Tyler Whitlock and Kayla Lee both sit T8th in stolen bases (13).
• Shayla Tuschen sits 9^th in the RMAC with her 49 strike outs in the circle.

SWIPIN' BAGS!

• BHSU is 48-for-52 (92.3%) in stolen bases this season, still third in the RMAC.
• In league games only, BH sits second the RMAC with 41 stolen bases (41-for-45).
• 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-14), now also joined by Kayla Lee with 13 (13-for-13) as well.
• She has now surpassed her grand total in the 2023 season (8) through just four weekends of the 2024 season.
• Taylor Dowden also sits in double digits in swiped bags (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 (126) and Gianna Haley (126).
• Tyler Whitlock is on the 100 Hits watch list, currently entering the weekend with 88 hits to her name.
• Kayla Lee also goes on watch, entering the weekend with 75 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 the weekend with nine doubles to her name. Lily Simmons has seven, while Alyssa Wong sits with six.
• 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 last weekend.
• PITCHING STAFF STRIKE OUTS: The Yellow Jacket pitching staff has the possibility of breaking the single-season strike out record of 189 (2022 season), sitting at 101 as a staff heading to Denver this weekend.
• 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 – REGIS

• Regis leads the all-time series, 21-1 dating back to 2012.
• BHSU won the first-ever meeting (April 21, 2012; 9-4) but has dropped every game since.
• The Yellow Jackets also look for their first road win against the Rangers this weekend, with Regis sitting 13-0 in Denver against BH.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS

• Regis was picked to finish fourth in the RMAC this season, entering the weekend currently sitting in fourth at 18-8 in league play.
• Regis leads the RMAC in both triples (18) and walks drawn (111).
• Olivia Wick (6) and Rachel Williams (5) sit No. 1 and No. 2 in the RMAC in triples.
• Miia Campos paces the team in both batting average (.407) and on-base percentage (.489), with the speedster Wick holding a team-best 13 stolen bases (13-for-16).
• In the circle, Kylie Harpman leads the staff in both innings pitched (120.1) and ERA (2.56), the ERA mark sitting third-best in the conference so far this season.

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 returns to Yellow Jacket Field next weekend to play host to the Skyhawks of Fort Lewis College (8-25, 6-18 RMAC) set for Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14.