CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbirds will head across the country this weekend for a tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Southern Utah will take on Drake, #17 Virginia Tech, and #21 Alabama in the Easton Bama Bash beginning on Friday, February 21, at 10:00 a.m. MT.
Southern Utah will square off with the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide on day one of the tournament before taking on the Hokies in a doubleheader on Saturday. The T-Birds wrap up the weekend on Sunday, when they will take on Drake for the second time. Live stats for the tournament can be found on the softball schedule page at suutbirds.com. Only the game against the host Alabama will be available to stream on SEC+.
Coach Don Don Williams Said
"We have another tough weekend ahead of us. We are looking to build on our performance from last week and come out and compete with some of the best teams in the nation."
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds have several key offensive weapons, making an impact early in the season. Arianna Ramirez has been a standout performer, posting a .444 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage while driving in seven runs. Ariyana Miranda (5) and Tawnie Mozeris (7) have consistently delivered in clutch moments, proving to be dangerous RBI threats. Taralyn Ollison has also been a strong contributor, hitting .350 with a .381 on-base percentage. At the top of the lineup, speedster Michaella Salvatierra has been a force on the basepaths, swiping six bases in eight attempts while also drawing six walks.
On the mound, the Thunderbirds' pitching staff has faced early-season challenges but continues to develop. Keimon Winston has emerged as the team's most reliable arm, leading with 21 innings pitched and a 1.62 WHIP. She has also recorded 13 strikeouts and secured the team's only save. Winston was dominant against Oregon State last weekend, throwing a complete-game shutout to earn her first win of the season. Emily Delgado showed improvement from opening weekend, pitching a complete game against Saint Mary's, though she took a tough 2-1 loss. Meanwhile, Riley Nielson and Delaney Baker have each made starts and are expected to play key roles in the rotation moving forward.
Across the Diamond
Drake
The Drake Bulldogs are showing promise at the plate, hitting .270 as a squad through the first four games. Frankie Rita (.462 AVG, 1.192 OPS) and Emma Dighton (.400 AVG, 1.271 OPS) have been leading the charge, while Carey Koenig (.375 AVG) has provided additional pop with two triples. The Bulldogs have flashed power with a pair of home runs and 15 RBIs, but they'll look to improve their situational hitting. On the rubber, the pitching staff holds a 3.23 ERA, with Paige Bedsworth emerging as a bright spot, posting a 1.50 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 4.2 innings. With some early control struggles and a .366 opponent batting average, tightening up the defense and command will be a key as Drake looks to build momentum this weekend on Tuscaloosa.
#17 Virginia Tech
The #17 Virginia Tech softball team has been dominant through their first 10 games, boasting an impressive .351 team batting average and a stellar 1.09 ERA from their pitching staff. Offensively, Annika Rohs leads the charge with a .476 average, while Bre Peck provides power with four home runs and 16 RBIs. Jordan Lynch has been a key contributor, hitting .419 with seven extra-base hits. Emma Lemley has been lights out in the circle, posting a 0.88 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 24 innings, while Sophie Kleiman has a 2-0 record with a 1.17 ERA. The Hokies have held opponents to a mere .161 batting average, dominating both sides of the game as they look to continue their strong start to the season.
#21 Alabama
The #21 Alabama softball team has come out swinging to start the season, powered by a high-octane offense and a pitching staff looking to find its rhythm. Audrey Vandagriff has been on fire at the plate, leading the team with a scorching .516 average, 1.256 OPS, and a team-best 16 hits and 15 stolen bases. Larissa Preuitt (.438 AVG) and Alexis Pupillo (.412 AVG, 12 RBIs) have also been key contributors, while the Tide has flashed power with 12 home runs, including three from Kali Heivilin. In the circle, Catelyn Riley has been the go-to arm, posting a 2.14 ERA across 32.2 innings, while Jocelyn Briski has battled command issues with 17 earned runs in 29.1 innings. Freshman Emily Winstead has shown promise with a 2.90 ERA and a stingy .176 opponent batting average. With the bats rolling and the pitching staff working to settle in, Alabama looks to gain momentum with a home tournament.
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