SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets (24-27(21-19 RMAC)) are continuing their stretch of crucial RMAC series as we reach the final week of the season. This weekend is the final regular season weekend and BHSU sits on the bubble of the RMAC Tournament entering it. To finish off the campaign, BHSU will face the Colorado Mesa Mavericks (24-24 (23-17 RMAC)) in an incredibly important series in Grand Junction, Colorado.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date/Time/Location (All Times MT): Friday, May 1 at 12 and 2 PM at CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.
Saturday, May 2 at 11 AM and 1 PM at CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.
Live Streaming: Beginning in the 2025-26 season the RMAC Network will now move to Pay-Per-View. Fans can purchase a single game pass ($10), monthly ($25) or annual subscription ($130). Individuals with bhsu.edu or yellowjackets.bhsu.edu email address can still take advantage of the Peak Pricing Promotion by using the code Y26-RMACEDU.
StatBroadcast: Live Stat links for all games can all be found at the links above
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State currently sits at 24-27 and 21-19 in RMAC play after splitting the series versus Fort Lewis where BHSU won the odd games of game one and game three, but fell in the even ones in game two and four. The Yellow Jackets have now split or won seven of the ten series this year with the wins coming versus Chadron, Regis, New Mexico Highlands, and MSU Denver.
• The Yellow Jakcets for the second straight week had a pretty even series versus FLC. They outscored them 21-20, outhit them 37-29, each team had four extra base hits, and FLC walked 18 times to BHSU's 17. The key was BHSU had 11 errors to the Skyhawks six. BHSU took the first game in a 5-3 comeback win, where the Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the fifth inning. The Skyhawks hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to win game two. BHSU scored a run in ever inning of game three to dominate game three, while the Skyhawks scored eight unearned runs in the second and third innings in game four to split the series.
• Outside of BHSU's Oklahoma trip, 11 of the Green and Gold's 21 other losses have come by less than two runs including both of the losses to UCCS and the only loss to MSU Denver. 13 of BHSU's wins have also come by that same margin including all three wins versus MSU Denver.
• The Yellow Jackets are currently top 40 in the country in six different stats. They are ninth in hit by pitches (47), 20^th in walks (175), 29th in home runs (42), 37^th in hits (420), 37^th in RBIs (268), and 40^th in doubles (81). The Yellow Jackets just set the program record for home runs in the season with 38 on Delaney Milanowski's three-run homer in the sixth inning of game two versus UCCS.
• The team took BHSU to their first ever RMAC tournament last season after leading BHSU to a 27-27 (25-19 RMAC) record, which finished sixth in the conference. They had five All-RMAC players, one RMAC Pitcher of the Year, and one All-Region player last year.
• Last year, the Yellow Jackets set 20 separate team records. They were single-season doubles (102), single-season triples (12), single-season walks (177), single-season wins (27), single-season road wins (20), single season RMAC wins (25), single-season hits (468), single-season RBIs (272), single-season runs (290), single-season total bases (699), single-season at-bats (1487), single-season games played (52), single-season pitcher strikeouts (295), single-season sacrifice flies (20), single-season sacrifice bunts (43), single-season hit by pitches (39), single-season batting average (.315), single-season on-base percentage (.397), and single-season slugging percentage (.470).
• BHSU landed at seventh in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 64 points. It is the highest ranking BHSU has received in a preseason coaches' poll in their RMAC history. They are currently in sixth at 21-19.
• The Yellow Jackets won two games this series via walk-off with seniors hitting both walk-offs. Audrey Fouras hit a walk-off double in game one and Lily Simmons hit a walk-off single in game four. This brings BHSU's total walk-offs to five this season with Reyes Mims having two in back-to-back games versus Highlands and Sammie Kaufman-Warner having a walk-off inside-the-park home run versus Adams State.
• BHSU's series victory over MSU Denver stopped a lot of long streaks versus the Roadrunners. It snapped a 15-game losing streak, it was the first time in program history BHSU had won back-to-back games versus MSUD, and it was also the first series win versus MSUD in program history. Not only that, but the three wins got BHSU to 9-3 at Yellow Jacket Field which tied the program record for home wins in a season.
• BHSU broke the D2 era record for home runs in a series with 11 against Chadron, which broke a record that had held since 2018 versus Highlands when they had ten. BHSU also set the single series record for runs scored in a series with 49 beating the previous record of 45 from that Adams Series last year. BHSU had seven different players with batting averages over .400 and five with batting averages over .500. Seven different girls hit a home run and four girls had two.
