Finally being able to play a game in the state helped the U softball team get back to its winning ways this past weekend in St. George, Utah.
The Utes played five teams and beat three of them decisively before losing close games to top-10 teams.
The Utes started the trip defeating Santa Barbara 10-0 after the mercy rule became effective. Pac-10 team Oregon was next and the Utes used good hitting to knock off the Ducks, 7-2. The mercy rule then applied again to Eastern Kentucky, 10-0.
After the three wins, the Utes got to play top-10 teams Washington and Stanford.
The Utes lost to Washington 4-1, but Ute coach Mona Stevens was happy with her team’s performance against the Huskies.
Feeling somewhat apprehensive against the Cardinal, the Utes trailed Stanford 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Then Lyndsey Trevis hit a two-run double with two outs to start a rally. However, with the bases loaded, Niki Hayhurst grounded out to cut the rally short.
Although the U wasn’t able to beat a top-10 team this trip, Stevens was very happy with the team’s overall performance, especially in the hitting performance.
“The team was just hitting the ball like crazy?It’s nice to have the kids start to feel exactly what we thought we were capable of at the beginning of the year,” she said. “We’re really looking forward to see what happens because of that.”
This confidence and energy which eluded the team for much of the Olympic break road trip will help with the upcoming schedule. No. 2 Arizona comes this weekend to play back-to-back games and the Utes are excited to be able to play on their home field for the first time this year.
That is, if the game isn’t canceled because of poor weather. The outlook for this week is wet and cold and Stevens doesn’t want Arizona to have to travel if the field is unplayable.
“If it’s looking really iffy, I may call and see if we can re schedule them for next year,” she said. “I don’t want to lose this series with them. It’s a whole lot of money to come up here and not play, and then we wouldn’t get them back.”
Stevens said she would make the call no later than Friday on whether Arizona will travel.