The UCCS softball team is now midway through their season, currently sitting at a 19-17 record going 15-7 at home, an improvement from last season when they ended with a 17-25 record.
Before a split two-game series against Fort Lewis College, they blew out Adams State in a four-game sweep.
Junior shortstop Solana Martinez said that this has been the best team she has been part of at UCCS and the team’s talent has already shown itself.
On her own performance, Martinez said, “I feel really good about my game right now, but not exactly satisfied.” She said she is trying to beat her strong season from last year, but her focus right now is to keep hitting the ball hard in order to get on base, pass the bat and come up with team wins.
Redshirt junior Sawyer Brewster explained how the team chemistry has been amazing and how they are a tight-knit group. When talking about her personal game, she said that she has felt good about the year so far and is trying to make her senior season count. Brewster said it has been her best year so far hitting-wise.
Both athletes’ expectations for the remainder of the season are rooted in the same thing: winning. Martinez said that the team only has three series left and will focus on winning them all.
Brewster leads the team in a handful of categories with a .433 batting average, 29 RBIs, 11 home runs and a SLG% of .876.
Not far behind her is Martinez who has a .430 batting average, 15 RBIs, 3 home runs and a SLG% of .650.
On the mound, freshman pitcher Mackenzie Rutkoff leads the team with an ERA of 3.23, winning three games and only losing one.
Freshman outfielder Briana Mattos leads the team with a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000 and 22 putouts so far this season, with junior pitcher Lexi Rayburn right behind her, also with a perfect fielding percentage and 7 putouts this season.
The team has put up a season-high 36 at bats against Black Hills State, 14 runs against Colorado School of Mines and 17 strikeouts against Regis.
The team has three series left in the season where they will attempt to end with one of the better records they have had in the last few years. Their next game is April 15, where they will take on Colorado Mesa with hopes of kicking off their home stretch with a series win.