• The three wins in the first weekend at the Bubble was the most wins in the first weekend in the D2 era. It is also the second time BHSU has entered the second weekend at .500.
• Kaitlyn Geschwill, a newcomer for the Yellow Jackets, made probably the biggest impact a newcomer can make in her first weekend with her new team: she won RMAC Pitcher of the Week. She has a 4.71 ERA in 135.1 innings and has appeared in 32 games this season. She has 128 strikeouts, which ranks first in the RMAC and third in BHSU program history, compared to only 91 earned runs and sits second in team history in single season wins with 14 compared to ten losses. She is only the ninth pitcher in BHSU history to reach 100 strikeouts in a season. She has only allowed 49 extra base hits. Besides strikeouts, she is leading the conference in strikeouts per seven innings (6.6), is third in pitching appearances (32), and is third in innings pitched (135.1). The Central Lakes College transfer had a huge weekend out of the bullpen for BHSU in her RMAC POTW weekend. She pitched in five of the six games, threw 15 innings with a 2-1 record, only allowing two earned runs and seven hits on a .93 ERA and 22 strikeouts. She bounced back after a rough outing in Oklahoma, where she had a 3.15 ERA, 17 strikeouts and only six earned runs in 13.1 innings, including a complete game shutout in game four versus Adams. She then dominated in her home debut versus NMHU pitching two complete games and winning both in pitcher's duels only allowing four earned runs in those two games and in game two she went seven innings with only three hits allowed and one earned run in the 2-1 win. After an ugly game one, Kaitlyn Geschwill bounced back in a big way in game three of the series where she went 7 innings pitched with zero earned runs, only one walk and four strikeouts. She got two wins versus MSU Denver in games one and four. Against Mines, she went 1-1, but had 10 strikeouts in her one loss. In game three, she pitched four innings, gave up three earned runs, and took the win. In game one versus UCCS, she had a complete game with only four hits and three earned runs allowed. She had an incredible weekend versus the Skyhawks pitching two complete games, going 2-0 with only three earned runs to a 1.50 ERA and striking out 17 including a career-high 12 strikeouts in game three.
• Sophia Honse was finally able to make her mark in a big way in the series versus Regis. After only making one start and pitching 18.2 innings, she earned RMAC Pitcher of the Week for her performance versus the Rangers. She now sits second on the team with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. Honse has allowed only 49 earned runs in 69.1 innings pitched while striking out 30 and walking 35 with seven of those walks coming in her first two appearances. Since those rough first two starts, she had only had three games where she's allowed an earned run before the last two series. Against Regis when she won RMAC Pitcher of the Week, she pitched 14 innings, went 2-0, didn't give up an earned run, and struck out eight while only walking three batters. Honse received the loss in game four versus UCCS, but pitched a complete game, only giving up three earned runs in that start.
• Carli Maley has been on a roll late in this season and has just earned qualification after playing in 39 games this season. Maley is currently leading BHSU in batting average with a .358 mark and has a .575 slugging percentage, a .400 on-base percentage, and a .975 OPS. Maley has 38 hits, six double, five home runs, a triple, and 22 RBIs with seven walks and 61 total bases. Maley's first big game this season came against Chadron State, where she had two home runs for five RBIs in her first two at bats in game two of the series. She then had a massive game versus Regis, where she went 3-for-3 with a triple, a home run, and three RBIs. She went 6-for-10 versus MSU Denver in the series and added a solo home run versus UCCS. She had her best weekend of the season this past weekend versus Fort Lewis, where she went 10-for-15 with six RBIs, including a two-run home run in game four. She reached base in her first eight at bats on day two going 4-for-4 in game three of the series with two RBIs.
