As the semester comes to a close, the Southern Utah University Softball team is heading to Washington to play against Seattle University. The Thunderbirds will play in a weekend tournament in hopes of taking home a series win for the second weekend in a row.
Southern Utah will play in a double header on Friday, April 18, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., with a third game on Saturday, April 19, at noon. All three games will take place at Logan Field and can be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds are currently 11-23 overall and 6-9 in Western Athletic Conference play, ranking seventh in the WAC.
This season has provided struggles for Southern Utah, one of which is their inability to maintain momentum throughout the game. They are often the first to push runs across the plate, but struggle to maintain that tight offense as the game progresses.
However, the team has worked hard and made changes that aided in their series win against Utah Tech University. Batting for SUU has improved over the course of the season, with Michaella Salvatierra leading the team with a .355 batting average. Arianna Ramirez is following close behind, batting .350.
Southern Utah has been delivering more hits, which has resulted in more runs. With an impressive 29 runs against Utah Tech, SUU has stepped up its game and will be looking to keep the momentum going on offense as they prepare to face the Redhawks.
Seattle U
After an extra-inning loss to Grand Canyon University, Seattle U is currently 23-17 overall and 8-7 in WAC play, ranking fourth in the conference.
The Redhawks have had an inconsistent offense this season; they have struggled to produce runs, which has resulted in low-scoring games. They have also struggled to produce a win in close games by letting the pressure get to them. Many of their matchup games have gone into extra innings.
However, Seattle U has had many positives this season. The team has done a good job of hitting, with an overall average of .303. Avari Morris is currently leading the Redhawks with a .467 batting average.
Pitching has also elevated the team’s play. Nicola Simpson has a 1.90 ERA, ranking No. 3 in the WAC and 76 strikeouts. Berkeley Vance has also had a substantial season, with a 2.65 ERA and 54 strikeouts.
Both teams are looking for a crucial WAC win this weekend as the season wraps closer to an end. With both teams competing at a high level, it should create an exciting three-game series.
Author: Lexie Nelson
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Jack Paul
