Losing streaks can make or break a team and for the Utes, they are hoping that their current streak makes them.
The team is in a tough stretch. They’ve lost seven straight games after winning their season opener against Sacramento State, and next weekend’s series comes against a team on the rise in Nicholls State in Louisiana.
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The Colonels have had a successful season so far, and currently sit with a 4-2-1 record with a strong victory over No. 4 LSU last week.
“Anybody you play is going to be good at this point,” Kinnerberg said. “We’re going to Louisiana it’s a long trip. They’ve had a really good start to their season… they’re a quality team so we’re just looking forward to getting back out on the field and playing.”
Utah has been close to securing multiple victories this season but has fallen just short in the late innings. Nicholls State, on the other hand, has won every tight game it’s have played in — with the exception of the one tie.
Hitting will be a major component on whether the Utes will have a successful weekend or not. The team is hitting .238 at the plate with sophomore Dallas Carroll leading the way with 11 hits followed by juniors Wyler Smith and Cody Scaggari with nine each.
The team runs a high pressure offense that consists of plenty of bunts and stolen bases. Smith is in the top five in the conference with four stolen bases so far this season.
The pitching lineup with stay the same as it was last weekend. Junior Bret Helton will take the Friday game, Jayson Rose will start the early Saturday game and Dalton Carroll taking the mound in the later game that evening. Nolan Stouder will gets the start for the Sunday game.
Carroll is happy to be back as a starter and understands what the team expects from him.
“To have that starting position, it’s a good feeling,” he said. “Knowing that the coaches and team and everyone relies on me to get into the deeper innings. Especially the sixth, seventh, and eighth.
Carroll said it’s important to make sure he gets to those later innings and doesn’t go out before hand so that the bullpen can be stronger for the later innings of not only the game at hand, but the games later on in the weekend.
He also said the responsibility that comes with being a starter is something that he loves to handle and embrace.
Even through the early struggles of the season, Carroll and the rest of the team aren’t worried about the games and series to come.
“There is a lot of younger players on this team that have just been thrown into the fire,” he said. “It’s still early. We’re not too worried right now. We’re just going to still do what we’ve been doing and just trust the process and hopefully things work out like they should. We haven’t played the best that we can.”