Las Vegas, New Mexico - The Cowgirls are 6-14 overall and 4-4 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play after sweeping Chadron State last weekend in historic Las Vegas. The sweep marks the program's first series sweep since the 2016 season.
They hit the road for their longest conference road trip of the season, playing at Black Hills State on Sunday and Monday. The series was originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday but was moved due to weather in Spearfish. First pitch is set for 12:00 pm on Sunday and 11:00 am on Monday.
RMAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Jolissa Valdez earned Pitcher of the Week honors after picking up two wins in the circle to lead the Cowgirls to a series sweep of Chadron State College.
Across 12.2 innings, she was in complete control, tossing one complete game while allowing just one walk and holding opponents to a .114 batting average. She added four strikeouts and consistently kept hitters off balance throughout the weekend.
In her complete-game outing, the Tolleson, Arizona native faced 24 batters and surrendered only two hits, finishing with two strikeouts and an impressive .083 opponent batting average.
COACH PUGH: For Coach
Kali Pugh in her New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls career, she collected her first career win on January 31, 2026, against Sul Ross State in a run-rule victory in Los Lunas, New Mexico. New Mexico Highlands University named
Kali Pugh the new coach of the Cowgirls' softball program on May 28, 2025. Pugh comes to NMHU from Arizona's Yavapai College, where she led the Roughriders to the 2025 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference playoffs for the first time since 2022. Pugh has eight years of experience coaching at the junior college level, including five years at her alma mater,
RMAC POLL: New Mexico Highlands was selected to finish ninth in the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll after finishing last season 15-38 overall and 9-35 in conference play.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE: The Cowgirls opened the season with five ranked programs on their non-conference schedule, including the defending Division II champions, and the 2025 RMAC champions to open conference play.
#3 West Texas A&M
#20 Oklahoma Baptist
#13 Oklahoma Christian
#17 Central Oklahoma
UT Tyler (Defending Division II Champions)
#18 Colorado Christian
NMHU STAT LEADERS:
Hitting (Min 2 plate appearances/game)
Batting Average:
Hallie Watkins (.349)
Slug %:
Hallie Watkins (.674)
OB%:
Hallie Watkins (.429)
Hits:
Andrea DeLaTrinidad (16)
RBI:
Jazmyn Griego and
Jolissa Valdez (12)
Home Runs:
Jazmyn Griego and
Hallie Watkins (3)
Stolen Bases:
Olivia Boswell (4)
Pitching (Min 1 inning pitched/game)
Wins:
Jazmyn Griego (3)
ERA:
Jolissa Valdez (5.37)
Strikeouts:
London Lamb (26)
WHIP:
Jolissa Valdez (1.63)
Innings Pitched:
Jolissa Valdez (43.0)
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION: Black Hills State enters the series against the Cowgirls at 6-13 overall and 3-5 in conference lay after dropping three of four at CSU-Pueblo last weekend. Ashlyn Englehorn is in her second season as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets programs. Offensively, Sammie Kaufman-Warner leads BHSU with a .355 batting average and 22 hits. In the circle, Kaitlyn Greshwill boasts a 4-4 record and a 4.91 ERA. The Yellow Jackets won three of four games last season in Las Vegas against the Cowgirls.
GAME DAY AT NMHU: Tickets for New Mexico Highlands baseball can be purchased at
NMHUAthletics.com/Tickets.
No outside food or drinks will be allowed.
No pets allowed.
NMHU has implemented a
Clear Bag Policy for all on-campus events.
Fans enter the complex using the north gate.
FOLLOW THE COWGIRLS: All four games of the series will be broadcast on the
RMAC Network and BHSU will provide
LiveStats.
UP NEXT: The Cowgirls return home to host Colorado Mesa next Saturday and Sunday.
