DENVER – The MSU Denver softball team, riding a school-record 19-game winning streak, plans to be ready to go to work again this weekend.
 
"Sometimes it sounds like a cliché, but we talk during the week about just showing up on the weekend, and in the middle of the weekend we just worry about which game is the next one," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "This team has been really good about that."
 
The Roadrunners (23-5 overall, 16-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), already with a three-game lead over national No. 10 Colorado Christian in the league standings, head south this weekend for a four-game series at CSU Pueblo (9-18, 7-9).
 
Doubleheaders are scheduled for Saturday at noon and Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
The Roadrunners will look to extend their winning streak against a team it has beaten in 11 of their last 12 matchups.
 
The RMAC doesn't have an official record for longest winning streak, though Colorado Christian won 34 in a row at one point last season so there's clearly a ways to go.
 
Though faltering early, CSU Pueblo is coming off a 3-1 series win last weekend at New Mexico Highlands.
 
"They have some good hitters, and a few girls have put up some really nice numbers," Van Wetzinga said. "They can put up some runs if we don't keep things in check. They're the only team who has attempted more stolen bases than us (MSU Denver has the most successful stolen bases)."
 
While MSU Denver's offense has been prolific – the Roadrunners rank third in Division II in batting average (.373), first in hits (291), second in runs (211), second in doubles (66), second in doubles per game (2.4), ninth in stolen bases (56), 10^th in runs per game (7.5) and 12^th in slugging percentage (.570) – other aspects of the game have been on point, too.
 
The Roadrunners are highly athletic on defense and have an underrated pitching staff led by returning RMAC Freshman of the Year Jenna Medhus (6-0, 3.08 ERA).
 
Coming on strong has been Maddy Wilson (5-1, 4.36), who was called upon for just 24 1/3 innings of work in three seasons at Division I Fairfield. She pitched 45 1/3 innings for the Roadrunners last season and went 4-1, 5.76.
 
She's won her last four starts while compiling a 2.67 ERA.
 
"Experience leads to confidence and that's a big part of it," Van Wetzinga said. "We've wanted her to get innings – it keeps all our pitchers fresh, and it gives teams different looks. We're not asking any of our pitchers to go seven innings and shut the other team out.
 
"It's a team effort, and we need our offense to show up and score runs. And if we need two pitchers, or more, to finish a game. that's fine."
 
MSU Denver has been potent up and down the lineup, and that includes right fielder Katie Maney, who is on a five-game hitting streak during which she's batted .500 (7-for-14) with two homers and seven RBIs.
 
"We've been seeing it coming for a few weeks," Van Wetzinga said. "You can see her putting together more consistent, more mature at-bats, not trying to do too much, having productive at-bats."
 
But no one has been hotter of late than outfielder Shelby Robb, the 2021 All-American who is batting .506 for the season.
 
Robb is on a 14-game hitting streak in which she is batting .622 (28-for-45). Not only does she lead the RMAC in hitting (44-for-87), she also has 12 doubles, three homers, 35 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.
 
Nationally she ranks third in hits, eighth in RBIs, 18^th in total bases (65), 19^th in batting and 28^th in stolen bases.
 
"Obviously you don't hit .500 at this point without being consistent," Van Wetzinga said. "She's having fun, and she realizes that if an at-bat doesn't go the way she likes, she can flush it and go on to the next one. The season can be long, and you can't be too up or too down."