CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbirds will kick off their season this Friday, February 9, at the Fullerton Easton Classic. The T-Birds will square off with three different opponents throughout the weekend, including the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of the Pacific, and Colorado State University.
Game Information
Southern Utah at the Fullerton Easton Classic
Friday, February 9, 2024 - Sunday, February 11, 2024
SUU vs. UIC: 10:30 a.m. MT Friday Live Stats
SUU vs. Pacific: 3:00 p.m. MT Saturday Live Stats
SUU vs. CSU: 5:30 p.m. MT Saturday Live Stats
SUU vs. UIC: 10:00 a.m. MT Sunday Live Stats
SUU vs. Pacific 12:30 p.m. MT Sunday Live Stats
Coach Don Don Williams Said
"This is always an exciting time of the year for the team. They have put the work in on and off the field during our off-season and are ready to go."
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds will look to open the season strong and improve with some balanced games early in the year. The T-Birds have retained a few key starters and brought in plenty of new faces to round out the lineup. "We have more depth and athleticism on the roster," said coach Williams.
The Thunderbirds were led last year on offense by Sophomore infielder Emily Gonzalez. Gonzalez hit five doubles and nine home runs, including three against rivals Utah Tech. Gonzalez led the team with a batting average of .383 and 29 RBIs in the 23 campaign. Senior Infielder Miranda Lopez improved steadily over the course of last season, finishing the year with a .303 batting average and three doubles.
Junior pitcher Keimon Winston led the team with 30 strikeouts last season and will look to build off a 3-9 record from last year. Sophomore Riley Nielson also will return to the rubber for the Thunderbirds, looking to continue her improvement from her freshman campaign. Coach Williams said of the squad, "This team is determined and gritty. I expect to see that on the field this year."
UIC Flames
The Flames are coming off a challenging 9-43 season and are looking to improve drastically. They won three of their final five games last season, earning a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, where they fell in the first round to Southern Illinois.
The Flames return their batting average leader from a season ago in Alannah Cran, who hit .318 with three doubles and two triples. UIC also returns home runs leader Hailey Cowing, who crushed three home runs last season, hitting .236 en route to leading the team in RBIs with 15.
In the circle, the Flames will return their ace, graduate student Christina Toniolo, who posted an impressive 3.99 ERA over 173 innings pitched. Toniolo led the team in strikeouts with 97, holding opposing teams to just a .280 batting average. Miranda Gomez also returns to the roster for the Flames. Gomez pitched 85 innings last season, accumulating a 4.45 ERA and 45 strikeouts.
University of the Pacific
The Tigers are coming into the 2024 campaign, having struggled to a 10-30 record last season. Pacific was just 1-14 in a very competitive West Coast Conference, finishing the season with five consecutive road losses.
The Tigers return their Home Runs leader from a year ago in Rian Dirmeyer. Dirmeyer hit just .214 on the season, but her three doubles, two triples, and five home runs made her a leader at the plate for Pacific. Allie Capello has the highest returning batting average for the Tigers, posting a .277 average over 101 at-bats last season.
Graduate student Vanessa Strong returns to the circle for the Tigers, having pitched the most innings for the team in 2023 with 84. Strong held a 3.56 ERA on the season and worked her way to a 5-8 record. Look to see her take the majority of the innings this weekend.
Colorado State Rams
Colorado State softball enters the 2024 season with high expectations, boasting a formidable lineup that includes nine of last year's starters. Following their impressive third-place finish in the Mountain West in 2023, the Rams are poised to make an even stronger showing this year.
Led by standout players like Ashley York, who dominated at the plate with a .401 batting average last season, and key players like Hailey Smith, Molly Gates, and Danielle Serna, who earned All-Conference honors last season. In 2023, they demonstrated their offensive strength by ranking second in total runs scored with an impressive tally of 138 team runs.
Senior pitcher Sydney Hornbuckle returns to the circle after being the only Ram in 2023 to pitch over 100 innings, totaling 105 last season and posting a 4.13 ERA. Colorado State welcomes back five returning pitchers who combined for a 5.03 ERA last season.
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