GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University softball team hits the road for another lengthy trip this time to face Colorado Mesa University this weekend.

CMU (17-17, 16-10 RMAC) lost a pair of non-conference games at home this past Wednesday against Dixie State (3-1, 6-2). Prior to that they split a four-game set against Fort Lewis in Durango. The Mavericks currently sit in fifth in the conference, a half-game back of Adams State for fourth. UC-Colorado Springs leads the conference with a 16-7 RMAC record, a half-game ahead of CSU-Pueblo (15-7). Metro State is third with a 14-7 mark. The final three spots are filled by Fort Lewis (17-11), Chadron State (13-9) and Regis (12-14). WNMU (12-29, 10-18) is in tenth, as Colorado Christian (10-12) holds the ninth slot. The top eight teams advance to the RMAC Tournament which is hosted by the top seed.

CMU is led by three players hitting over .400 in Makayla Kovac (.456), Sarah Phillis (.441) and Jessica Severinsen (.440). The Mavs have used the long ball, as Kovac and Severinsen are both tied for the conference lead belting 12 home runs.  In the circle, Severinsen is third in the conference with a 3.40 ERA and has eight wins in 21 appearances.

WNMU split with Colorado Mines this past weekend, taking the last game 7-4. The offense has been cooking for the Lady Mustangs, as they are hitting at a .311 clip and have six players hitting over .300 in the regular lineup and another two off the bench. Senior Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) leads the way with a .353 average, along with six doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI. Seniors Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) and Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) each hold a .348 average, as McDonald has seven doubles, two triples, a team-high 32 runs, five home runs and 27 RBI. Gahn leads the team with six home runs, along with eight doubles and a team-high 29 RBI. Sophomore Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) is at .346, while junior Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) (.343) and sophomore Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) (.339) are all hitting over .300. Higgins is tied for the team lead in triples with two, while Othon has five home runs and 22 RBI. Off the bench, freshman Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) holds a .350 average and redshirt freshman Davi Martin (Silver City, NM/Silver City) is hitting .344. In the circle, sophomore Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) has logged 146.1 innings in 29 appearances, starting 21. She has nine wins and a 5.36 ERA, along with 13 complete games. Senior Amber Taynton (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan) has tossed 84.1 innings in 22 appearances, starting 17. She has three wins, along with a 6.31 ERA and eight complete games.

In terms of individual rankings inside the RMAC, three Lady Mustangs are in the top-seven in hits led by 49 each from Higgins and Gahn who are tied for third, McDonald is seventh with 48, Higgins is third in doubles (12), while Othon is sixth with 11, Gahn is seventh in total bases (75), McDonald is eighth (74), Gentry is second in walks (24) and Fanning is fourth with 21, Shone leads in innings pitched (146.1), is second in appearances (29) second in games started (21), Taynton is fourth in appearances (22), fifth in games started (17).

WNMU and CMU will play a pair of doubleheaders, first on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and then another on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. Live stats and live video will be available.