Fort Hays State (13-11) vs.
Colorado School of Mines (11-13)
Wednesday – March 20 – 1 PM (DH)
Hays, Kan. – Fleharty Family Field
 
Fort Hays State Softball looks to continue its recent success at home on Wednesday (March 20) when it plays host to Colorado School of Mines in a midweek doubleheader at Fleharty Family Field. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. FHSU enters at 13-11, riding a four-game win streak, while CSM enters at 11-13 overall.
 
This is the second-straight season FHSU and Colorado School of Mines are meeting in Hays. The Orediggers came to Hays last year for three games and FHSU won all three. FHSU has won the last five meetings between the schools in Hays.
 
Fort Hays State played at home for the first time last week and went 4-0 over a pair of doubleheaders with Rockhurst and Bethany College. The run of four straight wins has pushed the Tigers back above .500 for the season. It is the third time the Tigers have won four in a row this season as they look to take it higher for the first time this season.
 
Colorado School of Mines is coming off a doubleheader split in RMAC play on Monday against Regis University.
 
The Opponent
Colorado School of Mines (11-13, 8-10 RMAC)
Series Record: FHSU leads 23-13
-FHSU defeated Colorado School of Mines three times in Hays last year, winning by scores of 8-0, 2-0, and 3-1.
-Savanah Egger tied her career high for strikeouts in the 8-0 win last year with 12, doing it in just five innings due to the run-rule win by the Tigers. She allowed only one hit in that game. Egger threw two complete games against CSM last year, also winning the 3-1 game with 9 strikeouts over seven innings.
-Bailey Carlson threw a complete game in the 2-0 win over CSM last year, scattering seven hits with two strikeouts. It was one of her three shutouts for the season.
-Regan Curry had 4 RBIs over the 3-game series with CSM last year, while Loren Beggs drove in 3.
-Peyton Shepard had 6 hits over the 3-game series with CSM last year.
-Colorado School of Mines has played six games against nationally ranked opponents this year, going 2-4. They dropped both games of a doubleheader to then No. 5 ranked Nova Southeastern back on February 10, but split a four-game series with then No. 9 ranked Colorado Christian back on March 9-10.
 
Tiger Notes
·  Savanah Egger ranks 13^th nationally in complete games with 10.
·  The FHSU pitching staff ranks 24^th in NCAA Division II for WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) at 1.13. They currently rank 3^rd in the MIAA.
·  Peyton Shepard leads FHSU with a .395 batting average. She has a team-high 32 hits on the season and leads the team in stolen bases, a perfect 12-of-12 on attempts so far. She enters the week with a team-best eight-game hitting streak.
·  Loren Beggs leads the team in extra-base hits with seven, followed by Carly Stuke with six. The pair also ranks first and second in RBIs, Beggs with 15 and Stuke with 13. Beggs and Stuke are tied for the team lead in home runs, each with two.
·  Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson ranks 3rd in the MIAA and 25th nationally for sacrifice flies with three. She enters this week with a 7-game hitting streak and has 12 RBIs for the season.
·  FHSU is 4-0 at home so far this season.
·  FHSU is efficient in stolen bases, successful on 25-of-26 attempts (.962).
·  FHSU ranks 19^th nationally as a team in sacrifice flies with 11 so far this season. Emporia State and Pittsburg State lead the MIAA with 13 each.