Perfection is a rarity. It is something that requires anything and everything to work together without any wrongdoings in order to see the perfect result. So far through 34 games, the Colorado Mesa University softball team appears to be without fault.
The spring at CMU has been history in the making and it is all been done on the CMU softball field. The Mavericks have not lost a regular-season game since April 23, 2017, and their last loss, in general, was back on May 13, 2017, to Angelo State who was the number one team in the country at the time.
The Mavericks have been on top of the NCAA Division II softball world for the better part of a whole month and are not showing any signs of slowing down with the postseason on the horizon. 34 wins and zero losses to start a season is something that has never been done in the history of CMU and the question in the ballclub remains: why slow down now?
“We’re the best team in the nation,” outfielder Brooke Hodgson said. “No one should be beating us.”
CMU just swept Fort Lewis College in a four-game series in which the Mavericks outscored the Skyhawks 42-0. That makes it six consecutive four-game sweeps in which the Mavericks have outscored their opponents 275-33. 11 of those games have been complete shutouts, and this is just talking about those six four-game series alone.
Picture this.
Throughout the course of the entire season, the Mavericks have scored a total of 367 runs while only allowing 66. The CMU team batting average is .419 and their team slugging percentage sits at .694 in which both lead the entire nation.
The CMU offense is the best in the country and rightfully deserving of that title. 316 RBIs have been accounted for and 52 home runs have been knocked out of the park through 34 games.
The Mavericks have also forced 19 mercy-rule games this year in which their opponents were down by so many runs they had to end the game early.
These stats are just a slight glimpse at the magic the Mavericks have been able to produce throughout the course of their historic run. 34 wins without giving up one loss is exhausting for any team and it is a testament to how tough these women really are.
“That’s what good teams are made of,” Head coach Ben Garcia said. “They have to find ways to win even in adverse situations. That is what I am so proud of, the girls are resilient, nothing gets them down.”
CMU has only had five games where the final score was decided by two or fewer runs. The latest coming back on March 24 where the Mavericks barely outlasted the Colorado School of Mines 6-5 in what is considered the closest game of the season.
Brooke Hodgson is one of the many highlights of the CMU season but the utility-listed senior is considered one of, if not, the best player in the nation. Hodgson currently carries a nation’s best .549 batting average and has the most career RBIs (249) out of any active NCAA Div. II softball player. She also leads the team with 67 hits to possess a mind-blowing slugging percentage of 1.025.
Besides the bats producing record numbers, the pitching and defense have been some of the many other reasons why the Mavericks remain perfect.
Normally each baseball or softball team carries one ace in which performs above the rest; however, it appears that every player that has stood in the pitching circle this season would most likely win a Cy Young Award if they had the chance to.
Junior McKenzie Surface continues to be the main face on the pitching mound for the Mavericks as the RMAC Pitcher of the Year stands at 17-0 and has struck out a team-high 122 batters through 113.2 innings pitched.
Almost equally as impressive is Kimbi Herring who has a season era of 1.62 and struck out an even 100 batters through only 69.1 innings pitched.
Both Surface and Herring through two consecutive two-hitters in both days against Fort Lewis this past weekend.
Surface also is the only pitcher in the line-up with a no-hitter this season in which she completed against Chadron State on Feb. 25.
“Our offensive is on fire,” Surface said. “I’m really expecting to make it to and past regionals, finally getting to super-regionals and to the actual national championship. Our team chemistry has never been higher and everyone has the same mindset in terms of what we want to accomplish and I have never been more excited for a season.”
CMU will continue to, however, look to improve. Head coach Ben Garcia is in his fourth season as head coach and possess the “never settle” mindset in which he will always look how to improve his ballclub to insure the Mavericks never miss a beat.
Garcia was named RMAC Coach of the Year back in 2016 and is most likely to receive the same accolades if CMU continues to perform the way they have been this season.
All streaks are eventually meant to be broken but CMU has not shown any signs of slowing down to be able to let that happen. Many will predict the Mavericks to continue this wild ride all throughout the postseason. As the season carries only 16 regular season games left, the questions will more than likely still be: why slow down now?
