To kick off the 2025 season, the Southern Utah University women’s softball team competed in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Classic starting on Friday, Feb. 7. Southern Utah went 1-4 over the three-day tournament, competing against the University of Oregon, UNLV and the University at Buffalo.
Game one
Southern Utah started hot, scoring four runs in the first inning. Arianna Ramirez got things going with a double that scored one run. Later in the inning, Alayah Toscano doubled to right field, scoring another run and increasing the lead to 4-0.
Oregon responded quickly off of home runs from Emma Cox and Paige Sinicki. After Southern Utah added another run in the second inning, the Ducks scored eight runs in the top of the third to take a 9-5 lead.
Amyah Boostedt responded in the bottom of the third with a home run for SUU to cut the lead to three. All hope was diminished for the Thunderbirds when Sinicki hit a grand slam in the top of the fifth to seal the game for Oregon, 18-9.
Game two
Southern Utah faced off against UNLV in game two of their five-game tournament. Ramirez once again started the scoring for SUU with a single that scored Laurie Cook.
It was all Rebels after the first inning. UNLV scored nine-straight runs including a home run from Diamond Sefe. Sefe led the Rebels with a team-high three runs batted in. UNLV held on to the 9-1 lead for the win.
Game three
With a rematch against Oregon, the Ducks continued to dominate. Oregon scored six runs in the top of the first, making it very difficult for Southern Utah to stay in the game.
Michella Salvatierra singled to left field, scoring Boostedt, cutting the lead to five. Oregon scored freely, knocking in 10 more runs over the next three innings and sealing the 16-2 win.
Game four
Looking to build some momentum, Southern Utah faced off against Buffalo. Kassidy Munoz opened the game for the Thunderbirds with an RBI double. Lily Lauck responded in the first with a two-run double to take the lead.
After some back-and-forth play, Ramirez hit an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly by Munoz to give SUU a 5-3 lead in the fourth. After a sacrifice fly in the fourth for Buffalo, Isabella Smithson hit a two-run home run to take a 6-5 lead in the fifth inning.
Down one in the sixth inning, Ramirez hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 6-6. Tawine Mozeris hit a two-run double, and eventually, SUU took a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.
Mia Mitchell homered for Buffalo, cutting the Thunderbirds lead to just two, but in the top of the seventh, SUU sealed their win off of a double from Munoz.
Game five
The Thunderbirds met up with the Rebels once again, trying to win two straight games. UNLV scored five-straight runs, including a home run off the bat of Bri Williams.
Mozeris responded for the Thunderbirds with a grand slam, cutting the lead to one. Ariyana Miranda tied the game at five with an RBI double to right-center field. In the eighth inning, Taralyn Ollison scored on a wild pitch, giving SUU the one-run lead.
Looking to tie or take the lead, UNLV’s Karmyna Becerra hit a single up the middle to score Gwyn Burrnett and tied the game at 6. In the ninth inning, Amelia Weber hit a single to win the game for the Rebels 7-6.
Southern Utah finished the tournament 1-4.
What’s next?
Southern Utah will compete in the Long Beach Louisville Slugger Invitational in Long Beach, California, starting on Friday, Feb. 14.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Gannon Lovisa
Editor: Chevy Blackburn
