GAME NOTES:

The Cougars will head to Grand Junction this weekend to take on the best of the RMAC in the RMAC tournament. The Cougars ended the regular season at the number three seed, the tournament format allows for the first two seeds to get a bye. The Cougars will be the top seed playing in the first round and will play the number six seed, Fort Lewis in game one.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN vs. FORT LEWIS

The Cougars all 21-14 all-time against Fort Lewis.

The Cougars went 3-1 earlier this season in the first RMAC contest of the year.

The Cougars are 7-3 over the past ten games against Fort Lewis.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN vs. REGIS

The Cougars did not play Regis during the regular season.

The Cougars are on a six game win streak against Regis.

The Cougars average 4.47 runs per game against the Rangers

COLORADO CHRISTIAN vs. COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES

The Cougars split the regular season series against Colorado School of Mines

The Cougars are tied 14-14 all-time against Colorado School of Mines.

Both teams have swept one series in the 28 games.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN vs. MSU DENVER

The Cougars are 13-12 all-time against MSU Denver

The Cougars swept the two game mini-series against MSU Denver during the regular season

The Cougars are on a four game win streak against the Roadrunners.

The Cougars are one win away from matching their longest win streak against MSU Denver.

COLORADO CHRISTIAN vs. COLORADO MESA

The Cougars are 10-27 all-time against Colorado Mesa

The Cougars have faced Colorado three times in the RMAC tournament and once in the NCAA tournament.

The Cougars were swept earlier in the season by Colorado Mesa

COUGAR LEADERS

The two leading hitters for the Cougars have been leading the way this season, with Piper Lujan and Sydney Reamer pacing the Cougars offense this season. Lujan is hitting .443 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI along with a 1.362 OPS, all numbers which lead the team. Reamer has lead off for the Cougars most of the season and is hitting .427 with 16 doubles and nine home runs as well as a .482 on base percentage.

The Cougars best two-way player this season has been Samaria Roope, Roope has started 35 games this season, playing both first base and pitching, in the batter's box Roope is hitting .313 with eight extra base hits and 24 RBI. Roope has also walked 11 times and been hit by a pitch 11 times as she leads the team in HBP. In the circle Roope is seventh in the RMAC with a 2.93 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched with two starts as she has been one of the top relievers for the Cougars.

RETURNING SENIORS

The Cougars will have two of their best players returning this season, Stephanie Day and Caitlin McCarthy. Both players were seniors last season but due to COVID-19 ending the spring season prematurely all spring sport athletes were granted an extra season of athletic eligibility. Day and McCarthy both decided to return for one more season to help lead the Cougars to the top of the RMAC by the end of the season.

In her fifth season, Day is hitting .381 with 11 doubles and 28 RBI while starting every game. Coming towards the end of the season Day, will be top three in nearly every offensive category including being the all-time leader in games played, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases, runs batted in, and walks. Day has been a two time all American as well as an Academic All American.

McCarthy has also started every game at catcher, and has posted a .402 average with 34 RBI and has only struck out twice in 112 at bats.

EXCITING NEWCOMERS

 Transfer Julie Katz has already made her impact with the team, throwing four complete games in 17 starts and has a 4.00 ERA with 50 strikeouts.

Freshman Kayla and Kenzie Middleton also will be seeing plenty of at bats this season. Kayla has started 33 games this season with Kenzie starting in 37

Kenzie Middleton has 11 home runs and 38 RBI with a .375 batting average. Middleton also recorded the second longest on base streak in school history as she reached safely in 27 games earlier this season.

Kayla Middleton also hit a home run and is hitting .364 with 21 RBI and has hit two triples while being the Cougars starting shortstop for most of the season.

AWARD WINNERS

The Cougars cleaned up with the end of season awards, four Cougars were named to the All-RMAC first team including Sydney Reamer, Stephanie Day, Piper Lujan, and Caitlin McCarthy. Freshman Kenzie Middleton was named to the All-RMAC second team.

Defensively, Caitlin McCarthy and Kaelin Morkisch both were recognized for their continued success in the field with the RMAC gold glove award at catcher and in the outfield.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT APPERANCES

HEAD COACH – LARRY HAYS

A resume filled with outstanding accomplishments, Larry Hays finished his second year as the Colorado Christian head softball coach in 2020.

 A shortened season, he led the team to a 20-7 record and tied for the lead in the RMAC and created a high powered offense that was second in the nation in runs.

During his first season he led the squad to a second-place finish in the RMAC while coaching six all-conference players. Four players earned all-region accolades while one, Stephanie Day, earned All-American honors.

As a collegiate women's softball coach in 2010, Hays led the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps to a 54-7 record and an NAIA National Championship.  He has coached baseball for 15 years at Lubbock Christian and for 21 years at Texas Tech compiling a remarkable 1509-860 record over those years.  Additionally, Hays has coached men's & women's basketball at Lubbock Christian and served as their Athletic Director for eight years.
 
In addition to winning multiple conference and national championships, Hays has received numerous personal awards including the following:  Southwest Conference Baseball Coach of the Year, Big 12 Baseball Coach of the Year, NAIA Hall of Fame Inductee, Texas Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, National College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee. 

SCHEDULE: The Cougars will be playing in 44 games this season, 40 conference games along with four non-conference games. The RMAC tournament will allow fans with 400 per day, tickets can be found at https://rmacsports.org/tournaments/?id=196