The U softball team hasn’t played a game since March 16. Its members are currently riding a seven-game losing streak, and they have a much poorer than expected 10-26 record.
But all that is irrelevant as conference play begins today in San Diego for the Utes.
The Utes have a doubleheader with San Diego State beginning at 2 p.m. After that, the Utes immediately travel to Las Vegas for another doubleheader with the Rebels of UNLV on Saturday.
When all is said and done, the Utes will have played four games in two days.
U coach Mona Stevens and the rest of the team are very excited to get conference play started, as they haven’t had the best of luck with the top teams in the nation.
The battle with the Aztecs and Rebels will be no easy task. The Aztecs are 22-15-1 and have a .231 team batting average. Tiffany Goudy leads the Aztecs with a .345 batting average with 39 hits, 18 runs, 7 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home run.
Bre DeSanta leads the Aztecs on the rubber, throwing a 1.63 earned run average (ERA) in 93.2 innings pitched. As a team, the Aztecs have a 2.29 ERA.
The Utes are hoping to counter that with an arsenal of hitting power, something that has been lacking in games this season.
The Utes are led at the plate by Molly McClean, who has a .339 batting average, 40 hits, 14 RBIs and 2 home runs. She was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week.
Melissa Stahnke has a .291 batting average, 6 home runs and leads the team with 16 RBI and a .553 slugging percentage.
However, Niki Hayhurst and Lyndsey Trevis continue to struggle at the plate. Hayhurst only has a .188 batting average, much lower than her .358 career average at the U.
“It’s not just a Niki thing, it’s a team thing,” Stevens said. “That’s the one issue that has us scratching our heads as to why we aren’t hitting.”
Trevis has 21 hits and 12 RBI, but has only mustered a .221 batting average. Her career batting average is .337, including a .371 average last year.
On the rubber for the Utes, Heather Bowlin leads the team with a 2.38 ERA and has started in 18 games, but she has a 6-11 record and has allowed 15 home runs. Jennifer Pursell has a 3.12 ERA and a 4-14 record.
The UNLV record isn’t as impressive as the Aztecs at 18-19, but the Rebels still pose a tough defensive threat, as pitcher Jackie Kerrigan brings an impressive 1.65 ERA.
Stevens knows the road ahead is a tough one for her team members, but they are ready.
“[The players] are actually looking forward to this weekend,” she said. “They’ve been in the frying pan for so long. They’re all looking forward to a weekend of not facing teams in the Top 25. They’re pretty positive and upbeat.”
After this weekend, the Utes come back to play Utah State in Logan on April 2.