No. 1 Colorado Mesa will take on rival Dixie State this weekend for a four-game series to close out the regular season. The Mavericks need just one win to clinch their eighth consecutive Rocky Mountain Athleitc Conference title and their 26th overall title. Colorado Mesa defeated Dixie State in a mini two-game series to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule.

The Trailblazers have fared well in their first season in the Rocky Mountain Athleitc Conference, sitting in third place coming into the weekend. They also have a chance to win the conference with a sweep of the Mavericks and some help from MSU Denver.

Cade Spurlin is the Trailblazers leading hitter with a .397 batting average with 13 doubles. Spurlin had a 3-for-4 performance with a home run and five runs driven in against MSU Denver. Jake Engel leads the team with 12 home runs.

Dixie State has one of the premier closers in the conference in Brayden Bonner who is tied for the RMAC lead with eight saves. Jayden Murray is among the league leaders in wins with 11 and is slated to start on Friday night. 

WEEKEND RECAP
Colorado Mesa swept a four-game series from then second place in the RAC MSU Dnever Roadrunners on the road in Denver this past weekend. The Mavericks won a pair of one run games in the two nine inning games while pitching dominated the two seven inning games on Saturday,In game one of the series, Colorado Mesa overcame an eight run deficit to win 14-13. 

NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS
The NCAA released the second set of regional rankings this week and Colorado Mesa remained in the No. 2 spot behind Angelo State. Lubbock Christian was No. 3 followed by Colorado School of Mines, West Texas A&M and this week's opponent for Colorado Mesa, Dixie State The top-six teams make the regional tournament field with two three team sites with the two regional winners meeting up for a super regional for the first time ever. The winner of the super regional will qualify for the NCAA National Championships in Cary, N.C.

RMAC STANDINGS
Colorado Mesa can claim their 26th RMAC Regular Season Conference Championship if they can claim one win over Dixie State in the final four games of the regular season. A win would give the Mavericks the conference championship for the eighth straight season and the right to host the RMAC Tournament. Mines is second three games back with Dixie State in third a full four games behind. 

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE
The Mavericks moved up to No. 5 in the country this week in total doubles with 112. They are tied for the lead in the RMAC as well with UCCS. The national leader is Carson Newman who has 117 doubles this season. Sophomore shortstop Caleb Farmer leads the team with 14 while teammates Dominic DeMarco and Jordan Stubbings each have 13 two-baggers. 

BIG WILL
After the three save performance over the weekend, senior closer Will Dixon is now tied for the conference lead in saves with eight. He is tied with Dixie State's Brayden Bonner whom the Mavericks could be facing this weekend.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Andrew Morris and Haydn McGeary continue to see consistent time in the lineup and rotation. Morris will make his first game one start of his career this weekend whie McGeary continues to make three starts a weekend and torment opposing pitchers.

THE STREAK OF 40
The Mavericks finished last season with a 43-16 overall record making it six straight seasons that Colorado Mesa has won 40 or more games. The last time the Mavericks didn't win 40 games was in 2012 when they went 39-16 and lost in the Central Regional in Mankato, Minn. The high mark during the streak came in the 2017 season where the team won 50 games and reached the NCAA Championship Final Four that included a win over No. 1 ranked Delta State. 

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Colorado Mesa is back in the top five in every poll, peaking at No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper coaches poll. They have remained in that spot over the last three weeks where they have been 11-1 in that span. The Mavericks remain at No. 3 in the Perfect Game poll behind North Greenville and Tampa but moved up to No. 5 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association poll.

THE SKIPPER
Head coach Chris Hanks enters his 21st season guiding the Mavericks and has an impressive 869-352 record, the most wins from a coach in program history. The Carbondale, Colo. native won his 850th game as the Maverick skipper on March 16, 2019 in an 11-0 win over No. 9 Colorado School of Mines. He has led Colorado Mesa to three region championships, a feat that has earned him ABCA Region Coach of the year three times now. Last season, he earned his 10th RMAC Coach of the Year award while leading the Mavericks to the regular season and tournament titles.

UP NEXT
Colorado Mesa will either host the RMAC Tournament beginning on Wednesday or will be on the road for the tournament. The winner of the conference tournament will be awarded the RMAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.