Cowgirls to Host Regis Rangers

Las Vegas, New Mexico - A busy weekend in Las Vegas features a matchup between the Cowgirls and the Regis Rangers at the HU Softball field.

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.

Last Season: The Cowgirls were 15-38 overall and 9-35 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference last year.

RMAC Poll:  New Mexico Highlands was selected to finish ninth in the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. 

Gauntlet of Schedule: The Cowgirls open their season with six ranked programs in their out-of-conference schedule, including the defending national champions, and opened their conference play with the defending RMAC champions. 

#5 West Texas A&M
#17 Oklahoma Baptist
#15 Oklahoma Christian 
#20 Central Oklahoma 
#22 UT Tyler (Defending National Champions) 
#7 Colorado Christian (RMAC) (Defending Conference Champs)

*Rankings based on NFCA rankings as of 4/17/2026

Last Time Out:
Game 1 : Adams State University (ASU)  3  -  NMHU 2 
The Grizzlies were the first to get on the board following a SAC Fly and an RBI single, taking a 2-0 lead headed into the bottom of the third.  

However, the Cowgirls' offense responded on a Jazmyn Griego single to score Andrea DeLaTrinidad to make it 2-1. 

Adams State scored again in the fourth, and the Cowgirls scored on a Yasmin Villa single in the fifth, but the rubber match between the two pitchers was the difference, and the Cowgirls would drop game one.

Game 2 : Adams State University (ASU)  9  -  NMHU 14
If you were looking for a rubber match game, one of these series was your jam, but if you wanted to see runs scored, then game two was all yours.

The Grizzlies scored two in the first, followed by the Cowgirls answering with a crooked number of three in their half.

The Grizzlies then scored five in the second inning, and after that, it got quiet for a bit of time.

Until the fourth inning, when the Cowgirls answered with six runs. RBI's coming off the bats of Jazmyn Griego, Shaylene Saladin, Hannah Hopkins, Aliya Rhees, and Andrea DeLaTrinidad, making the score 9-7. 

The Grizzlies, however, would not go away quietly, and the Cowgirls were scared of no fight.

A Saladin single to the left scored Kylee Sam after a Cheyenne Ben double, and a passed ball scored Greigo in the same inning to make it 11-9 Cowgirls, and they weren't done.

Jolissa Valdez, Rhees, and Olivia Boswell drove in an RBI each to put this one away. Cowgirls get the win in game two to even the series.

Kennedy Williams also recorded the victory for her first win on the season after 2.2 IP, zero runs, and two strikeouts after entering in the fifth with one out.

Game 3 : Adams State University (ASU)  2  -  NMHU 5
The Grizzlies scored first again in the third game of the series following a single that brought in a run. 

The Cowgirls scored on a double to right-center by Giana Marez, which scored Shaylene Saldin and Aliya Rhees. Jolissa Valdez followed that up with a single to score Marez, making it 3-1 Cowgirls.

Adams State plated one in the 6th.

This led to the Cowgirls putting the nails in the coffin, with Andrea DeLaTrinidad doubling to score a run and Yasmin Villa doubling to score DeLaTrinidad, ending this one in a 5-2 Cowgirls victory.


Game 4 : Adams State University (ASU)  7  -  NMHU 6
The two teams exchanged punches as they Cowgilrs scored a run in the second after a Grizzlies solo home run, Kylee Sam had a double that scored two in the 3rd.

The Grizzlies scored three in the fourth, and then it was a quiet game afterward.

In the 7th inning, a run scored on an error, then a two-run homer cleared the bases, making it 7-3 Adams State.

However, the Cowgirls were not going down without a fight. Aliya Rhees led off with a double, followed by a Giana Marez double that scored Rhees. Andrea DeLaTrinidad doubled, making it 7-6, and the Cowgirls had runners at first and second, but a flyout ended the game, and the Grizzlies captured the win and split the series with the Cowgirls.


Cowgirls Season Stat Leaders: 

Hitting: 65 PA Minimum
Average: Hallie Watkins (.382)
Home Runs: Hallie Watkins and Jazmyn Griego (5)
Hits: Jazmyn Griego (44)
Stolen Bases: Olivia Boswell  (10-14) (SB-ATT)
RBI: Jazmyn Griego (32)


Pitching: 35 IP Minimum
ERA: Jolissa Valdez (5.16)
Strikeouts: London Lamb (42)


Scouting The Opposition: 

Regis University (RU) :
The Rangers enter this weekend tied for eighth place in the RMAC with the Cowgirls. The Rangers are currently 12-26 overall and 11-21 in conference. Candi Letts is in her second season at the helm of the Rangers program. She took over the program in the summer of 2024. This will be her first head-to-head matchup with Coach Kali Pugh of New Mexico Highlands.

Game Day at NMHU:  Tickets for New Mexico Highlands softball 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 RMAC Conference games air on the RMAC Network.