CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University softball team will return home this weekend to face the Idaho State Bengals in a three-game series, beginning Saturday with a doubleheader at 12 PM MT. Southern Utah will honor their senior class following the second game of the day and will then close out the series with a final game on Sunday set for 12 PM MT.
Series Info
Southern Utah vs Idaho State
Dates: April 23-24
Location: Cedar City, Utah
Venue: Kathryn Berg Field
Stream: ESPN+
Game Schedule:
Saturday, April 23
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Game 1: 12:00 PM MT
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Game 2: 2:00 PM MT
Sunday, April 24
Preview
The Thunderbirds (3-32, 0-12) are looking to bounce back after being swept on the road by Portland State last weekend. The T-Birds came up just short in the second and third games of the series; but, they will now turn their attention to a solid Idaho State squad.
The Bengals (19-21, 3-6) have had an up and down season thus far; however, they won their most recent conference series against Montana two weeks ago and boast marquee wins over Providence, Boise State, and Utah State (2x).Â
The Bengals sit in fourth place in the Big Sky in both hitting and pitching this season, collecting a batting average of .292 as a team, while their pitching staff has compiled an ERA of 4.14 this year.Â
On offense, they are led by one of the best players in the conference in junior Angelica Cano. Cano has put together an incredible season so far, as she leads ISU in a multitude of categories, including batting average (.359), slugging percentage (.680), OB% (.440), RBI (42), and home runs (10).
Leadoff hitter Rheanne Lewis has also compiled a strong season thus far. She ranks second on the team in batting average at .347 and is a major threat on the basepaths as she leads the Big Sky with 18 stolen bases on 18 attempts this season.
ISU boasts a deep pitching staff but has primarily relied on the tandem of Haley Rainey and Emma McMurray. Rainey has had an outstanding freshman season, leading the Bengals in innings pitched (119), ERA (3.35), strikeouts (126), and wins (11).Â
McMurray has also put together an impressive season thus far, compiling a 3.63 ERA over 63.2 innings of work. McMurray also leads the team in opposing batting average, as she is holding opponents to just .230 batting at the plate this year.
Although the Bengals possess both a powerful offensive lineup and a formidable pitching staff, they have struggled with consistency this season.
The Thunderbirds are still seeking their first conference victory but have a prime opportunity to send off their seniors with some home victories this weekend.
Makenna Calderon has continued her tear throughout conference play, reaching base in four out of the past five contests. Calderon is batting .333 across 12 Big Sky games this season and has stolen a perfect six bases on six attempts.Â
Makall Whetten continues to lead SUU in batting average (.247) and OB% (.420), as the senior will look to have a huge weekend and help the T-Birds secure their first home victory of the season in one of her final Big Sky series' at Kathryn Berg Field.
Payton Goodrich turned in her best performance of the season in game three against Portland State. She will look to build upon that and shut down the Idaho State offense this weekend.
An incredible senior class, which includes Dream Weaver, Reilly Williams, Gianna Carosone, along with Whetten, will be honored in a ceremony following the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday. Â
A strong performance from the senior class will be key this weekend if they hope to secure their first Big Sky series win and close out their strong careers on a memorable note with the season winding down.
History
Southern Utah leads the all-time series against the Bengals, winning 16 out of 30 overall contests between the two programs. SUU also currently holds a three-game win streak against Idaho State and has won five of the last seven in the series.
Follow Us
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