GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— After getting off to a perfect 4-0 start in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, the Colorado Mesa University Softball team will host Dixie State University in a clash of nationally-ranked squads at the CMU Softball Field.

The Mavericks (11-3), up five spots to 17^th in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, will host the No. 22 Trailblazers (9-2, 3-1 RMAC) in Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders.  Games will begin at noon on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Live statistics and streaming will be available at the links above and tickets may be purchased at www.cmumavericks.com/tickets.

Double Player of the Week

Maverick junior first baseman AnnMarie Torres had a phenomenal series against Fort Lewis last Saturday and Sunday as she hit .800 (12-15) while slugging at a 1.467 clip as she recorded four doubles and two home runs, including a grand slam while driving in 17 runs.  She also drew two walks and had a .824 on-base percentage and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage from her first base position.

In the process, Torres was named as RMAC Player of the Week on Tuesday before picking up the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player of the Week honor on Wednesday.

Torres had 11 RBIs in Sunday's doubleheader as she matched her career-high by driving in six during the Mavs' 15-0 second win while hitting a grand slam.  She also had five RBIs in the series opener, a 12-0 CMU win, and added five more RBIs in the 15-5 series finale, three of which came on home run.
 
Conference Leader

Largely thanks to her impressive series, Torres leads the RMAC in numerous statistical categories, including RBIs with 24.  She is also slugging a RMAC-best 1.054 and has a conference-leading .673 on base percentage after drawing a conference-high 12 walks.  Her batting average of .541 is the second best in the RMAC.  She also ranks second in the RMAC for runs scored with 21, just one behind teammate Kellie Mrofcza, and is second in the RMAC with five home runs.

50 to 5, 10 to 1 and 92 in 2

The Mavericks outscored Fort Lewis on a 10:1 ratio in the 4-game series, outscoring the Skyhawks 50-5 in the series.  They recorded three mercy-rule shutouts in five innings to begin the series and then closed it out with a 15-5 final game victory.  In the last two seasons, the Mavericks have now outscored the Skyhawks 92-5, recording seven straight mercy-rule shutouts.

The Mavericks outscored FLC, 42-0 in last year's series.

Impressively, the Mavericks held the Skyhawks without a run for 37 straight innings while putting up 83 runs of their own before the Skyhawks hit a second-inning home run in the series finale.

In this year's series, the Mavericks hit .415 as a team as six different Mavericks hit .400 or better.  They also out-hit the Skyhawks, 51-10.

21 Straight

The Mavericks also swept the Skyhawks for the fifth straight year and have now 21 straight games against them dating back to 2015.

An early "home" start

The Mavericks got to play their first "home" games of the season six days early as the Fort Lewis series was originally scheduled to be played in Durango before it was moved to Grand Junction and the CMU Softball Field due to snow on FLC's Aspen Field.  The series was then pushed back a day to a Sunday/Monday format.  Although the series was allowed to count in the RMAC standings due to a new conference bylaw, the series was a bit out of out of the norm as the Mavericks were the visiting team on the scoreboard and batted first in each inning.

The Mavericks took advantage of that putting up 18 combined runs in the first inning of the four games while not allowing a single Skyhawk opening-stanza run.  On Sunday, the Mavericks scored five runs in their first at bat of the series and then put up a 9-spot in the first inning of Game 2.  On Monday, the Mavericks scored a single run in the first inning of the morning and then scored three more in the afternoon game while going on to take 6-0 and 9-1 leads.

Shutout streak of 4 by four

With shutouts in their first three games of the FLC series, the Maverick pitching staff recorded four straight shutouts for the first time since blanking the Skyhawks in four straight games last year.  All four Maverick pitchers were involved in the streak as freshman Shea Mauser tossed a 1-hit shutout against Texas-Permian Basin on Feb. 17 before Kimbri Herring matched the feat in the series-opener against Fort Lewis.  Paige Adair then three four innings of 1-hit shutout ball in Sunday's second game, a 15-0 victory, while McKenzie Surface struck out the Skyhawk side in the fifth to complete that shutout.

On Monday, Herring threw four more innings of 2-hit shutout softball while Mauser tossed the fifth inning without allowing a hit.

Surface then earned the win in Monday's series finale allowing just one base runner, a hit by pitch, as she retired 11 straight and 13 and 14 hitters in a long 4 1/3-inning relief stint for Adair.

In just 14 games, the Mavericks have already recorded six shutouts.  Herring has two individual shutouts while Mauser has one.

Nearing 500

In two relief appearances totaling 5 1/3 innings against Fort Lewis, Maverick senior pitcher McKenzie Surface struck out seven Skyhawks while not allowing a single hit.  Retiring 14 straight and 16 of the 17 hitters she faced.  Surface inched ever closer to the 500 career strikeout mark, a feat accomplished by just six other women in RMAC history.  Already the school-record holder since her sophomore year in 2017, Surface now has now 491 career strikeouts, just nine away from the milestone and just 140 shy of the all-time RMAC record of 631, set by Amanda Kelly of Nebraska-Kearney (1997-2000).  Surface, who has yet to start at game this season, had 144 strikeouts last year and as a freshman in 2016.  She had 195 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2017.

