This weekend, the University of Utah Softball team (3-2, 0-0 Big 12) began their season with their participation in the Kajikawa Classic. The Classic marks the start of what is sure to be a notable season for Utah Softball, as the team celebrates its 50th anniversary and begins its first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Over the three-day span, the Utes competed in their first five games of the 2025 season.
Friday
The Utes kicked their year off with a sole game on Friday, battling the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Brooklyn Carreon started the game for Utah, pitching four innings and only allowing three hits. The Utes earned their first hit, a single from Kaylah Nelsen, in the bottom of the first inning. Despite the early start for Utah, Minnesota proceeded to pitch five hitless innings. The Utes continued to hold strong though, matching the defensive prowess of the Golden Gophers.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when a great offensive inning for Utah broke the tie. Nelsen earned her second hit of the game, an RBI double, and another Ute run scored on a fielder’s choice. The Utes protected their two run lead for the remainder of the game, sealing the victory, 2-0. Shelbee Jones pitched the final three innings for Utah, earning the win while striking out four Minnesota batters.
Saturday
The Utes returned to the field on Saturday for consecutive games, the first of which against the No. 21 California Golden Bears. Utah looked to carry their late momentum from Friday’s match into their battle with California. Despite their intention, the Golden Bears got off to a fiery start, scoring five runs in the first two frames.
A three-run homer from Nelsen looked to bring the Utes back into the game, but California continued to expand their lead. Kennedy Proctor hit a solo-shot home-run in the fourth inning, bringing Utah within two runs of the California advantage. The Golden Bears would go ahead to tack on four more runs to their lead, ultimately taking the 10-4 victory.
Later that evening, Utah aimed to bounce back in their match-up with the Maryland Terrapins. Both teams’ offenses found themselves with quick starts, scoring a run each in the second inning. The first blow came to the Utes in the third inning, though, as a three-run home run gave Maryland the lead, 4-1.
A second homer in the fourth and an off-target throw in the fifth inning expanded the Terrapin advantage to six runs. The Utes looked to rally late, scoring four runs in the final two frames. Despite their best efforts, Utah was unable to complete the comeback, dropping the match, 7-5.
Sunday
On Sunday, the Utes looked to return to the win column, as they faced off against Miami University (Ohio). Utah took the early advantage in the game, with an RBI double from Hailey Deter giving the Utes the 1-0 lead. It didn’t take long for the Redhawks to respond, though, scoring three runs of their own in the proceeding inning.
The Utes offense excelled in the late-innings, scoring a collective four runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The Redhawks rallied in the bottom of the seventh, matching Utah’s total of five runs and forcing extra innings.
In the eighth inning, Shonty Passi hit an RBI single to give the Utes the lead. The Redhawks responded in the bottom-half, tying the game once again. With the game extended to the ninth, Utah once again found themselves with the opportunity to break the tie. A sacrifice fly from Hailee White gave the Utes the lead once more, and this time, Miami (OH) was unable to respond. Utah won the match, 7-6, with 10 hits and five RBIs.
Later that evening, the Utes returned to the field for their final matchup of the Classic. Challenging Minnesota in their second match of the event, Utah looked to leave Tempe with a winning record. Contrary to their first match, the game turned out to be a high-scoring affair, with a total of eight runs being scored in the first three innings.
Tied at four a-piece, Minnesota regained the lead in the fourth inning following a throwing-error from the Utes. Disregarding the mistake, the Utes responded in the following inning, earning five runs of their own. The Golden Gophers attempted to rally, eventually bringing themselves within a run of the Ute lead, but were unable to match Utah. The Utes closed the Kajikawa Classic with a 9-8 victory, leaving Tempe with a 3-2 record.
Next Up
This week, the Utes will return to the field competing in the Fresno State Kickoff Classic. There, they will open the event on Friday, taking on the University of California Santa Barbara. The six game classic will conclude against Fresno State on Monday.
