Following a devastating three-game sweep to Grand Canyon University last week, the Southern Utah University softball team aims to snap their losing streak against Utah Tech University for a weekend series.
Southern Utah will play in a doubleheader on Friday, April 11, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and a third game on Saturday, April 12, at noon. All three games will take place at the Kathryn Berg Field in Cedar City and can be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds are 9-22 overall and 4-8 in Western Athletic Conference play, ranking last in the WAC.
This season, the Thunderbirds have struggled with having a consistent offense. Despite their best efforts, SUU hasn’t had the ability to produce runs. Last week, Southern Utah was only able to plate seven runs against GCU. Players are also often left on base if they are able to create runs, which has led to low-scoring games this season.
“Runners left on base have plagued our offense,” said Head Coach Don Don Williams.
Southern Utah has also struggled to maintain early leads. Often, the Thunderbird offense scores first but tends to lose that momentum in the later innings. If they can keep that momentum up, they will be successful throughout the rest of the season.
However, the Thunderbirds have had many positives this season. The pitching provided by Emily Delgado has kept SUU competitive in their matchups this season. Delgado has a 3.56 earned run average. Michaella Salvatierra has been a consistent offensive contributor, batting .327 with 18 runs this season. Arianna Ramirez has also been a key player, hitting .312 batting average and 29 hits.
Utah Tech
Ahead of this matchup, the Trailblazers are 14-25 in overall play and 5-10 in conference play, ranking eighth in the WAC.
The Utah Tech offense has struggled this season, with pitching being a concern. The team currently has a combined ERA of 7.07.
The Trailblazers have also struggled in the field; inconsistencies have resulted in unearned runs, which would be crucial to a victory. They have also struggled against higher-ranked teams. However, against Brigham Young University, they were able to score seven runs, which highlights their determination even against such teams.
Utah Tech has been resilient this season, giving their all on the field. Infielder Cassidy Hornung has been a significant contributor. Hornung has successfully stolen 12 bases in 16 attempts and has a fielding percentage of .972.
Both teams have struggled this season, being the eighth and ninth ranking teams in the WAC, but if both teams bring their A-game and stay consistent, it will be an exciting matchup.
Author: Lexie Nelson
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Jack Paul
