CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah University softball will host its first games of the season this week when the Thunderbirds face the University of Utah and IPFW at Kathryn Berg Field. SUU is slated to face Utah on Wednesday with a three-game set scheduled with IPFW on Friday and Saturday.
Southern Utah will enter the week with an overall mark of 5-12 with victories over Texas State, Sam Houston State, Louisiana-Monroe and Seattle. The Thunderbirds started the year with a schedule that included three opponents nationally ranked in the top 10 in Hawaii, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
SUU bats began to come around over the past five games with five home runs over the stretch after beginning the year with four through the first 12 games of the season. Darleen Fernandez has provided the most pop with three home runs and a team-best 11 RBI. Overall, Southern Utah is hitting .228 from the plate with 14 doubles, one triple and nine home runs.
The Thunderbird defense has really been the story of the season as the team has tallied a Summit League best 14 double plays. The mark is the most since the 2008 team turned 21.
The doubleheader against the University of Utah is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. with live stats anticipated to be available online at www.suutbirds.com. A 1:00 p.m. start is also scheduled for the doubleheader with IPFW on Friday with the third game of the series scheduled for Saturday at Noon.
Last Time
Southern Utah went 2-3 at the tournament in Boise State last weeked, picking up victories over Seattle, but falling in each game against Boise State. The Thunderbirds tallied five home runs over the five-game stretch after hitting four home runs all season up to that point.
Scouting Utah
The University of Utah will enter the games on Wednesday afternoon with an overall record of 8-13 on the year and winners of two of its last three games, including victories over Wisconsin and Florida State.
As a team, Utah is batting .269 for the year with Tia Palauni leading the way with a .576 average and a team-best four doubles, five home runs, 17 RBI and 38 total bases. Tara Glover, batting .286, leads the team in steals after nabbing a perfect 5-of-5 on the year.
In the circle, Generra Nielson has paced the Utes with a team-best seven wins, 81.0 innings pitched, 3.63 ERA and 95 strikeouts. Overall, Utah carries a 3.76 ERA and 143 strikeouts among its pitching staff while allowing opponents to hit .283 from the plate.
Scouting IPFW
IPFW will enter the games this weekend with an overall record of 6-3-1 on the year and with a game against CS-Northridge on its schedule on Wednesday. The Mastodons began the season with a four-game winning streak, but went 2-3 in their most recent tournament in Fullerton, California.
IPFW bats have averaged .272 from the plate this season with Ashleigh Bousquet leading the way with a .483 average and a team-best 14 hits. The Mastodons have only hit four home runs all year with Cassie Wolfe collecting two.
IPFW carries a team ERA of 3.28 and have kept opponent hitters at bay behind the talents of Courtney Cronin who leads the team with five victories. Cronin is also tops on the team with 40.1 innings pitched and 30 of the team's 57 strikeouts.
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