DENVER – Here we go again.
 
Fresh off a six-game week that included five victories, the MSU Denver softball team is ready for an encore performance this week, playing host to a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at 11 a.m. against Fort Hays State (Kan.) before a Saturday-Sunday Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader at UCCS, which first pitches scheduled for noon and 11 a.m.
 
"That's what we want to do, play games," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "We had so much practice time during the delays, and we practice so much anyway, you get burned out with that. You want to go out and compete.
 
"This next stretch is going to be fun. We have to take care of ourselves and be smart about what we're doing physically, but it's fun to just go play."
 
The Roadrunners appear to be showing no after effects from being able to play just four games from the scheduled start of the season Feb. 12 through March 18.
 
In fact, after suffering a four-game sweep at the hands of current No. 19 Colorado Mesa on Feb. 28 and March 1, the Roadrunners are 13-1 since, including 12-0 in RMAC play.
 
MSU Denver, in third place in the RMAC at 12-4, swept a four-game series at Chadron State over the weekend, scoring at least nine runs in every game and a total of 38.
 
The increased offensive production would be helpful again this week.
 
Fort Hays State is 13-13 overall and is an impressive 7-3 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Tigers' team ERA is 2.35.
 
"They have strong pitching," Van Wetzinga said. "So that's why it was nice to see that we did what we did offensively over the weekend. Up and down the lineup, it wasn't just hits, we were getting some timely hits. We were having more productive at-bats with people on base, which had been killing us.
 
"We'll need to continue that against Fort Hays. We need to get people on base and then capitalize on it."
 
Back in league play this weekend, run production could be critical against UCCS (13-13 overall, 12-10 RMAC).
 
"It's one of those places where you can get into a high-scoring game, because the fences aren't that deep and it's at a higher elevation," Van Wetzinga said. "So our pitchers need to be sharp and not elevate the ball too much."
 
When it comes to preventing runs, the Roadrunners have more than capable options in program all-time strikeout leader Darby McGhee and emerging potential co-ace Destinee Lopez.
 
Lopez was the RMAC Pitcher of the Week on March 23, and McGhee won the award March 30.
 
Lopez is making a bid for this week's award after going 3-0 with one save and a 1.69 ERA while appearing in five of the Roadrunners' six games last week, pitching two complete games – one of which was a shutout.
 
She pitched 20 2/3 innings and struck out 21 while giving up 19 hits and seven runs (five earned) with 7 walks. She capped the week by matching a career-high of eight strikeouts in a complete-game win at Chadron State, when she allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits in seven innings. She opened the week with a victory over Nebraska-Kearney, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings.
 
Then she opened the Chadron State series by pitching out of a seventh-inning jam to earn the save in the first game, then pitched a five-inning, complete-game, two-hit  shutout in the second game. She pitched 12 1/3 innings in three appearances against Chadron State, going 2-0 with one save and an 0.57 ERA.
 
For the season, she leads the RMAC with a 1.43 ERA and three saves, is second with a .194 opponent batting average and ranks 10th with 35 strikeouts. In league play she is first with a 1.24 ERA, second with a .207 opponent batting average and 10th with 31 strikeouts.
 
"She's throwing awesome right now," Van Wetzinga said. "Just really consistent. It's not surprising because we've seen it from her before, but what we're seeing is her approach and her composure in the circle. Nothing is rattling her. She's showing really good toughness and leadership.
 
"She's giving us really strong innings."