(St. George, Utah – Feb. 13, 2024) - The Trailblazers return to the field this weekend with five games at the CSUN Matador Diamond Classic starting Thursday.

Game 1
Who | Utah Tech (1-2, 0-0 WAC) at CSUN (3-1, 0-0 Big West)
When | Thursday, Feb. 15 / 12 p.m.
Where | Matador Diamond / Northridge, Calif.
Broadcast | Live Stats
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 2
Who | Utah Tech (1-2, 0-0 WAC) at CSUN (3-1, 0-0 Big West)
When | Thursday, Feb. 15 / 2 p.m.
Where | Matador Diamond / Northridge, Calif.
Broadcast | Live Stats
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 3
Who | Utah Tech (1-2, 0-0 WAC) vs. Pacific (1-4, 0-0 WCC)
When | Friday, Feb. 16 / 10 a.m.
Where | Matador Diamond / Northridge, Calif.
Broadcast | Live Stats
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 4
Who | Utah Tech (1-2, 0-0 WAC) at CSUN (3-1, 0-0 Big West)
When | Friday, Feb. 16 / 2 p.m.
Where | Matador Diamond / Northridge, Calif.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / Live Stats
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 5
Who | Utah Tech (1-2, 0-0 WAC) vs. Pacific (1-4, 0-0 WCC)
When | Saturday, Feb. 17 / 11 a.m.
Where | Matador Diamond / Northridge, Calif.
Broadcast | Live Stats
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

LOOK AT THE CSUN MATADOR DIAMOND CLASSIC
The Trailblazers return to the field this weekend at the CSUN Matador Diamond Classic in Northridge, Calif. taking on CSUN in three contests along with two neutral site contests against Pacific.

OPENING WEEKEND AT THE CANDREA CLASSIC
Utah Tech got the 2024 season underway at the Candrea Classic hosted by Arizona last weekend topping Northern Colorado, 5-1 while falling to Arizona, 9-1 in five innings and North Texas, 7-0.

TRAILBLAZERS SELECTED SECOND IN WAC PRESEASON POLL
Coming off winning the WAC regular season championship in 2023, the Trailblazers were picked to finish second in the WAC preseason poll released on Jan. 31.

Grand Canyon was selected first, earning eight first-place votes, collecting 80 points while the Trailblazers picked up one first-place vote and 69 votes. 

Seattle (66 pts.), who earned the final first-place vote, was third with the poll rounded out by Stephen F. Austin (53 pts.), Tarleton (50 pts.), California Baptist (40 pts.), UT Arlington & Utah Valley (32 pts.) tied for seventh, Abilene Christian (19 pts.) and Southern Utah (9 pts.).

PAIR OF TRAILBLAZERS NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
Sophomore pitcher Sauren Garton and junior infielder Carly Eldredge were named to the 12-member Preseason All-WAC team on Jan. 31.

A Second Team All-WAC selection last season as a freshman, Garton posted a 3.61 ERA across 23 appearances (18 starts) in the circle. With a 13-5 record, she led the Trailblazers in strikeouts (76) while holding opposing hitters to just a .259 batting average. 

Eldredge enters her junior season with momentum after a strong sophomore campaign in which she hit .354 across 144 total plate appearances and slugged .444 on the season with 10 extra-base hits and 25 RBI.

GARTON & ELDREDGE SHINE ON OPENING WEEKEND
Sophomore pitcher Sauren Garton, a preseason All-WAC selection, excelled in her first start of the season throwing a complete game against Northern Colorado allowing a pair of hits, one earned run and struck out seven in the Blazers' 5-1 win against the Bears.

In addition, Carly Eldredge, also a preseason All-WAC selection, smacked a pair of home runs on opening weekend with a solo shot in the season opener against Arizona and added a three-run shot against Northern Colorado.

FIVE NEW TRAILBLAZERS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS
Five new Trailblazers made their debuts at the Candrea Classic with freshman Drew McKown making three starts at shortstop.

Additionally, newcomers Gabi Giroux, Baylee Howley, Jayda Gleave and Abby Mitchell all saw action for the first time.

