LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands softball team finally returns to the field after a trip north yielded no games last weekend as the Cowgirls host Chadron State starting 1 p.m. Friday at Cowgirl Field.
NMHU hit the road to take on Black Hills State last week - first trying to get games in at a field in Gillette, Wyoming, before that field was unplayable and the team's tried to play in Spearfish, South Dakota. Inclement weather kept the Cowgirls from playing as they headed back to Las Vegas.
The last time NMHU played was a 6-5 win over then-No. 16 Texas A&M on March 18 after dropping the opener of the doubleheader. The Cowgirls the two days prior dropped three of four to CSU-Pueblo as NMHU finds itself in ninth place in the conference at 5-8 (.385) - a game back of eighth-place Black Hills State. The top eight schools make the RMAC Tournament.
The Cowgirls continue to be paced at the plate by junior second baseman
Leah Osborn as she's hitting.435 - seventh in the RMAC - to go along with a team high in RBI (11), runs (11) and doubles (7) plus two homers. She also has a .979 fielding percentage.
Breanna Cabrera (.367),
Camrynn Ziegler (.362),
Nicole Correia (.323) and
Ashley Forshee (.314) are also hitting above .300 for NMHU with Forshee leading the team with three home runs and is second on the team with eight RBI.
In the circle,
Belinda Gonzalez leads the team with a 5-4 mark and 5.10 ERA. She has 36 strikeouts in 54.2 innings. In conference play she's been ever better as she's 4-2 with a 2.59 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 41.2 innings pitched.
Chadron State enters this week having dropped six in a row and nine of their last 10 - including dropping all four games last week on the road against Colorado Christian, being outscored 36-6.
The Eagles are led at the plate by Haleigh Hoefs as she's hitting .413 to go along with four home runs, 12 doubles, 21 RBI and 18 runs. CSC's top power threat is Kayla Michel as she's hitting .337 with nine home runs, 36 RBI and 13 runs.
In the circle, The Eagles have four pitchers who have gone 35 or more innings with Dallas Magnusson leading the way with a 4.00 ERA in 42 innings (1-4 record).
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