The top two softball teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will vie on Saturday for the league’s postseason title and automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Championships as Colorado Christian and Colorado State Pueblo won semifinal matches on Friday.
With the first pitch at 12 p.m. at Blue Sky All-Star Park at Keli McGregor Field in Lakewood, top-seeded Colorado Christian (53-4) advanced with a 6-3 win over fifth-seeded UCCS (33-22) in the single-elimination playoff. CCU WEB ARTICLE / UCCS WEB ARTICLE
Felesha LePenske, who posted her 22nd pitching win in 23 decisions this season, scored the go-ahead run in the game when she crossed the plate on Peyton Marvel’s two-out single in the fourth inning. Marvel also produced the Cougars’ third run in CCU’s three-run first frame.
Second-seeded CSU Pueblo (39-16) secured its spot in the finale with a 1-0 victory over third-seeded MSU Denver (36-20). The only run in the game was on a one-out home run by Darleen Falcon in the third inning. CSUP WEB ARTICLE / MSUD WEB ARTICLE
The second semi-final was a classic pitching duel as RMAC pitcher of the year McKenna James (20-9) gave up only one hit, a fourth-inning single. Losing pitcher Natalie Romero (15-10) gave up two hits.
For Colorado Christian, the Cougars will be seeking their fourth RMAC crown in the last five years. It was the sixth consecutive year that Colorado Christian appeared in the championship game and the seventh overall, with a 3-3 record.
CSU Pueblo, which split a pair of doubleheaders last weekend against Colorado Christian in the Steel City, is appearing in its fourth RMAC title game. The ThunderWolves captured the title in 2001 and dropped the finals in 2006 and 2016.
Since taking over the CCU program in 2018, Larry Hays has compiled a 338-82 record with the Cougars (80.5 percent). At CSU Pueblo for her fifth season, Biana Duran has a 130-131 record.
As the nation’s sixth-ranked team, Colorado Christian appears to be headed to its seventh NCAA Division II postseason. CSU Pueblo, which was ranked seventh in the South Central regional polls, is seeking its third trip to the national championships and first since 2009.
The NCAA Division II softball selection show is scheduled for Monday, when the championship bracket will be revealed via live streaming on NCAA.com. The 64-team field will consist of 23 automatic qualifiers and 41 at-large bids. The tournament will conclude on Wednesday, June 3, at Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. READ MORE
Past RMAC postseason tournament championship games.
- 2026 – Colorado Christian vs. CSU Pueblo at Lakewood
- 2025 – Colorado Christian 6, Colorado Mesa 0 at Lakewood
- 2024 – Regis 4, Colorado Christian 3 at Grand Junction
- 2023 – Colorado Christian 8, Colorado Mesa 3 at Lakewood
- 2022 – Colorado Christian 9, MSU Denver 5 at Grand Junction
- 2021 – Colorado Mesa 9, Colorado Christian 7 at Grand Junction
- 2020 – Covid
- 2019 – Utah Tech 4, Colorado Mesa 1 at Grand Junction
- 2018 – Colorado Mesa 8, Colorado Christian 2 at Grand Junction
- 2017 – Colorado Mesa 2, Colorado Mines 1 at Grand Junction
- 2016 – MSU Denver 4, CSU Pueblo 1 at Grand Junction
- 2015 – Regis 1, MSU Denver 0 at Denver
- 2014 – MSU Denver 2, Fort Lewis 1 at Grand Junction
- 2013 – Colorado Mines 1, Adams State 0 at Golden
2012 – Fort Lewis 7, Colorado Christian 4 at Golden - 2011 – Regis 5, Adams State 2 at Golden
- 2010 – MSU Denver 11, Colorado Mesa 9 at Denver
- 2009 – MSU Denver 8, Colorado Mesa 0 at Denver
- 2008 – Fort Lewis 5, Adams State 2 at Golden
- 2007 – Western New Mexico 5, CSU Pueblo 3 at Grand Junction
- 2006 – Regis 11, CSU Pueblo 2 at Denver
- 2005 – Regis 5, UCCS 0 at Denver
- 2004 – UCCS 6, Regis 3 at Colorado Springs
- 2003 – Fort Hays State 5, Nebraska Kearney 3 at Kearney
- 2002 – Regis 6, Colorado Mesa 0 at Grand Junction
- 2001 – CSU Pueblo 3, Colorado Mesa 0 at Grand Junction
- 2000 – Colorado Mesa 4, Nebraska-Kearney 1 at Kearney
- 1999 – Nebraska-Kearney 3, Fort Hays State 0 at Kearney
- 1998 – Nebraska-Kearney 10, Colorado Mesa 1 at Colorado Springs
- 1997 – Nebraska-Kearney 4, Colorado Mesa 3 at Kearney
- 1996 – Nebraska-Kearney 9, Colorado Mesa 1 at Golden
- 1995 – Nebraska Kearney 6, Colorado Mesa 5
- 1994 – not available
- 1993 – Adams State 6, Colorado Mesa 1
- 1992 – Colorado Mesa 10, New Mexico Highlands 6
- 1991 – Adams State 6, Colorado Mesa 5
- 1990 – Nebraska-Kearney 4, Adams State 0
- 1989 – Colorado Mesa vs. NA
- 1988 – Adams State vs. NA
- 1987 0 Adams State 4, Colorado Mesa 1
- 1986 – Southern Utah 3, Colorado Mesa 0 at Durango
- 1985 – canceled due to weather
- 1984 – Southern Utah 7, New Mexico Highlands 2 at Cedar City
- 1983 – Colorado Mesa 3, New Mexico Highlands 2 at Grand Junction
- 1982 – Colorado Mesa 11, New Mexico Highlands 2 at Alamosa
- 1981 – Southern Utah 7, Colorado Mesa 2 at Las Vegas
- 1980 – Southern Utah 8, Western Colorado 6 (@Southern Utah)
