CHADRON, Neb. – After a winless non-conference season, Chadron State will hope to continue momentum built from an RMAC-opening split in a four-game series vs. New Mexico Highlands this weekend.

The Eagles (2-11, 2-2 RMAC) will travel to New Mexico to take on the Cowgirls (2-14, 0-4 RMAC), with a Saturday doubleheader set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and a Sunday doubleheader slated for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Fans can watch games online with a subscription to the RMAC Network or follow along via live stats. 

Looking Back
Chadron State split a four-game series with CSU Pueblo on the first weekend of RMAC play, winning both games in walk-off fashion. The series was played in Pueblo due to snow in Chadron, but the Eagles remained the home team in all four games.
Both of CSC's victories came in the second game of each day. On Saturday, CSU Pueblo won game one 8-0 before the Eagles triumphed 6-5. On Sunday, CSU Pueblo took the opener 17-8 before CSC rallied to win 4-3 in eight innings in the series finale.

RECAPS: Saturday | Sunday

Brynn Trujillo played the Saturday hero, earning the win in the circle with 2.2 shutout innings of relief and also delivering a walk-off single in the seventh inning to score Payton Sullivan. On Sunday, catcher Sophia Brennan had the game-winning hit in the eighth inning, with her RBI single driving home Katelynn Czerpak. 

RMAC Network Reminder
As a reminder, RMAC Network games this season now require a pay-per-view subscription to watch. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league's membership to enhance their broadcast systems and programs.
 
NEWS: RMAC Network Moves To Pay-Per-View Model
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network, including both home and away RMAC contests for Chadron State. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription (for all sports) costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants the viewer access to a single game for 24 hours. Subscriptions can be purchased through Hudl at rmacnetwork.com. 
 
RMAC Network subscriptions apply to any game that is hosted by an RMAC institution, regardless of whether or not Chadron State is playing in the game. CSC's home nonconference games are included in monthly and annual subscriptions. 
 
Fans will technical support issues can contact Hudl, visit the RMAC email the RMAC Network FAQ page, or directly email the RMAC at rmac@rmacsports.org.

Power Surge
The RMAC is known for consistently being at or near the top of Division II in home runs due in part to the high elevation of several member schools. All it took was four games in Colorado last week for the Eagles to more than double their 2026 home run total. 

After just two home runs in CSC's opening nine games of the season, the Eagles hit three against the ThunderWolves after Tiffani Mein, Elizabeth Thorngren and Brogan Allen all left the yard. Allen's homer came at a big moment in the series finale, as it tied the score at 3-3 in the sixth inning, which eventually would send the game to extras for CSC to win it in the eighth. 

The Eagles are still looking for their first player with multiple home runs this season as Payton Sullivan and Charley Pitrat each have one home run from nonconference play. Chadron State ranks ninth among 12 RMAC teams with their five home runs as a team.

Quality Start
Belle Akins earned her first win of the season with an eight-inning complete game on Sunday, allowing three runs on eight hits. 

A sophomore from Elkhorn, Nebraska, Akins is the most veteran pitcher on a CSC staff alongside two true freshmen and has carried the majority of the workload this season. Akins ranks eighth in the RMAC with 31.2 innings pitched, 10 innings more than any other pitcher on staff. 

Akins has been freezing hitters throughout 2026, as the sophomore ranks tied for second in the RMAC with eight batters struck out looking. Akins's 18 total K's are just outside the top 10 in the RMAC, while Brynn Trujillo ranks eighth in the league with 20 strikeouts for the Eagles.

First Matchup Since
Akins vs. the New Mexico Highlands lineup is a showdown both parties likely have circled on their calendar. 

Last season against NMHU, Akins twirled a five-inning no-hitter on February 24, which was only the second in CSC history and the program's first since 2011. The no-no came in Akins's first-ever RMAC start as the then-freshman struck out six and walked just two while throwing five innings in just 55 pitches.

Based on the no-hitter and a strong performance the day prior when Akins earned a win and a save in two relief appearances against the Cowgirls, Akins was named the RMAC Pitcher of the Week following last season's New Mexico Highlands series.

In the Polls
The Eagles were picked 11^th in the RMAC Preseason Poll, one year after finishing ninth.

Colorado Christian, the reigning RMAC regular season and tournament champs, were picked to win the league again, receiving 7 of 12 first-place votes. Colorado Mesa placed second in the poll, receiving three first-place votes, while MSU Denver came third and garnered the other two first-place votes. 

The rest of the poll features UCCS, CSU Pueblo, Colorado School of Mines, Black Hills State and Regis rounding out the top eight. Chadron State is scheduled to host six of the top seven teams in the preseason poll at home this season.

New Mexico Highlands, Fort Lewis, the Eagles and Adams State rounded out the poll.

In the national polls, the RMAC has one nationally-ranked program – Colorado Christian at No. 18. 

The Eagles are 0-1 against nationally ranked teams, losing to No. 8-ranked Angelo State. Chadron State has also faced two-time defending national champions UT Tyler, who were No. 1 in the country at the time of the game against CSC, but the Patriots have since fallen out of the rankings.

Scouting the Cowgirls
New Mexico Highlands is 2-14 this season but has played an extremely tough schedule. Nine of NMHU's first 16 games have been against nationally-ranked opposition, including West Texas A&M, Oklahoma Christian, UT Tyler and Central Oklahoma. In the RMAC, the Cowgirls went 0-4 against No. 20-ranked Colorado Christian. 

The Cowgirls have one regular hitter batting above .300 in freshman Hallie Watkins, who is hitting .371 with a .450 on-base percentage, two home runs and two doubles. The Cowgirls have three players with over 10 runs batted in – junior Jazmyn Griego (11 RBI, 3 HR), junior Jolissa Valdez (10 RBI, 5 2B, 2 3B) and Watkins (10 RBI). 

Valdez and Griego are also NMHU's two primary options in the circle. Valdez leads the team in innings pitched (30.1) and has a 7.62 ERA and .326 opponent batting average in nine appearances (six starts). Griego is not far behind with 24.1 innings, eight appearances and five starts and has pitched to a 9.78 ERA. Junior Liliana Vigil German has a 3.91 ERA in 14.1 innings, most of which have come in relief.

Like Chadron State, New Mexico Highlands has a first-year head coach. Kali Pugh joined NMHU from Yavapai College, where she led the Roughriders to the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference playoffs for the first time in three seasons in 2025. Pugh also coached at her alma mater, Palomar Junior College in California.

Coach's Corner
Skye Koehl (pronounced "kale") is in his first season in charge of the Chadron State program.

Koehl joins CSC after two seasons as the head coach at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado. Her teams placed second and third in NJCAA Region 9 during her two seasons in charge. 

As a player, Koehl won a junior college national championship with Temple College (Tex.) before transferring to Division I Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for her final three seasons.