GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Riding a 25-game winning streak into the regional rankings as well as a continued first place tie in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, the Colorado Mesa University softball team will head back to Denver for a second straight series in the state capital city.
Due to wet weather forecasts, the series at Regis University has been moved back a day to a Sunday/Monday format.
The Mavericks, 35-7 overall and 33-3 in RMAC play, will play the fourth place Rangers (26-18, 22-12 RMAC) in doubleheaders on both days at the Regis Softball Field. The doubleheaders will begin at noon on Sunday and 11 a.m. on Monday and will also be streamed on the RMAC Network. Live statistics are also available at the link above.
Regis (26-18, 22-12 RMAC) will be looking to bounce back after being swept by RMAC co-leading Colorado Christian in what will be the Rangers' final home games of the season.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks extended their winning streak to 25, sweeping MSU Denver in a 4-game Saturday/Sunday series in downtown Denver. The Mavs conceded just five runs to the high-powered Roadrunner offense during the sweep, recording 6-2 and 7-2 wins on Saturday before claiming 10-1 and 8-0 wins on Sunday.
Maverick pitchers
Hannah Sattler and
Preslee Christensen both went 2-0 with four combined complete game victories as they allowed just 20 combined hits and 24 total bases in 27 innings, conceding just two earned runs apiece. Sattler also recorded a 2-hit shutout in the series finale and struck out 13 Roadrunner hitters while giving up just five hits in her two victories.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks continued to put up impressive offensive numbers, hitting .387 as a team while scoring 31 runs on 46 hits, 11 of which were for extra bases.
Myah Arrieta's bat continued to sizzle as the junior shortstop went 11-for-15 (.733) at the plate while adding her RMAC-leading and school-record extending 23
rd home run of the season.
Ally Distler also added two home runs and six RBIs while hitting .417 throughout the weekend.
Complete Recaps from both doubleheaders can be seen below.
Down to (nearly) two
The RMAC's four top teams played each other last weekend and the results of those games made the RMAC regular season title chase a 2-horse race between CMU and Colorado Christian. The Mavericks and Cougars are now both 33-3 in RMAC play, five full games ahead of MSU Denver (28-8), which had entered the weekend just a game behind the Mavericks and Cougars, with just eight games to play.
Although the Roadrunners are still mathematically alive for the title, they will need to get lots of help this week and then win if not sweep next week's series, when they play at Colorado Christian.
Regis is now 11 wins and ten games out of the lead and mathematically eliminated.
CCU will be at ninth-place Black Hills State this weekend before hosting MSU Denver next week in a another 4-game series at the end of the regular season. The Mavs are at Regis this weekend and then home to sixth place CSU Pueblo next week. The ThunderWolves could lock up the sixth and final RMAC Tournament position this week.
In addition to the RMAC regular season title, the Mavericks and Cougars are battling it out for the right to host the RMAC Tournament, beginning on May 2. CMU had earned that right for six straight seasons from 2016-2022 (excluding 2020 when no tournament was held) before CCU won the regular season title and tournament hosting rights last season.
CCU does have the advantage of the seeding tie-breaker if they were to end up tied in the
RMAC standings, thanks to the Cougars' 3-1 series win over the Mavs in Lakewood in early March, but with eight games to go for each, lots can happen between now and next Saturday, when the regular season will come to a conclusion.
Under Consideration
The Mavericks were included in the alphabetized NCAA Division II regional rankings, which were released for the first time on Wednesday. Additionally, the Mavericks were also the highest of five teams listed in the "others receiving votes" category of
this week's NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll for the first time this season.
The regional rankings, which will be released in rank order over the next two Wednesdays, will eventually determine the at-large selections and seeding for the South Central Regional portion of next month's NCAA Tournament. Eight teams in total will be selected, including the winners of the RMAC and Lone Star Conference Tournaments, who receive automatic bids.
A total of ten teams, including Colorado Christian and MSU Denver from the RMAC, were included in this week's alphabetized rankings. The Mavs have one of the best all-around resumes with their 35-7 overall and "in-region" records. They also have the region's fifth-best RPI rating at. 579 and are 9-6 against other Division II teams with above .500 records with a chance to improve those marks this weekend against Regis.
The Mavs' overall record is the fourth best in the region by wining percentage while their in-region record is the third best. The 9-6 record against above .500 teams is also currently the fifth best in the region by percentage.
One more to go
The Mavericks hit five home runs in last weekend's series sweep against MSU Denver, raising their season-long total to 99, four clear of Valdosta State for the NCAA Division II statistical lead. With eight regular season games plus post-season games still on the schedule, the Mavs are now just one home run shy of their program record for home runs.
The current mark of 100 was set in 2022.
The NCAA Division II record is 114, set by Cal Poly Humboldt in 2013. The 'Jacks broke MSU Denver's still-standing RMAC record of 112 home runs in 2010.
