Who’s next?
That is the question worth asking due to the fact CMU has knocked down every team they have come up against this season. Despite the fact the Mavericks suffered their first loss after winning 37 games in a row to start the season, they still have yet to lose a series.
“Our biggest competition in RMACs is Colorado Christian University (CCU), who we play in the next two weeks at home,” pitcher McKenzie Surface said.
Regis was the only other suitable test within the RMAC worth mentioning. The Rangers stood true to that testament as they gave their Mavericks their first loss of the season in game four of their series.
After battling Regis this past weekend, CMU will take on CCU, who is currently ranked second in the RMAC. They have a record of 22-4 in the RMAC and 33-7 overall (as of April 15).
“They will be a very good opponent as well,” Head coach Ben Garcia said.
CCU currently has four players on their team with a batting average above .400 and six other players with a batting average above .300.
Pitching-wise, the Cougars’ ace, Kenzie Mattey, has an earned run average (ERA) of 2.89 and has struck out the most batters looking in the entire RMAC with 42. Mattey also is tied with McKenzie Surface with the most wins in the conference with 18.
The Mavericks will most likely see Mattey twice in their four-game series.
“Practice-wise we are really just trying to make hitting adjustments because we know what these pitchers throw, so really just make sure to be prepared for that,” McKenzie Surface said.
As CMU hopes to keep their loses to a maximum of one, they also have the number one spot in the country to hold on to. The Mavericks are currently ranked first place nationally in batting average, slugging percentage and win-loss percentage. CMU is ranked second in the nation in scoring and fifth in the nation for fielding percentage.
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By doing all of this, CMU has made a historic run already as no other team in CMU softball history has started the season 38-0, nor has any other team claimed the number one spot in the nation.
Brooke Hodgson’s name has also been tossed around with the phrase “breaking records” this season as Hodgson just recently broke her own record for most RBIs hit in a single season with 70.
The utility player also leads the RMAC in almost every hitting category such as batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, RBIs and doubles.
“These upcoming games are very big and should be very exciting,” Surface said. “Obviously as we move on to the postseason, all the teams we play have the talent to beat us, so we just need to continue to play our game and not beat ourselves.”
Statistics may show that CMU is a forced to be reckoned with, but the team knows that any game could change their record.
As of now, CMU will host the RMAC tournament, which begins on May 3rd. After CCU, the team will play CSU-Pueblo on April 28th and 29th.
CSU-Pueblo has an RMAC total of 11-21 and an overall total of 13-30. On April 4, CSU played a doubleheader against CCU and won one game, but lost the other.
Statistics are not everything and it will come down to the team being on top of their game going into the RMAC championships and, most likely, the NCAA tournament.
“We know we have to go out and play our game to win and we are prepared to do that,” Surface said. “We want to prove to these teams and others that we deserve to be where we are right now.
