Chadron State College softball squares off with Black Hills State University this weekend, in a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheaders, which were originally to be hosted on the BHSU campus Saturday and Sunday. Instead, the games have been moved to Energy Capital Sports Complex, in Gillette, Wyoming, and are rescheduled for Friday at noon and Saturday at 11 a.m.

Field conditions would not permit the games to be played on the Yellow Jackets’ home field, where they canceled their conference opener four weeks earlier.

The Eagles bring a team to Gillette that garnered a split at RMAC opponent CSU-Pueblo last weekend in Colorado, remaining part of a five-way logjam in the middle of the league standings. Only one game now separates fifth place MSU Denver at 7-8 from the 6-9 Eagles, in ninth.

Also in the mix are the upstart Yellow Jackets, who at 5-7 have already matched their win total from last season. They can set a new high mark for wins since joining the RMAC in 2012, with just three more this year.

Chadron State holds a 28-4 advantage in the series all-time. BHSU’s last win came in 2015, the year they won a program-best seven RMAC games. The teams split that year, marking the only time CSC failed to win the season series outright.

The 2018 Yellow Jackets are greatly improved on offense, after finishing last in the league in 2017 for both batting average and run production. A year ago, they scored 114 runs all season, which was barely half of what the next best team in the conference scored. Their average has come up to .276, from .251, and they have scored 3.2 runs per game, up from 2.6.

BHSU has four batters averaging over .300, led by freshman Maddi Fidler, who is a big part of their improvement. Fidler bats a team-high .377 for the season.

Junior Alex Wiley is the only returner from a pitching staff that has gained from the addition of freshman Melissa Gellerman. The newcomer gives the team the reliable number two starter they lacked last season, and leads the team with an ERA of 5.10. The pair are allowing opponents to bat .322.

So far in league play, BHSU split with CSU-Pueblo, was swept by Colorado Christian, and won 3-1 at Colorado Mines, who is fourth in the conference standings. It was the school’s first series win on the road in league play, since it became an RMAC member in 2012.