CMU's record of 100 is the tenth highest in Division II history and their home run total of 99 from this season is already tied for 20
th best in Division II history with still at least three weekends of the season to go.
The Mavs also hold the national lead in home runs per game at 2.36, well ahead of Valdosta State's 2.16 per game average as the Blazers have hit 95 homers in 44 games, two more than the Mavs have played.
The Mavs have hit 56 home runs in their last 16 games alone, more than ten of the other 11 RMAC teams have hit all season.
Colorado Christian is second in the RMAC with 65 home runs throughout the season.
Home run leaders
The Mavericks continue to have the RMAC's top three home run hitters as
Myah Arrieta added her school-record extending 23
rd of the season against MSU Denver, moving to within just two of the RMAC record co-held by UCCS' Crystal Krebs (2005) and MSU Denver's Tara Mickelson (2010). The NCAA Division II record is 32, set in 2018 by Southern Arkansas' Brooke Goad, who played 71 games that year.
UCCS' Jessika Anastos, who hit 24 home runs in 42 games, holds the Division II and RMAC record for home runs per game (0.57). Arrieta currently leads the country with her 0.55 per game average and is second in the country for total home runs, trailing Valdosta State's Abby Suite, by just one.
Meanwhile,
Ally Distler and
Miranda Pruitt have both hit 17 home runs this season to rank just behind Arrieta in the RMAC dinger chase. They are also both tied for fifth nationally with those totals, which also have them tied for tenth in CMU single-season history.
Multi-Category Leader
Arrieta also leads the RMAC with her .530 batting average, 1.134 slugging percentage, .601 on-base percentage, 1.735 OPS, and 67 runs scored and is certainly a leading candidate for RMAC Player of the Year honors. She ranks third in the nation with the batting average and on-base percentage and leads the country in runs per game (1.60).
Already having set the Mavs' home runs record, she also on pace to break the school records for batting average (.514), slugging percentage (1.000) and on-base percentage (.587). Her 67 runs scored also already have her tied for fifth in CMU single-season history and are just 16 shy of the school record of 83, set by Maggie Manwarren in 2018.
Streak History & Stoppers
Although the Mavericks' current 25-game winning streak is impressive, it is still quite shy of the school and RMAC record for consecutive wins and faces a tough challenge this weekend from Regis, which has become well known for stopping long winning streaks in recent years.
The Mavs won 37 straight games to begin the 2018 season, a run that was ended by Regis. That streak is tied for the sixth longest in Division II history.
CMU also had a 23-game winning streak in 2022, which was snapped by the Rangers
If the Mavs are able sweep this weekend's series against the Rangers, they would extend their streak to 29 and on to the NCAA Division II statistical leaders list in a tie for 24
th.
Colorado Christian won 34 consecutive games last year, a run that was also ended by Regis. The Cougars have won their last 20 games of this season as well and got by the Rangers in all four games of last weekend's series.
Doubling her way to second
Maverick senior
Ava Fugate has hit 23 doubles this season, which has her ranked second in both the national and RMAC statistics behind CSU Pueblo's Caitlyn Cole, who has hit 27. Fugate also stands in a second place tie on CMU's single-season charts for doubles, trailing only former program great Brooke Hodgson, who hit 27 in 2018.
Home Sweet Home
The CMU Softball Stadium has proven to be a fortress for the Mavericks and a house of horrors for opposing squads in recent years, which was again the case early this season.
The Mavs have gone a perfect 16-0 at home so far this year and have now won 188 of their 220 home games over the last nearly ten seasons, good for a winning percentage of .855.
They were a perfect 24-0 at home back in 2017 and have recorded 20 or more home wins in six of their last seven full seasons, a streak that was snapped last year, when CMU went 15-9 at home.
CMU has one home series remaining during this regular season and would earn hosting rights for the RMAC Tournament if they are able to win the conference's regular season title.
Here's a look at the Mavericks' home-field records over the last ten seasons.
2015- 18-2
2016- 17-5
2017- 24-0
2018- 22-5
2019-24-4
2020*- 6-2
2021-23-2
2022- 23-3
2023- 15-9
2004 (current)- 16-0
The Boss
Head Coach
Mercedes Bohte, a member of the Maverick coaching staff since 2013, is now in her fourth season in charge of the program and currently has a 151-44 (.774) career record and winning percentage as the leader of the program. The Mavericks have also won 84.8 percent (128-23) of their 151 RMAC games under her tutelage. She picked up her 100
th RMAC win in the first game of the series sweep against the Colorado School of Mines on Feb. 23.
In 2021, while serving as the program's interim coach, Bohte, led the Mavericks to a 39-5 overall record, good for an .886 winning percentage, which was the best in Division II softball. She was named as the RMAC Coach of the Year for her efforts and then had the interim tag removed over the summer of 2021. Under her direction in that year, the Mavericks went 34-2 in RMAC play to win the RMAC's regular season title. They also claimed the RMAC Tournament crown and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
In 2022, the Mavericks were just as successful going 45-9 overall and 35-3 in RMAC play, clinching a sixth consecutive RMAC Regular Season title on the final day of the regular season.
