ST. GEORGE — This rivalry game will be played a long way from home. Utah Tech and Southern Utah softball will compete in a Western Athletic Conference tournament single-elimination game at 2 p.m. Wednesday — in Seattle, Washington.
The No. 5 Trailblazers (19-30 overall, 12-13 WAC) lead the all-time series with the No. 8 Thunderbirds (20-27, 9-17 ) by a count of 25-12, according to a news release. The two teams split a doubleheader in St. George on April 9 — Utah Tech won Game 1 5-0 and SUU run-ruled the hosts 10-0 in Game 2.
This week’s tournament features the top two seeds, Grand Canyon and California Baptist, receiving open day byes, while No. 3 and 4 seeds Utah Valley and Seattle U advance to Wednesday night’s start of double-elimination play.
The other single elimination game pits No. 6 UT Arlington against No. 7 Tarleton State.
The Trailblazers rank third in the WAC in stolen bases with 42 led by LB Kahahawai-Kekona with a team-leading 11 stolen bags which ranks fifth in the conference. Leading the way in the circle for Utah Tech is junior Attlyn Johnston, who tops the conference in strikeouts (101) along with Hailey Hudson from Grand Canyon, and starts (22).
Johnston ranks second in the WAC in innings pitched (124.2) and is tied for sixth in wins (8).
SUU is hitting .277 as a team to rank seventh in the WAC. The Thunderbirds are averaging four runs per game and are 15-8 on the season when scoring four or more runs. Southern Utah is second in the WAC in home runs (39), fifth in slugging percentage (.430) and seventh in doubles (59) and on-base percentage (.341).
“I am so proud of this team,” Thunderbirds coach Don Williams said in a news release. “They have shown so much grit, perseverance and toughness this season. They earned it.”
Sophomore Emily Gonzalez was named first team All-WAC Monday, and Williams said the honor was definitely well deserved.
“Emily has been one of our most consistent players throughout our lineup,” he said in a news release. “She is a tough out and continues to come through for us time and time again. I am so proud of her for earning this award. I can’t think of a better person to be our program’s first first team All-WAC player.”
The Trailblazers wrapped up the regular season over the weekend being swept at Utah Valley on Friday and Saturday.
After falling 8-0 in five innings on Friday, the Trailblazers were tripped up in both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday falling 9-2 in Game 1 and 4-0 in Game 2.
The WAC tournament is being contested at Logan Field in Seattle. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Wednesday, May 8 – opening round (Single Elimination)
Game 1 – No. 6 UT Arlington vs. No. 7 Tarleton State – 10 a.m. PT
Game 2 – No. 5 Utah Tech vs. No. 8 Southern Utah – 1 p.m. PT
Wednesday, May 8 – First Round (Double Elimination Begins)
Game 3 – No. 3 Utah Valley vs. Game 1 winner – 4 p.m. PT
Game 4 – No. 4 Seattle U vs. Game 2 winner – 7 p.m. PT
Thursday, May 9 – Quarterfinal Round
Game 5 – No. 2 California Baptist vs. Game 3 winner – 10 a.m. PT
Game 6 – No. 1 Grand Canyon vs. Game 4 winner – 1 p.m. PT
Game 7 – Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser – 4 p.m. PT
Game 8 – Game 3 loser vs. Game 6 loser – 7 p.m. PT
Friday, May 10 – Semifinal Round
Game 9 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner – 1 p.m. PT
Game 10 – Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner – 4 p.m. PT
Game 11 – Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser – 7 p.m. PT
Saturday, May 11 – Championship Round
Game 12 – Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner – 1 p.m. PT
Game 13 – Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser 4 p.m. PT (If necessary if Game 12 was a team’s first loss)
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