DENVER – Our simulation game is rolling out again, and this time it's for MSU Denver softball.
 
The Roadrunners were off to one of their best seasons ever when the season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Otherwise, it's very possible their season could still be going even now. And, since MSU Denver played host to the NCAA Division II National Championships for softball last year at this time – and will do so again in both 2021 and 2022 – it makes for a great time to run our simulation series.
 
If you followed along for our baseball simulation, then you know what's happening. If not, let's get you up to speed.
 
Some of the best players in Roadrunners history will be back in action, virtually, over the course of the next week.
 
We've selected 36 of the program's best-ever past performers and split them into two teams, and starting Tuesday we will be playing a best-of-7 simulated series between the teams.
 
With the help of coach Annie Van Wetzinga and input from the MSU Denver Athletics Communication staff, we've identified the players, rated their defensive and baserunning abilities and divided them into teams: Team Johnson (in honor of original Roadrunners coach Pat Johnson) and Team Fisher (in honor of former Roadrunners coach Jen Fisher, the first coach after the program was reinstated for the 2008 season after a 17-year absence).
 
Players from the pre-1991 era, as well as several from the first three or four years following 2008, are on Team Johnson. The more modern players are on Team Fisher.
 
For the next step, we took all the players' career statistics and prorated them into a 162-game season to align them with a major league season.
 
Then, we turned to the Play Index on Baseball-Reference.com, plugging in four key statistics to generate a list of players who had similar seasons at the major league level. For example, the career of former Roadrunners slugger Tara Mickelson most closely aligns with that of Babe Ruth in 1921. Pitcher Christie Robinson's career aligns closely with Lefty Grove in 1931.

Next, we've gone through an archive of APBA player cards. APBA is, in our opinion, the best of several simulation games that are on the market. Unlike a video game, where the players can control the action and results because of their skill in playing the video game, in a simulation game, there is no operator control. "Coaches" set their lineups, call for certain plays (hit-and-run or sacrifice) and make substitutions, but once the dice is rolled, the players perform more or less the way they did in real life. Over time, a .200 hitter will hit close to .200, and a .300 hitter will hit close to .300. Once the dice is rolled, the performances of the hitters and the pitchers in real life, plus the abilities of the fielders and baserunners, control what happens.
 
Back to the APBA cards: we are in possession of all major-league players from 1965 through 1982, some from 1993 and all of the players from 1999, as well as a number of all-time great players and teams from 1900 through 1950. So more modern player comps aren't available. However, that doesn't affect the overall design of our simulation.
 
Once the comps were finished and the corresponding APBA cards were pulled, we then customized the player cards to set up the game for play.

For a brief scouting report, expect Team Johnson to rely on pitching and defense with its roster comprised of many high-average, low-power players from an earlier era of softball. And its pitching should be very solid, a reflection of the era as well. There is just enough offensive firepower to make things interesting. Team Fisher features better offensive numbers from top-to-bottom and will benefit from having three pitchers who are also heavy hitters, giving the team multiple options off the bench. Overall, though, its pitchers -- who competed in a higher-scoring era -- don't have the career statistics to match Team Johnson's, so Team Fisher will likely rely on winning in higher-scoring games.

So, we're all set. A link to the comps worksheets is here (XLS):
 
Games 1 through 4 will be played Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Games 5 through 7, if necessary, are scheduled for May 26, May 27 and May 28. Live stats will be available as the games are played. Check social media for game times.

The rosters are below:

TEAM JOHNSON

Pos.	Player	Career	MLB Player Season Comp.
C-3B	Tara Mickelson	2009-10	Babe Ruth, 1921
C	Lauren Hainlen	2008-11	Jason Thompson, 1989
1B	Kasey Nichols	2011-12	Rico Carty, 1970
1B-3B	Michelle Hermosillo	1986-89	Hank Severeid, 1922
2B	Mary Munger	1984-85	Glenn Beckert, 1971
2B	Sarah Rusch	2008-10	Hack Wilson, 1930
SS-P	Nancy Kogle	1988-90	O: Nap Lajoie, 1901 P: Dan Osinski, 1969
3B-LF	Jan Julius	1983-85	Mark Grudzielanek, 1999
LF-2B	Patsy Marcely	1984-85	Cesar Tovar, 1971
OF-1B-3B	Kathi Erickson	1987-90	Carney Lansford, 1981
CF	Kathy Magda	1983-86	Stuffy McInnis, 1911
OF-2B-SS	Kristy Heckman	1985-87	Carney Lansford, 1981
RF-CF	Kellie Nishikida	2009-10	George Brett, 1980
LF-RF	Ashley Johnson	2008	Hack Wilson, 1930
P	Christie Robinson	2009-10	Lefty Grove, 1931
P	Liz Miret	1983-86	P: Moredcai Brown, 1906 O: Tim Foli, 1972
P	Dianna Pacheco	1989-90	P: Nick Altrock, 1906 O: Joe Strain, 1980
P	Brenda Losinski	1986-89	P: Frank Owen, 1906 O: Marty Perez, 1975

TEAM FISHER

Pos.	Player	Career	MLB Player Season Comp.
C	Kelsey Tillery	2011-14	Hank Greenberg, 1934
C	Sarena Espinoza	2015-18	Hank Greenberg, 1934
1B-RF	Chelsea Brew	2011-15	Phil Nevin, 1999
2B	Kaylynn Harmon	2014-15	George Brett, 1980
2B-SS	Ashlee Kim	2016-19	Gene Richards, 1980
SS	Amber Roundtree	2008-11	George Brett, 1980
SS	Susie Oury	2012-15	Ty Cobb, 1909
3B-LF	Mary Towner	2012-15	Jim Rice, 1979
LF-3B	Jennessa Tesone	2008-11	Al Simmons, 1930
RF	Dani Sandel	2013-14	Paul Molitor, 1979
CF	Molly Clark	2008-12	Dave Parker, 1978
CF	Colissa Bakovich	2014-17	Fred Snodgrass, 1911
RF	Annika Anderson	2015-18	Rod Carew, 1975
OF	Kristyn Peters	2016-18	Pete Rose, 1978
P-SS-2B	Cassidy Smith	2014-17	P: Ray Caldwell, 1920 O: Garry Maddox, 1976
P-DH	Julia Diehl	2010-11	P: Mel Stottlemyre, 1965 O: Willie Stargell, 1974
P-1B-RF	Aubree Maul	2010-14	P: Stan Bahnsen, 1972 O: Tony Perez, 1972
P	Brittany Moss	2009-13	Bill Bonham, 1975

SCHEDULE
Game 1: Tuesday
Game 2: Wednesday
Game 3: Thursday
Game 4: Friday
Game 5 (if necessary): May 26
Game 6 (if necessary): May 27
Game 7 (if necessary): May 28