GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Heading onto the road again this week the Colorado Mesa University Softball Team will travel to Denver this upcoming Saturday and Sunday when they take on MSU Denver in their second conference series of the season.
The four game, two-day series is set to be played at Assembly Athletic Complex and is slated to start at 12 P.M. on Saturday with Sunday starting at 11 A.M.
This will be just the third weekend of action for the Mavericks in their young season as they enter this week with a 4-6 record while starting 2-2 in conference play. In addition, six of those games have all been on the road this season, with this weekend being the first time the Mavs will play at an away site and not a neutral one.
LAST TIME OUT
In the team's conference opener this past weekend they hosted the Regis Rangers in Grand Junction with the series ending in a 2-2 split after going 1-1 on each day of action. Colorado Mesa won games one and four while the Rangers took the two middle games.
Earning victories in the circle in those two wins were the pair of Preslee Christensen and Kamdyn Hagerty. Christensen earned her first win of the season in the opening game of the series, going four innings while giving up just three runs as the Mavs won 7-3. Hagerty then earned the win in game four as she was stellar in her first pitching appearance of the season going five innings while giving up just one run to help the Mavs earn the split with the Rangers in an 8-3 closing victory.
On the offensive end, Ally Distler led the team with three home runs on the weekend and hit .333 to help drive in nine RBIs. Both Chloe Valdez and Myah Arrieta also recorded home runs on the weekend as the Mavs scored 19 total runs over the four games.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
The Mavericks are hitting .226 this season as a team and through their 10 total games have collected 55 hits. 24 of those hits come as extra base hits with the team already owning seven home runs which is best for fifth in the conference.
Doing most of the damage for the squad is Ally Distler who serves as the team leader in hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. The former All-American is hitting .414 this season with 12 hits, three doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs.
Makayla Westmoreland and Chloe Valdez serve as the team's other top performers hitting .267 and .259 and combining for 15 hits and nine RBIs.
Owning the team's other two home runs are Valdez and Myah Arrieta to compliment Distler's five.
On the pitching side, five different players have seen the circle this season for the Mavs with four of them collecting wins. Preslee Christensen serves as the team's ace and is 1-2 through three starts while earning her first win this past weekend against Regis.
Two other arms have seen much success this season as well as both Jessalyn Gallegos and Sophia Tassinari have started at least two games so far this year. Gallegos has been efficient for the team pitching to a 1-1 record so far with a team leading 2.33 ERA. She additionally owns the team's only two saves and has recorded 24 innings pitched.
Tassinari has helped going 1-2 in the circle with a 3.36 ERA through 16.2 innings pitched.
Overall the pitching staff has pitched to a 3.71 ERA this season which ranks them in the top three of the conference.
ABOUT MSU DENVER
Coming into this weekend the Roadrunners are currently the best team in the conference to this point as they are 8-4 overall while sitting at 3-0 in the RMAC. In their latest series against Fort Lewis College, they won all three games played with the fourth game being cancelled due to unforeseen reasons.
Prior to those three wins the team had suffered a four-game losing streak as they were swept by both St. Edward's and St. Mary's in their two game stints against each Lone Star School.
In the series history, Colorado Mesa just barely has the all-time lead at 31 wins to 29 losses, with MSUD taking the victory in the last time the two met at the RMAC Tournament last season.
As a team the Roadrunners are hitting .351 this season with their offense already accumulating 42 extra base hits. Their 31 doubles alone rank them for fifth in the nation at doubles for per game at 2.58.
Leading the offense are three players who are hitting over .400 this season with Jaiden Geist sitting at .524, Genevieve Bower at .444 and Alexia Boring at .433. The trio combine for 10 of the team's doubles with Boring owning four home runs as well to lead the team.
Their one two punch on the mound consists of Natalie Romero and Cheyenne Prieto who are a combined 7-2 this season with each of them having sub-three ERAs. Romero serves as the team's ace already totaling four complete games this spring and leading the team with 36 innings pitched.
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
All four games this weekend will be streamed on the RMAC Network free of charge and have live stats available to follow along with as well.
