CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University softball team will travel north to Ogden this weekend for a three-game series against the Weber State Wildcats. Live stats will be provided, and all three games will be available for viewing on ESPN+.
Series Info
Southern Utah vs Weber State
Dates: April 8-9
Location: Ogden, Utah
Venue: Wildcat Softball Field
Stream: ESPN+
Game Schedule:
Friday, April 8
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Game 1: 2:00 PM MTÂ
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Game 2: 4:00 PM MT
Saturday, April 9
Preview
The Thunderbirds (3-26, 0-6) will return to the diamond Friday, following a hard-fought series against Montana this past weekend.
The T-Birds came up empty for the series but put together three of their best hitting performances of the season.Â
A difficult challenge awaits Southern Utah this weekend as they face a talented and experienced team in Weber State, the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky Conference. The Wildcats, behind a dominant pitching rotation complemented by a nearly-flawless defense and strong offensive lineup, have compiled a record of 25-8 this season.
WSU has picked up marquee victories over Power Five schools Kansas, Texas A&M, and Utah, while going undefeated in two separate non-conference tournaments.
The Wildcats have been fueled by their commanding pitching rotation this season, which has compiled a conference-leading ERA of just 3.20 this year. Arissa Henderson leads the way for WSU, as she has amassed a 2.12 ERA across 86 innings pitched and holds a record of 9-1 this season. Henderson has totaled 93 strikeouts and is holding opposing hitters to just .232 hitting at the plate.
Behind Henderson, Amanda Sink has put together a 3.58 ERA this year and is yet to lose a game on the mound, boasting a record of 7-0. Mariah Ramirez rounds out the experienced pitching staff, as she holds an ERA of 3.92 across 78.2 innings this season. Ramirez has struck out 79 batters; but, she has also allowed 11 homers this year.
The pitching rotation has received significant help from a lethal defense that has only committed 23 errors on the season.
Weber State's offense has not been as successful as their pitching and fielding, but they still boast a formidable lineup.
Faith Hoe leads WSU in batting average (.371), OB% (.438), and doubles (8) this season. She is yet to hit a home run this year but has still tallied 23 RBI. Chloe Camerero is the strongest power hitter in the lineup, as she ranks second on the team in batting average (.321), while leading the squad in slugging percentage (.670) and home runs (10).
Southern Utah is still seeking their first conference victory; however, the team has put together strong performances on offense in the past four contests.Â
In three games against Montana last weekend, the T-Birds tallied 30 hits and 26 runs, including five home runs and two grand slams.
Makall Whetten continues to lead SUU in batting average (.266), OB% (.440), runs scored (13) and number of times hit by a pitch (9), which also ranks first in the Big Sky Conference. The senior has been the most consistent Thunderbird at the plate this season and has the most extra-base hits on the team.
Freshman Jayne Sepulveda's average continued to rise after going 4/11 in three contests against Montana, including crushing her second home run of the season. Sepulveda is now second on the team in batting average (.258) and runs scored (12).
Capri Franzen saw her batting average and slugging percentage soar following an incredible performance against the Grizzlies, where she went a combined 5/11, hitting three home runs on the weekend, one of which was a grand slam. She is now batting .256 and holds a slugging percentage of .513.
In Big Sky play, Southern Utah currently ranks second in the conference in slugging percentage (.476), third in doubles (11), and fourth in both batting average (.294) and home runs (6).
Southern Utah will need to continue their strong offensive production and limit errors in the field to take down the Wildcats this weekend and secure their first conference victory.
History
Southern Utah holds an all-time record of 12-20 against Weber State, and the T-Birds went 1-2 against the Wildcats last season. This weekend's series will be the last between the two programs as conference opponents, as Southern Utah Athletics will enter the Western Athletic Conference following the conclusion of this season.Â
Follow Us
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