Softball | 4/17/2024 1:00:00 PM

Game 42
Who | Utah Tech (15-26, 8-9 WAC) at Tarleton State (18-28, 4-13 WAC)
When | Friday, April 19 / 3 p.m.
Where | Tarleton Softball Complex / Stephenville, Texas
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 43
Who | Utah Tech (15-26, 8-9 WAC) at Tarleton State (18-28, 4-13 WAC)
When | Friday, April 19 / 5:30 p.m.
Where | Tarleton Softball Complex / Stephenville, Texas
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game 44
Who | Utah Tech (15-26, 8-9 WAC) at Tarleton State (18-28, 4-13 WAC)
When | Saturday, April 20 / 12 p.m.
Where | Tarleton Softball Complex / Stephenville, Texas
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

TRAILBLAZERS WIN THIRD WAC SERIES OF THE SEASON
The Trailblazers won their third WAC series of 2024 last weekend winning the final two games of their series against California Baptist with wins of 8-6 and 5-1.

After dropping the opening game, 6-1, the Blazers won a back-and-forth battle in game two. With CBU cutting the Trailblazers lead to 5-4 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, UT took advantage of a pair of CBU errors to drive home three more runs in the fifth for an 8-4 lead. The Lancers came back with two runs in the sixth, but the Trailblazers held on for the win. 

The series finale on Saturday saw the Blazers get the scoring started with a three-run second inning getting a solo blast to left by Rachel Campbell and a two-run RBI single back up the middle by Carly Eldredge.

Back-to-back two-out singles by Campbell and Maka Sonognini in the third put a pair of runners on base for McKown, who doubled to right, to push the Blazers in front, 5-0.

In the circle, Attlyn Johnston earned her fifth win of the season tossing a complete game. She held CBU to eight hits, one run and struck out three while walking none.

ABOUT THE TARLETON STATE TEXANS
The Texans are 18-28 overall on the season with a 4-13 mark in the WAC as Tarleton State sits in 10th in the conference.

Coming off a pair of shutouts at home against Texas Southern on Tuesday, Tarleton had a series win over UT Arlington in late March and also has WAC wins over Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin.

Tarleton is 11-6 at home this season and averages 4.6 runs per game along with 7.4 hits per game. The Texans are hitting .283 from the plate ranking sixth in the WAC and are lead the conference in doubles (80), are second in runs (211) and fourth in hits (339).

Senior outfielder Kelci Hill leads the team and ranks second in the WAC hitting .437 and tops the team in hits (69), runs (37), doubles (16), triples (5), total bases (101), slugging percentage (.639) and on-base percentage (.464). Three other regulars are hitting over .300 and Katy Schafer is hitting .299 from the plate and has driven in a team-leading 48 RBI.

In the circle, Tarleton has a 5.90 ERA with five hurlers earning three or more wins. Junior Alexa Rehmeier has posted a 5-5 record making a team-leading 16 starts and leads the team in innings pitched (81.1) and strikeouts (45).

SERIES HISTORY VS. TARLETON STATE
The Trailblazers lead the all-time series against Tarleton State, 2-1 after winning a pair of games at home in 2021. The Blazers won 8-7 in eight innings in the opener, added a 7-1 win in game two and dropped the series finale, 11-5.

This will be Utah Tech's first trip to Tarleton State.

Utah Tech has faced California Baptist (50) most often, followed by Grand Canyon (42), Southern Utah (37), Seattle U (16) and Utah Valley (12) closing out the top five most played. 

The four Texas schools round out their WAC opponents as the Trailblazers have squared off against Abilene Christian six times, Stephen F. Austin & UT Arlington four times and Tarleton State three times.

WAC STANDINGS
The Trailblazers enter the weekend sitting sixth in the WAC with an 8-9 mark in the conference. 

UT closes out the season with Senior Weekend against UT Arlington (5th) and a road trip to Utah Valley (4th).

Grand Canyon, who won the WAC Tournament in 2023, currently leads the WAC with a 15-2 mark.

California Baptist ranks second with a 10-5 mark, followed by Seattle U (10-7) in third and the final the four spots in the conference rounded out by Abilene Christian (7-10), Southern Utah (6-11), Stephen F. Austin (6-11) and Tarleton State (4-13).

UTAH TECH IN WAC PLAY
The Trailblazers are in their fourth season of WAC play with a 41-42 overall mark. The Blazers are 23-21 at home and 18-21 on the road.

Utah Tech captured the WAC regular season crown in 2023 with a 19-5 overall record, including an 11-1 mark at home.

UT went 8-16 in WAC play in 2022 and finished fifth in the West Division posting a 4-8 mark on the road as well as at home. The Trailblazers claimed series wins over Utah Valley, New Mexico State and Grand Canyon.

In their first season of WAC play in 2021, the Blazers went 6-12 to finish sixth in the WAC. UT went 3-6 on the road and at home with series wins over Tarleton and Grand Canyon.

WAC TOURNAMENT
The Trailblazers will look to go back to their second straight WAC Tournament this season after making their inaugural trip in 2023.

Set for May 8-11 in Seattle, the top eight teams in the regular season standings qualify for postseason play.

FIVE TRAILBLAZERS SEEING REGULAR TIME
Laura Lockard along with Sadie Gardner have played in all 41 games this season while Rachel Campbell has played in 40 games and Carly Eldredge and LB Kahahwai-Kekona have seen action in 39 games.

WE'LL TAKE THAT
The Blazers are among the WAC leaders in stolen bases sitting third with 39. Leading the way is speedster LB Kahahwai-Kekona with 11 to sit fourth in the WAC. Sadie Gardner has added nine stolen bags and Maka Sonognini has posted six.

TAKING A STROLL
The Trailblazers rank fourth in the WAC in walks drawing 99 free passes this season. Freshman Gabi Giroux has drawn 18 walks which ties for fifth in the WAC.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers close out their home schedule next weekend for their final home series against UT Arlington (18-26, 8-8 WAC).