• Sammie Kaufman-Warner, a freshman, is absolutely dominating for BHSU and is continuing to make a big impact early. She has a .355 batting average, a .548 slugging percentage, a .418 on-base percentage, and has 59 hits, 41 RBIs, and 39 runs scored, 14 stolen bases with 14 doubles and six home runs. This includes a walk-off inside-the-park home run versus Adams in game three. She has a hit in 39 of 51, including 29 of the last 34 and has reached base in 41 of 51. She earned her first RMAC Player of the Week nod earlier this year in Broomfield, Colorado against Adams State with a .636 batting average, a 1.071 slugging percentage, nine RBIs, five runs scored, three doubles, and a walk-off, inside the park home run. After a couple of slow weeks, Kaufman-Warner made a massive impact in last weekend's series where she hit .467 with seven hits, seven RBIs, seven runs scored, and two home runs. She had a dominant week versus Regis going  6-11 (.545) with four doubles, a home run, three runs scored, but only two RBIs. She hit .400 in this past weekend series versus MSUD with five RBIs and five runs scored. She had a 2-for-4 game in game three and also had a double and a run scored in game two against CCU. She had a great weekend versus UCCS, where she went 6-12 (.500) with two RBIs, two doubles, and a run scored. This past weekend versus FLC, she went 5-for-15 (.333) with seven runs scored, three RBIs, two walks and two stolen bases.
• Carly Reyes Mims is also coming off a major freshman season and was also named All-RMAC Honorable Mention last season. She is in the record book once for being tied for fifth in single-season doubles (11). Reyes Mims started the season off very hot. She is hitting .350 with an insane OPS of 1.026 with a .554 slugging percentage and a .472 on-base percentage. She has 55 hits and 41 runs in 49 games with 25 walks, 26 RBIs, six home runs, two triples, and ten doubles. She is third in the conference in hit by pitches (10). She has a hit in 37 out of 49 games and has made it on base in 43 out of 49. In Edmond, she went 3-3 versus Oklahoma Baptist and 1-3 versus Central Oklahoma. In game one versus Adams, she went 1-for-2 with two runs scored. She had four hits and three runs scored in Pueblo with a hit in each of the last three games. She just had the best weekend of her career last year by going 6-for-14 (.429) with six RBIs, five runs, two doubles, a triple, and two home runs with a 1.143 OPS slugging percentage and a .556 on-base percentage. She had two walk-offs in games one and two, including a two-run walk-off home run in game one. She had another huge weekend in Chadron with a 2.286 OPS, a .625 batting average, a 1.500 slugging percentage, and a .786 OPS with five hits, one double, two home runs, four RBIs, and five walks. Against MSUD, she had a .750 on-base percentage with six runs scored. She went 7-for-16 with four RBIs, a three-run home runs, a double, and three runs scored versus the Mountain Lions.
• Desi Hernandez is coming off an excellent freshman season where she was named All-RMAC honorable mention. Hernandez is hitting third on the team with a .350 average with 36 RBIs, nine doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 21 runs scored, and 83 total bases. She has a .593 slugging percentage, a .433 on-base percentage, and a 1.026 OPS. On the fielding side, she has 13 caught stealing, which leads the RMAC and is 15^th in the country. She had a career-high four hits three going 4-4 in both games against New Mexico Highlands and Colorado School of Mines while going 4-5 in BHSU's game two versus NMHU this year. She has hit 30 of 38 games this year and has reached base in 34 of 38 games including a six-game hitting streak at this point. In Edmond, Hernandez had five hits and went 2-for-4 against Cameron. She made her way back to the lineup in Pueblo and went 4-for-9 (.444) with a double and an RBI. She had a dominant performance versus the Cowgirls going 6-for-14 (.429) with five RBIs, five runs, two doubles, and a two-run home run in game two. She had a massive weekend versus Chadron, where she went 5-for-12 (.417), with a .917 slugging percentage, two home runs, seven RBIs, and four runs scored. She went 3-for-5 on day one versus MSUD with five RBIs, a home run, a triple, and two runs scored. She went 2-for-2 with two doubles and three RBIs in game three of the series, while adding another RBI double in game four. She had a massive series versus CCU, where 5-11 (.455) with three runs scored, two home runs in each of the first two games and three RBIs with one runner caught stealing. She had a big series versus the Skyhawks going 7-for-12 (.583) with three walks, two RBIs, and three runs scored.
• Lily Simmons has been on a heater as of late. The senior from Frederick, Colorado has hit .297 this season and has an .823 OPS with a .4398 slugging and a .385 on-base percentage. She has 38 hits with 25 RBIs, 29 runs scored, three doubles, and five home runs with 18 walks. The senior is in the record books already with being the BHSU program leader in walks with 82 and now just broke the games played record with 184 (179 was the record) in the series versus UCCS. She also is second in program history in runs scored with 98. She is third all-time in program history in at-bats (476). In single season records, she is the program record holder for walks in a season with 31 last year. Her 33 runs scored last season was tied for fifth in program history, and her 29 from the year prior is tied for tenth. She is also top ten in at bats from 2024 with 141. Simmons has a hit in 21 conference games this year and has four home runs in conference play this year. She had BHSU's first grand slam of the season against Chadron and was one of two players last week to have two home runs in the series versus CCU along with two RBIs and five hits. She went 4-for-9 (.444) with two walks, two runs scored, and four total bases.
