CHADRON, Neb. -- March 24, 2017 -- Chadron State College softball hosts Black Hills State University for four games this weekend, in a clash of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rivals.

BHSU brings to town a team that has lost nine consecutive games, and 13 of its last 14, settling for a 3-17 record and is 1-11 in conference. However, seven of the Yellow Jackets' losses are by three runs or less, with four decided by a single run.

Chadron State, at 11-15 (8-7 RMAC), has not lost a conference series, but has split its last three at two games apiece. The Eagles are fifth in the conference standings 

The two sides' only common opponent so far is CSU-Pueblo who won four at home over the Yellow Jackets and split with the Eagles.

Black Hills is batting a league-low .242 for the season, while CSC bats just a bit better with a .260 average. However, the Eagles have been hitting near .300 as a team since conference play began.

Black Hills State outfielder Morgan Smith leads her team's regular starters, batting .356 for the season, while the Eagles' Lindsey Karlin has CSC's best hitting statistics, batting .396 and slugging .571, with an on-base percentage of .494.

Both teams give up about five earned runs per game.

Senior Stefanie Witman is the number one for the Yellow Jackets with an ERA of 4.52 and an opponent batting average of .291. 

Freshman Jessica Jarecki continues to lead the Eagles and enters with the fourth-most strikeouts in the RMAC (57) and the 10th-ranked ERA of 3.15. Senior Kinsley Mason's last three games have seen a return to her early season form, as she has carried a 4.20 ERA and held opponents to .268 through those three appearances, going 2-1.

The Eagles and Yellow Jackets take the field on Saturday at noon, and on Sunday at 11 a.m. for doubleheaders both days.