THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP

• The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team is set to make the trip to Lubbock, Texas, to compete at the LCU Softball Classic on Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13.
• UCCS will square off with Oklahoma Baptist University at 11 a.m. (MT) on Saturday before taking on University of Nebraska-Kearney at 1 p.m. (MT).
• On Sunday, the Mountain Lions will begin their day by playing Eastern New Mexico University at 10 a.m. (MT) followed by No. 4 nationally ranked West Texas A&M University at 12 p.m. (MT).

GAME COVERAGE

• Live stream and live stats for each of the Mountain Lion's games at the LCU Softball Classic can be found at the below links.  
  • Live Stream*
  • Live Stats
    • Oklahoma Baptist University (Feb. 12 - 11 a.m.)
    • University of Nebraska- Kearney (Feb. 12 - 1 p.m.)
    • Eastern New Mexico University (Feb. 13 - 10 a.m.)
    • West Texas A&M University (Feb. 13 - 12 p.m.)

*Saturday's UCCS games will not be available via live stream. For Sunday's games, fans will be required to purchase access to the Lone Star Network to view the games.
 
LAST TIME OUT

• The Mountain Lions opened their 2022 season at home on Friday, Feb. 4 and played Cal Poly Humboldt to a doubleheader split, pounding out 17 hits in a 13-5 victory in game one before dropping the second game 8-4.
• The UCCS bats came to life quickly in game one of the doubleheader as the Mountain Lions strung together five hits to put a quick five spot on the board in the bottom of the first inning.
• A three-run homer off the bat of Humboldt's Micaela Harris in the top of the fourth inning brought the Lumberjacks within a pair of runs at 7-5, but the Mountain Lions struck back with their second five-run inning of the game in the bottom half of the inning to gain some breathing room and push the score to 12-5.
• The score would remain the same until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Morgan Hernandez-Belew and Bryn Horton hit back-to-back doubles to push the UCCS lead to 13-5 and end the game via run-rule.
• Sawyer Brewster finished game one with a perfect 4-for-4 line at the plate, while Solana Martinez and Hernandez-Belew recorded three hits apiece. Freshman Paige White and redshirt junior Peyton Reisman fared well with runners on base, tying for the team-lead with four RBIs each.
• Redshirt junior Braelyne Crenshaw picked up her first win of the season inside the circle, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing five earned runs and striking out six batters.
• The Mountain Lions carried over their momentum to the beginning of game two of the doubleheader, scoring single runs in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead.
• The 'Jacks found a response in the top of the third inning, slugging back-to-back home runs to turn the lead in their favor at 4-2.
• After a double by sophomore Mia Perez in the bottom half of the third brought the Mountain Lions within one run, 4-3, Humboldt continued to add to their lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before putting the game out of distance with two more runs in their half of the sixth to take an 8-4 win.
• Freshman Brianna Mattos recorded two of the Mountain Lions' five hits in game two against Humboldt with one RBI, while Hernandez-Belew, Brewster, and Perez each tallied one hit.
• UCCS was stymied by Lumberjack pitcher Gaige Garcia, who tossed seven complete innings, striking out six Mountain Lions and allowing just two earned runs.

 
RMAC RECORD/STANDINGS

• UCCS will begin their conference schedule on Saturday, Feb. 26 with a four-game series against Chadron State at Mountain Lion Field.

THE SERIES

• Friday's matchup with Oklahoma Baptist University will be the first meeting between the Mountain Lions and the Bison.
• The Mountain Lions hold a 2-0 record against University of Nebraska-Kearney, most recently earning an 8-4 victory over the Lopers on Feb. 8, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas.
• In UCCS' lone meeting with Eastern New Mexico University in 2014, the Mountain Lions swept a doubleheader with the first game being a tight 6-5 victory and the second win coming by way of a 2-0 shutout.
• UCCS has never defeated the Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M University, who carry a 5-0 all-time record against the Mountain Lions into Saturday's matchup. WTAMU ranked as the No. 4 team in the 2022 NFCA Division II Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

• Oklahoma Baptist opened their season on a high note as they went 3-1 while competing at the Hawkins-McGhee Invitational last weekend. The Bison went 27-for-103 (.262) at the plate over their first four games with 10 extra-base hits, including four home runs.
• OBU pitched well on the mound during their season-opening tournament, posting a 2.42 team ERA across 26 innings pitched. Junior Kayleigh Jones was stellar inside the circle for the Bison, appearing in three of the Bison's four games and tossing 15.0 innings pitched with 1.40 ERA and 26 strikeouts.
• Freshman Sammie Green led the team offensively with four hits in her nine at-bats while adding a team-leading five RBIs and a home run. Infielder Emily Richardson was also a regular on the basepaths as she reached base in seven of her 12 plate appearances on the weekend with three hits, two walks, and two hit-by-pitches.

SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-KEARNEY

• UNK will kick off their 2022 season at the LCU Softball Classic after posting a 17-25 overall record last season. The Lopers played to an 8-18 record in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) action to finish 12th in the conference.
• As a team, Nebraska-Kearney put together a cumulative batting average of .299 for the season and averaged 4.81 runs scored per game. Inside the circle, the team's pitchers combined to throw 266.1 innings and post a team ERA of 5.07.
• Senior Carlee Liesch was the Lopers' leading hitter a year ago, slashing .366 at the plate with 21 runs scored and a team-high 12 stolen bases.
• In the power department, Katie Gosker (10) and Bri Healy (9) paced the team in home runs, while Healy also led the team with 36 RBIs on the season.
• Inside the pitcher circle, senior Kelsey Goodban recorded a team-high nine wins as she tossed 68.1 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts and a team-best 4.40 ERA.

SCOUTING EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY

• The Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico began their season last weekend at the South Central Region Crossover, defeating New Mexico Highlands University twice while dropping games to Adams State University and Colorado Christian University for a 2-2 record.
• Offensively, ENMU recorded a .309 batting average across their first four games of the season and scored 27 runs with 30 hits and three home runs.
• Infielder Jokaira Paredes was all over the basepaths during the tournament, recording four hits and three walks to get on-base at a .636 clip. Freshman Lisette Urquidez also showed off her power potential at the plate in her first collegiate action, hitting .455 for the weekend with a pair of home runs and nine RBIs.
• As a staff, the Hounds' pitchers struggled to get outs as they allowed 30 runs (29 earned) in 22 innings pitched over the weekend for a 9.23 ERA.
• Sophomore Brook Leger did find success inside the circle, however, pitching a pair of complete games on her way to picking up two wins with a 2.86 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched.

SCOUTING WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

• The No. 4 nationally ranked Lady Buffs kicked off their 2022 season at the Gulf Shores Tournament on Feb. 5-6, going 1-2 with losses against No. 7 Valdosta State University and Barry University while defeating West Alabama University 8-0.
• At the plate, WTAMU posted a .293 batting average and plated 14 runs over their opening three games while adding five doubles, one triple and four stolen bases.
• Sophomore Britni Rufus hit safely in each of the Lady Buffs' three games for a .714 batting average with five hits and two RBIs. Catcher Braeland Booth was the team-leader with three RBIs despite taking only six trips to the plate.
• The Lady Buffs' pitchers posted a solid 3.37 ERA over their first three games, led by freshman Heidi Vortherms, who logged 12.2 innings with a 1.66 ERA and 14 punchouts.

HOT TAKES

• The Mountain Lions started the season with a hot performance at the plate, registering a .379 batting average and scoring 17 runs in their first two games. UCCS also pounded out 22 total hits, including four doubles, one triple, and three home runs.
• The home runs for White and Hernandez-Belew were the first of their respective collegiate careers, while Reisman's home run was her 12th as a Mountain Lion.
• Brewster was an offensive catalyst for the Mountain Lions on Opening Day, reaching base safely in seven of her eight plate appearances with five singles and two walks. Brewster's four-hit game in game one of the doubleheader was the first of her career. 
• UCCS pitched to a 6.46 ERA in the season opening series, allowing 12 earned runs in 13.0 innings pitched as a team. Freshman Mackenzie Rutkoff had a solid showing in her first appearances as a Mountain Lion, tossing 2.2 innings pitched across the two games while allowing just one run and striking out three batters.

UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH RICKI ROTHBAUER-STUBBS

• Ricki Rothbauer-Stubbs, who picked up her 200^th career Division II victory last season with a 9-7 win over Chadron State on March 8, enters her seventh season at the helm of the UCCS Softball program during the 2022 season. In her first six seasons as the head coach of the Mountain Lions, Rothbauer-Stubbs has collected 120 wins and made three appearances in the RMAC Tournament.
• During the 2021 season, Rothbauer-Stubbs coached two players to the All-RMAC team with Brianna Santos receiving First Team honors and Solana Martinez being named as an Honorable Mention. She also led her team to great academic success, as Santos was named to the RMAC All-Academic First Team and 13 more softball student-athletes were named to the Honor Roll.

WEATHER

•  The weather for Saturday, Feb. 12 in Lubbock, Texas is forecasted to feature partly cloudy skies with a daytime high of 52 degrees and potential for winds to reach 15 to 25 miles-per-hour.
• Sunday's weather calls for the clouds to clear out of the area and for temperatures to rise to a comfortable 66 degrees during the day. The winds will stick around, however, and could reach 10 to 20 miles-per-hour coming from the west. 

UPCOMING GAMES

• The Mountain Lions will have an off weekend before preparing to begin RMAC conference action on Feb. 26-27 when they welcome Chadron State College to Mountain Lion Field for a four-game series.

SOCIAL 
Twitter - @GoMountainLions 
Instagram - @gomountainlions  
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions 
  
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.