Meanwhile, Surface picked up her second win of her senior campaign in the series finale against Fort Lewis.  The victory as the 72^nd of her career and moved her another step closer to the all-time RMAC record of 78, held by Regis' Kaitlyn Gentert (2005-08).  Surface, who is second by herself in conference history, is 2-0 this season and went 21-1 last year to lead the conference in winning percentage (.955).

Surface has also completed 63 of her 82 career starts and already ranks seventh in RMAC history for career complete games.  She is just 15 shy of the Maverick record of 78, set by Heather Hatzenbeller from 1997-2000.

Showing some mercy
 
The Mavericks posted an impressive 24 mercy-rule victories last season, ending 13 games in five innings and another 11 in six.   They scored three more run-rule wins against Fort Lewis have now have seven mercy rule wins out of their 11 total victories this year.
 
In their 36 regular season conference games last season, the Mavericks outscored their opponents by a combined 291 runs (365-74), winning by an average of 8.08 per.  The Mavericks won exactly half (18) of those conference games via the mercy-rule.
 
Thus far in 2019, the Mavericks have outscored their opponents 134-44 are scoring 9.57 runs per game and 1.61 runs per offensive inning.  They rank fourth in the country for scoring average are also hitting a RMAC best .366 as a team while outscoring their opponents in every inning of regulation this year, including a 31-2 mark in the first inning and by a combined 62-14 margin in the third (28-6) and fourth (34-8).
 
Those pesky 1-run games
 
All three of the Mavericks' losses this season have come by a single run.  In 2018, the Mavericks were a perfect 4-0 in games decided by a single run.
 
Record-setting record

The Mavericks, who have won the last three and four of the last five Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regular Season titles, are coming off a record-setting 48-5 season in 2018. 

The team's .906 winning percentage a year ago was a school-record, breaking the 2017 team's mark of .857 (48-8).  The 48 wins were just one shy of the school-record for wins, which was set by the 2002 squad, which finished 49-13.

The Mavericks started last year by winning a RMAC record 37 consecutive games.

26 and counting

The Mavericks are ranked a season-best 17^th in this week's NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, which was released on Wednesday.  The Mavericks, who were 21^st in the preseason poll and 22^nd in the first regular season poll, received 129 points in the polling of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, with two representing each of the nation's eight regions.

The Mavericks and Florida Tech, up to No. 9, made the biggest jumps in the poll moving up five spots each.

In 2018, the Mavericks were ranked in all 14 editions of the poll, including the preseason and post-season poll, which saw the Mavericks end up in the No. 16 spot.  They were ranked eighth in the 2018 preseason poll and were No. 1 for seven straight weeks in the midst of their 37-0 start to last year's campaign.  They were ranked in the top three of all 12 regular-season editions of the poll.

The Mavericks were also ranked in 13 of 15 polls in 2017, beginning that year ranked 19^th in the preseason and finishing 11th. CMU has now been nationally-ranked in 26 consecutive polls dating back to Mar. 22, 2017.

This week's poll does not include the Mavericks' two Monday wins as the NFCA cut-off ends on Sundays.

Conference newcomer Dixie State is the only other RMAC team in the latest poll at No. 22.

Four other teams from the South Central Region are also in the latest poll, with Texas A&M-Commerce moving up three spots to second.  Former No. 1 Angelo State slipped five spots to sixth while Tarleton State dropped four spots to 12^th.  Meanwhile, West Texas A&M moved into the poll in the No. 21 position.

Picked second

Despite winning the last three regular season and last two RMAC Tournament titles, the Mavericks were edged for the top spot in this year's RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll by conference newcomer Dixie State, a team the Mavericks face this weekend.  The Mavericks received six first place votes and were picked a strong second with 135 total points.  Dixie State, which advanced to the West Super Regional after finishing third in the PacWest Conference last year, received seven first place votes and 138 total points.  Colorado Christian (113), Regis (110) and MSU Denver (102) were the other teams picked in the top five of the polling of the league's 13 head coaches, who ranked their opponents 1 through 12 without voting for their own squad.

Well represented

The Mavericks were also well represented with four selections, tied for the most of any squad, on the Preseason All-RMAC team, which was announced in conjunction with the league's poll on Jan. 24.  Leading the way was RMAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Kimbri Herring, a senior out of Stansbury, Utah.  First baseman AnnMarie Torres, outfielder Hailey designated player Bailey Kleespies, all juniors, were also selected.  All four earned All-RMAC honors at various levels in 2018.

Herring, who was the RMAC Tournament's MVP, also earned First Team D2CCA All-South Central Region honors in 2018 after posting a 22-3 record and 2.25 ERA.