ABOUT CSUN
The Matadors are out to a 3-1 start to the season with doubleheader win over Portland State last Friday and a 5-3 victory over Maryland on Saturday. CSUN dropped its season opener to No. 9 Oklahoma State, 8-0.

Coming off a 28-24 overall record in 2023, the Matadors went 19-8 in Big West play to finish third in the conference. CSUN advanced to the National Invitational Softball Championship falling to Maryland and San Jose State.

Picked to finish third in the Big West preseason poll released Feb.5, CSUN was without a preseason All-Big West selection, but does return Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year Lauryn Carranco in the circle. Carranco made two starts during the two opening weekend posting a 1-1 mark with a 1.91 ERA in 11 innings of work striking out nine.

Offensively, the Matadors are hitting .247 from the plate as a team while infielder Alexis Chavez leads the team with a .455 average and a pair of stolen bases. 

CSUN also brings back All-Big West selections Mikayla Carman, Kaylee Escutia, Shaylan Whatman and Isabella Alonso.

ABOUT PACIFIC
The Tigers are off to a 1-4 start to the 2024 season with a season-opening 7-6 win over Illinois-Chicago last Friday at the Cal State Fullerton Tournament. The weekend wrapped up with losses to Colorado State, Fullerton and twice to Southern Utah.

Pacific is coming off a 10-30 season in 2024 finishing 1-14 in WCC play. 

Down to only five softball-playing schools in the WCC in 2024, Pacific was picked fifth and had a pair of preseason All-WCC selections in infielders Rian Dirmeyer and Delaney Scully.

The Tigers are hitting .231 as a team being led by outfielder Olivia Silvestre, a transfer from Cal, who is hitting .429 (6-14) with a double, four runs scored and a pair of walks.

Senior pitcher Amiyah Aponte earned the win over UIC throwing a complete game while striking out seven and walking three.

WAC RANKINGS AT THE PLATE IN 2023
The Trailblazers led the WAC in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.417), hits (511), doubles (114), triples (15) and sacrifice flies (23) last season.

In addition, UT led the WAC in hits per game (9.64), runs per game (6.92), doubles per game (2.15), RBI per game (6.38), walks per game (3.58) and plate appearances per game (32.79).

WAC RANKINGS IN THE CIRCLE IN 2023
On the pitching side, the Blazers only allowed 80 walks to lead the WAC, ranked second in strikeouts (239), earned runs allowed (183), doubles allowed (56) & runs allowed (222) and were third in ERA (3.69), opposing batting average (.285) and strikeouts per game (4.82).

LEADING RETURNERS
Despite losing the top three hitters in the WAC, in WAC Freshman of the Year Tanya Windle, WAC Player of the Year Shea Clements and Second Team All-WAC honoree Lauren Almeida,  the Trailblazers return a pair of top hitters in the conference in junior Carly Eldredge who hit .354 with eight home runs while sophomore LB Kahahawai-Kelona checked in with a .312 average with 17 doubles and 33 runs scored.   

CONSISTENT STARTERS
Three other Trailblazers each made 38 or more starts on the season while senior Rachel Campbell hit .292 from the plate & eight home runs, senior Oaklee Trapp hit .278 & nine home runs and graduate student Laura Lockard recorded a .264 average and six doubles.

MILESTONES IN 2023
The Trailblazers hit a number of program milestones in 2023.

After managing his 700th game in the NCAA era on April 1, 2023 at UT Arlington, head coach Randy Simkins reached another milestone with a walk-off win on April 22nd against California Baptist winning his 500th game in the NCAA era as the head man in the NCAA era for the Trailblazers.

The program recorded its 600th NCAA era win at Grand Canyon on April 15.

The second win of the doubleheader at home against Seattle U on April 7 secured the Trailblazers' 300th home win in the NCAA era.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers return home for their first of two home tournaments next weekend taking on Idaho State (Feb. 22), Weber State (Feb. 23), Utah State (Feb. 25) and Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 26 at Karl Brooks Field.