They then went 32-23 overall and 26-15 in RMAC play last year while advancing to the RMAC Tournament final for the second time in Bohte's three years.
Maverick players have combined to win 22 All-RMAC honors in Bohte's three previous years, including 12 first team picks. Seven of those honors came in 2023.
She has also guided players to a combined five all-America honors from the NFCA and D2CCA. The Mavs have combined to garner 19 all-region honors from those two organizations in her three previous years.
Bohte's 2022 team had eight overall All-RMAC picks, including six first team selections. The Mavericks also laid claim to the RMAC Player of the Year in
Ashley Bradford, later named as a Second Team D2CCA All-American, and the RMAC Pitcher of the Year in repeat selection Paige Adair.
The Mavs also won the NCAA statistical titles for home runs (100) and slugging percentage (.646) and set a school-record for team ERA (1.63), the sixth best mark in all of Division II softball.
In Bohte's first season (2021), the Mavericks also had seven overall and four First Team All-RMAC honorees. The Mavs led the country in scoring (8.95 runs per game) that year and had a pair of consensus first team all-Americans in Ellie Smith and Lauren Wedman.
In her time on the coaching staff, which goes back to 2013, the Mavericks have won seven RMAC Championships and have qualified for five NCAA Tournaments. As the team's pitching coach, her staffs have led the RMAC in ERA during seven straight seasons from 2016-22, including in 2021 and 2022, when she guided 2-time RMAC Pitcher of the Year
Paige Adair, who set a new single-season record for individual ERA (1.30) in 2023. Adair, now the head coach at Fort Lewis, also became the first Maverick to earn D2CCA South Central Region Pitcher of the Year plaudits.
In her time as the Mavs' pitching coach, Bohte has guided pitchers to 15 All-RMAC and 11 all-region honors, a group led by Adair, McKenzie Surface, the RMAC's all-time winningest pitcher and 2017 RMAC Co-Pitcher of the Year, 2019 RMAC Pitcher of the Year Kimbri Herring.
About the Rangers
The Rangers have a solid squad and rank fourth in the RMAC for batting average (.323) and fifth in the conference for team ERA (4.04) while sitting solidly in fourth place in the RMAC standings at 22-12.
They have compiled a 26-18 overall record and have been an impressive 15-1 at home, but have been vulnerable on the road, going just 6-10.
The Mavs are sure to see a lot of Regis pitcher Kylie Harpman, one of the most durable and talented hurlers in the conference. Harpman has gone 14-7 with a 3.18 ERA and has completed 15 of her 22 starts while throwing a league-leading 147 2/3 innings over 26 total appearances. She also leads the conference with 117 strikeouts and is second in wins, seventh for ERA and tenth for opposing batting average (.284).
Ava Edwards has started 15 of the Rangers' other 22 games and has posted a 5-2 record and 4.09 ERA in 61 2/3 innings but has completed just one game while turning it over the bullpen in nearly every outing. Alexis Kemp (2-3, 3.86 ERA) and Vanessa Candito (3-3, 7.33 ERA) have also started seven combined games and are regularly used in relief alongside Katherine Raper (2-2, 3.94 ERA).
Offensively, the Rangers rely heavily on Miia Campos, who is hitting .407 along with a .477 on-base percentage. Olivia Wick has also produced well and is hitting and is hitting .371. She and Campos both have 28 RBIs. Wick has also stolen 14 bases and leads the RMAC with seven triples, one ahead of Campos and Rachel Williams.
The Rangers have hit 28 triples as a team to lead the conference.
Williams and Morgan Norris are also part of the Rangers' power. Williams has a team-high 14 doubles and has hit six home runs while driving in 26 runs and leading the squad with her .674 slugging percentage. She is hitting .333 overall. Norris has a .326 batting average and leads the team with 46 RBIs. She also has 12 doubles and seven home runs.
Sydney Young leads the team in home runs with eight and is hitting .300 as one of seven Ranger regulars at or above .300 entering the weekend.
Series History
The Mavericks and Rangers have a storied history having met 115 times since 1994, when single game records have been available. The Mavs hold a 72-43 series lead in that time and are 22-14 against the Rangers as the road team.
The two teams played five times last season with Regis winning the last three of a 4-game regular season series in Grand Junction on Apr. 15-16. However, the Mavericks avenged that loss with a 7-6 walk-off win an a RMAC Tournament elimination game on May 5, ending the Rangers' season.
Up Next
The Mavericks will close out the regular season next Friday and Saturday hosting CSU Pueblo in their final series of the year next week.
The RMAC Tournament then begins on Thursday, May 2.