Torres was a Third Team All-America pick by both the NFCA and D2CCA after hitting .394 with 12 home runs and 67 RBIs last year.  She earned First Team All-RMAC honors.

Hinson was a Second Team All-RMAC pick last year and hit .396 with 22 RBIs and five home runs.  Kleespies earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC pick in 2018 and hit .349 with five doubles while starting 20 games at the designated player and third base finishes.

Nation's top offense

In 2018, the Mavericks led all of college softball with their .398 team batting average, which smashed the RMAC record of .369, which they had set the year prior.  The batting average was also the best of any Division II team since 2009.

The Mavericks also led Division II in doubles per game (2.55) last year, cranking out a RMAC-record 135 to crush the former RMAC record of 112, set by Mines in 2009.  The 135 doubles are the fourth most in Division II history while the per game average was the fifth highest.

CMU was also second in Division II for scoring (9.58 runs/game), winning-percentage (.906), slugging percentage (.643) and on-base percentage (.461) last year.  They also hit 1.30 home runs per game to rank fourth in the country.

The Mavericks scored 508 total runs to break the RMAC record of 452, set by MSU-Denver in 2010.  They also recorded 442 RBIs to break the Roadrunner's former RMAC record of 413, set in 2009.  The 508 runs scored were the seventh most in Division II history.

Doing it with the glove as well

The Mavericks also played solid defensive ball in 2018, committing just 37 errors while finishing the year ranked eighth in Division II with their .972 fielding percentage.  Their opponents were guilty of nearly 100 more errors (128) and fielded at just a .914 clip.

The Mavericks have only made 10 errors in their first 10 games this year and are fielding at a .971 clip so far this season, the best mark in the RMAC by 11 full points.

Title #11
 
The Mavericks, who went 33-3 in regular season play to win the RMAC's Regular Season Championship for the third straight year and fourth time in the last five years in 2018, have now won 11 official RMAC Championships, four more than any other institution in conference history.  They are the first program to win three straight outright crowns* since Nebraska-Kearney won four straight from 1996-99 after claiming a 1995 Mile High Intercollegiate Softball League title before the RMAC officially resumed official sponsorship of the sport in 1996.
 
The Mavericks also won RMAC titles in 1982, 1983, 1989, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2014.
 
The Lopers, who are no longer RMAC members, are second in conference history with seven crowns.
 
*-Colorado Mines did win 2012 and 2013 RMAC titles after sharing the top spot with MSU Denver in 2012.  MSU Denver had won the 2010 and 2011 crowns.
 
Speaking of 11
 
2018 also marked the Mavericks' 11^th NCAA Tournament appearance.  They have been included in the field of 64 for each of the last three years.  The Mavericks, who went 1-2 while hosting a regional for just the second time in program history, are 15-22 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.  They also qualified in 1997 and 1998, in three straight years from 2000-02, and again in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
 
Three straight 40s
 
The Mavericks have reached the 40-win mark in each of the last three years and have six such seasons in the NCAA Division II portion of their history, which dates back to 1992. The 2016 Mavericks went 40-13 before the back-to-back 48-win seasons.
 
The Mavericks also won 40 or more games in three straight years from 2000-02 winning a school-record 49 games in 2002 (49-13), two years after going 44-12 while reaching the Division II Women's College World Series in 2000.  The 2001 team went 41-12.
 
Scouting the Trailblazers

Dixie State enters what will be their first away series in their brief RMAC history and their first away games of the season 9-2 overall and 3-1 RMAC records.  The Trailblazers have yet to play away from St. George, Utah this season and hosted a RMAC pod series last weekend sweeping two games from winless Adams State and while splitting a pair of contests with Colorado Christian.

The Trailblazers lead the RMAC in team ERA at 2.14 and are third in team batting average at .336.  CMU is second in team ERA at 2.40 and leads the RMAC in batting average at .366.

Dixie State's Malory Eldredge, is hitting .469 while Kaitlyn Delange is hitting .409 in nine starts.  Jessica Gonzalez and Kori Gahn provide the most power.  Gonzalez is hitting .357 with four home runs and 13 RBIs while Gahn leads the team with 14 RBIs.  She has three homers and is hitting .303 overall.

Carissa Burgess is 6-0 with a 1.50 ERA from inside the circle while Cambrie Hazel has a 2.10 ERA and a 3-1 record.  She also has 38 strikeouts in 33 1/3 winnings while Burgess has just 12 in 28 innings.

The Last Time We Met

Although this weekend's series will be the first time the Mavericks and Trailblazers will have met in conference play, it will be a renewal of a recent rivalry.  The teams played doubleheaders against each other in four straight years from 2014-17.  The Trailblazers won seven of those eight games, including all four in Grand Junction.

Up Next

After this weekend's series, the Mavericks are slated for eight straight on the road playing at the Colorado School of Mines on Mar. 9-10 and at MSU Denver on Mar. 16-17 before they return home for their next eight and 16 out of the next 20, beginning Mar. 23 against Adams State.