• Caylee Mann was the top player for BHSU early and was another transfer who made an immediate impact. She has a .283 batting average with an .823 OPS, a .461 slugging percentage, and has 32 RBIs with 17 runs scored, 12 doubles and five home runs. She had an RBI in five of the six games in the Bubble and she has two games with three RBIs while having three hits in both of those games. She had two RBIs in Broomfield and in game two, she went 2-4 with an RBI. In game one versus CSUP, she went 2-for-3 with a home run. She had a massive weekend versus Highlands, where she went 7-for-13 (.538), with four doubles, two RBIs, and an .846 slugging percentage. Against Chadron, she hit .300 with four runs, two doubles, an RBI, and three walks. Mann had a massive Grand Slam versus MSUD in game four to help BHSU come back and win and finished with seven RBIs in the series. She was one of the few with a great series versus CSM, where she had a hit in all four games, an RBI in each of the last three games, and a double in game four. She had a home run in game one of the series versus Christian. She added her sixth home run in game four versus UCCS.
• Head Coach Ashlyn Englehorn is the first Jacket head coach to win Coach of the Year since Amy Gurney did it in the DAC in 2008. She is entering her third season as head coach of the Yellow Jackets and has a overall record of 86-135, a BHSU record of 66-86, and a RMAC record of 60-66. She led BHSU to first RMAC Tournament berth in program history in 2025 after being picked to finish ninth in preseason coaches poll. Helped the Green & Gold finish with their first winning record in program history since 2009. In her first two seasons as head coach, she has won nine RMAC series, with six being this year. In the previous 12 seasons, BHSU had won a total of eight RMAC series. She also helped BHSU break their program wins record, program road wins record, and program RMAC wins record, along with multiple other program statistical records.

 
COLORADO MESA STORYLINES

• Colorado Mesa currently sits at 24-24 an 23-17 in conference play. The Mavericks are coming off a 3-1 series victory over the Chadron State Eagles. They have been really good versus weaker teams in the conference, but versus teams ranked in postseason position at the moment, CMU is 4-12. They have been swept by Christian and Pueblo and lost three out of four to UCCS. They did win three out of four versus MSU Denver earlier in the year. Mesa went 1-7 in non-conference play losing both games to Azusa Pacific and also losing to #3 Western Washington, #14 Cal State San Marcos, #17 Cal State East Bay, and Vanguard, with their sole non-conference win being Cal State San Bernandino.
• After taking game one versus Chadron State 9-5, the Eagles shocked the Mavericks with a 13-10 win in game two. However, like CMU has done all year, when they lose a game they shouldn't, they dominate, they outscored CSC 35-5 in the final two games of the series. They won both in a five-inning run rule, making it their ninth run-rule victory this season. They also have six run-rule losses with five of those being in conference. Meaning only 26 of their 40 RMAC games have made it the full seven innings.
• CMU has seven qualified hitters with six of them hitting over .300. Only three of their qualified hitters were qualified for them last season in Makayla Westmorland, Brynn Escobar, and Khloe Kubitschek. The Mavericks have two pitchers who are ranked one and two in the RMAC in pitching appearances. Those two pitchers have combined for 90 percent of Mesa's innings pitched and account for the win decision in 43 of the 48 games.
• Colorado Mesa heavily relies on their defense and their power this season. The Mavericks are leading the country in double plays (33) and double plays per game (0.69). They are also ranked eighth in home runs per game (1.19), ninth in total home runs (57), and 17^th in slugging percentage (.521).
• CMU was projected second in the RMAC Preseason Poll with 109 points. They received three first place votes, five second place votes, and two third place votes. They ranked just ahead of MSU Denver and just behind Colorado Christian for the top of the preseason rankings. They currently sit in fifth place with a place with a 23-17 record and are only two games ahead of BHSU for sixth and only one game back of UCCS for fourth.
• Cailynn Parsons, who wasn't a qualified hitter last year for Mesa has had a breakout junior year campaign. The third basemen from Gilbert, Arizona has hit .412 with a  .598 slugging percentage, a .459 on-base percentage, and a 1.057 OPS this year. She has 40 hits, 20 runs scored, 17 RBIs, with nine doubles, three home runs, and nine walks this year. She's recorded a hit in ten of the last 11 games and had a massive series versus Chadron this past weekend going 9-for-13 with five RBIs, five runs scored, three home runs, and a double. All three of her season home runs came this past weekend.
• Molli Magaña has been on an absolute tear for Mesa recently. The freshman from Windsor, Colorado has won RMAC Player of the Week in two of the last three weeks. She is hitting .341 with a .690 slugging percentage, a .403 on-base percentage, and a 1.093 OPS. She has 44 hits, 41 RBIs, 32 runs scored, six doubles, and 13 home runs. Magaña is ranked second in the conference in home runs (13) and home runs per game (.30), and sixth in RBIs per game (.93), and slugging percentage (.690). She had a four RBI-game earlier this year versus MSU Denver, and a three-RBI game that same weekend, but has really made her mark as of late. Against Fort Lewis in her first RMAC POW campaign, she went 8-for-14 with six runs scored, three home runs, and nine RBIs with a double. This past weekend versus CSC, she went 6-for-12 with eight runs scored, five home runs, and 11 RBIs, which earned her another RMAC Player of the Week.
• Makayla Westmoreland, who was First Team All-RMAC last year, is having a solid 2026 season as well. The senior from Murrieta, California is hitting .341, with a .508 slugging percentage, a .433 on-base percentage, and a .941 OPS. She has 43 hits, 38 runs scored, 23 RBIs, 22 walks, with four doubles, a triple, and five home runs. Westmoreland has done a really good job of getting on base and had a solid middle of the season, but recently is 6 for her last 22 at bats. She had a three-run home run versus Chadron and a two-run home run versus Fort Lewis. However, outside of an incredible series versus Adams State and FLC, she has struggled a bit this year.
• Khloe Kubitschek has been the second best power hitter for CMU this year. She is hitting .302, but has a .570 slugging percentage with ten doubles, ten home runs, 41 RBIs, and 32 runs scored on 45 hits. She has also been one of the best defenders in the game. Kubitschek is ranked second in the country in assists (141) and third in assists per game (2.98). She is also ranked sixth in the RMAC in home runs (10), and home runs per game (.21). She had a home run in six of the first seven series to start RMAC play and had one versus #3 Western Washington. However, outside of five RBIs versus Fort Lewis, she hadn't hit a homer since March 29. She changed that on day two of the Chadron State series, when she hit three home runs in two games. After going 2-for-6 on day one, she went 5-for-8 on day three with three homers, two doubles, and 13 RBIs. She had ten RBIs in game three having a three-run double, a three-run home run, a two-run double, and a two-run home run. She then had a three-run home run in game four of the series.
• Sophia Tassinari has been the top pitcher for the Mavericks and the only one under a 4.00 ERA. Tassinari, a junior from Chandler, Arizona, has pitched in 39 of the Mavericks 48 games. She has a 12-13 record with a 3.83 ERA, 12 complete games, two saves, and only 81 earned runs in 148 innings pitched. She has 58 strikeouts compared to 38 walks and has a 1.51 WHIP. She has only given up 35 extra base hits this year. She is leading the RMAC in games started (19), and pitching appearances (39), which she is also fourth in the country. She is second in innings pitched (148.0), and is fourth in walks allowed per seven innings (1.80). She had appeared in at least three games in every series this year, until this past one, where she only appeared in one game this past weekend. She pitched 2.1 innings, allowed 7 hits, and three earned runs in game one of the series.
• Head coach Mercedes Bohte is currently in her sixth season as head coach of Colorado Mesa. Bohte holds a 226-89 record for the Mavericks and has never finished with less than 30 wins in a season. She has reached 40 wins in three of her five previous seasons and reached 39 in her first season at the helm. This year she is 24-24.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• The Green and Gold is 5-40 all time versus the Mavericks. The Yellow Jackets have lost 35 of the last 37 games versus CMU and have not split a series versus them since 2012. BHSU has beaten Mesa twice since 2023. They took game three in 2023 and game one in 2025
• Last season, BHSU took the first game versus Mesa after already having clinched a postseason tournament bid and were very close to taking game three from them, but lost in ten innings 6-5. The Yellow Jackets came in a 5-1 win in game one.