Softball | 3/12/2025 12:30:00 PM

(St. George, Utah - March 12, 2025) - The Trailblazers continue their homestand this weekend hosting Seattle U on Friday and Saturday.

Game #26
Who | Seattle U (14-9, 3-0 WAC) at Utah Tech (10-15, 1-2 WAC)
When | Friday, March 14 / 2 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game #27
Who | Seattle U (14-9, 3-0 WAC) at Utah Tech (10-15, 1-2 WAC)
When | Friday, March 14 / 4:30 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

Game #28
Who | Seattle U (14-9, 3-0 WAC) at Utah Tech (10-15, 1-2 WAC)
When | Saturday, March 15 / 12 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech opened its seven-game homestand on Tuesday afternoon falling 14-0 in five innings to Big 12 member BYU at Karl Brooks Field. 

The Cougars jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and never looked back as the Trailblazers were held to one hit and a pair of base runners in the contest.

GLANCE BACK AT OPENING WAC WEEKEND
The Trailblazers got WAC play underway at UT Arlington last weekend winning the opening game, 3-1 behind a complete game in the circle from Sauren Garton.

Dropping game two, 11-3 in six innings, the series wrapped up on Saturday falling 5-0.

A pair of RBI singles in the fourth inning in the opener by Rylie Haith and Carly Elredge and an RBI double by Kahahwai-Kekona in the fifth extended the Trailblazers lead to 3-0. 

The Mavs broke up UT's shutout bid in the seventh after a Trailblazer throwing error, but held on for the win.

ABOUT SEATTLE U REDHAWKS
Seattle U is 14-9 overall on the season and the lone undefeated team in the WAC after sweeping Abilene Christian at home last weekend.

The Redhawks, who are ranked No. 21 in the D1Softball.com's Mid-Major poll, are 1-4 on the road this year with their lone road victory coming at CSUN on Feb. 15 and are 10-5 at a neutral site.

Seattle U posted a 23-32 overall record in 2024 and finished fourth in the WAC regular season standings.

As a team this season, the Redhawks are hitting .294 as a team to rank fourth in the WAC and are averaging 5.26 runs per game to also rank fourth in the conference.

Seattle U leads the WAC and ranks seventh in the country with 47 doubles.

Five Redhawks are hitting over .300 from the plate with sophomore Avari Morris leading the way hitting .472 from the plate while sophomore catcher Karen Spadafora is hitting .333 driving in 14 RBI, scored 12 runs and slugging .556.

In the circle, Seattle U ranks third in the WAC in both ERA (3.41) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.68).

Senior Nicola Simpson is leading the way posting a 5-3 record with a 1.92 ERA (third in WAC) tossing seven complete games (26th nationally) and tops the WAC with 73.0 innings pitched & 68 strikeouts. Berkley Vance and Morris also each have four wins apiece.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SEATTLE U
The Trailblazers are 4-12 overall against Seattle U with the Redhawks winning the series last year in Seattle taking two of the three contests with UT winning the middle contest, 3-1.

Utah Tech is 3-3 at home against the Redhawks sweeping Seattle U in 2023, but were swept in St. George in 2022.

WAC RANKINGS IN 2025
The Trailblazers lead the WAC in hits and rank 24th nationally in hits with 222 and is also atop the WAC in sacrifice bunts (24 - 6th nationally).

Utah Tech is second in the conference in batting average (.320), scoring (5.56), runs (139), RBI (124), stolen bases (36), total bases (288) and third in walks (75).

Individually, LB Kahahawai-Kekona sits third in the WAC hitting .434 (33-76) and also ranks third in the conference in hits with 33, RBI with 22 and on-base percentage (.500).

Cassidy Hornung is hitting .394 from the dish, ranks third in the WAC in runs per game (0.92) and is joined by Sadie Gardner with eight stolen bases to sit fourth in the conference.

In the circle, Sauren Garton ranks third in the WAC in complete games (6), innings pitched (68.2) and fourth in strikeouts (50). 

Riley Price joins Price with five wins and ranks seventh with 56.0 innings thrown.

CLOSE CONTESTS
Five of the Trailblazers 14 losses this season have been in extra innings as Utah Tech has dropped games in eight innings to CSUN, Sacramento State, Hawaii, Idaho State and Omaha.

Overall, in five seasons in Division I, the Trailblazers are 5-12 with a 3-0 record in 2021, 0-1 in 2022, 1-4 in 2023 and 1-2 in 2024.

NINE NEW TRAILBLAZERS 
The Trailblazers have welcomed nine newcomers to the fold this season with three transfers and six freshmen entering their first season at Utah Tech.

Junior infielder Cassidy Hornung, a transfer from Fullerton College, ranks second on the team in batting average hitting .394 making 24 starts and leads the team in runs scored with 23.

Freshman Kinley Pappas, out of Eugene, Ore., has made 23 starts while tallying 24 hits, 12 runs and 15 RBI.

In the circle, three newcomers have seen action in sophomore Rylie Price, who has made nine starts,  along with freshman Lexie Wilson (two starts) and Cemryn Pickett (two starts).

Freshmen Kennedy Embrey, Rylie Haith and Jorja Crider have also seen action.

CRIDER OFF TO HOT START
Freshman Jorja Crider continues her strong start from the plate hitting her fifth home run of the season against Pitt on March 1.

Crider ranks second on the team with 17 RBI and is tied for second in the WAC with five home runs.

She also hit home runs against Boise State, UC San Diego and two against Utah State. She smacked a grand slam against the Broncos and added a two-run shot in a 6-5 win over the Tritons.

LOOK BACK AT NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
STACY WINSBERG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT/EASTON CLASSIC (FEB. 7-9)
Posted a 2-3 record with wins over UC Riverside (8-0) and Southern (17-2 in five innings).

HAWAII SPRING FLING TOURNAMENT (FEB. 13-16)
Won a pair of games defeating Western Illinois (9-4) and Sacramento State (6-2) going 2-4 overall.

LYMAN CLASSIC TOURNAMENT (FEB. 20-23)
Recorded a 2-3 record at the home-hosted Lyman Classic downing UC San Diego (6-5) and blanked Weber State (5-0).

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER INVITATIONAL (FEB. 28-MAR. 2)
The Trailblazers posted a 3-2 record at the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Long Beach State defeating Loyola Marymount (6-2), Cal Poly (6-0) and Pittsburgh (5-2).

UTAH TECH IN WAC PLAY
The Trailblazers is in their fifth season of WAC play with a 46-48 overall mark. The Blazers are 26-21 at home and 20-27 on the road.

UT went 12-13 in WAC play in 2024 finishing fifth in the conference and fell to Southern Utah in WAC Tournament.

The Trailblazers 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. In their first season of WAC play in 2021, the Blazers went 6-12 to finish sixth in the WAC. 

TRAILBLAZERS SELECTED SIXTH IN WAC PRESEASON POLL
The Trailblazers were picked to finish sixth in the WAC preseason poll released on Jan. 29.

After winning both the regular season and tournament championships in 2024, Grand Canyon was selected first, earning seven first-place votes, while garnering 62 points.

California Baptist was selected second (53 pts.) followed by Utah Valley (51 pts.), Seattle U (48 pts.), UT Arlington (32 pts.), Utah Tech (29 pts.), Tarleton State (22 pts.), Abilene Christian (16 pts.) and rounded out by Southern Utah (11 pts.).

ROOT ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM
Utah Tech is 323-99 (.766) overall at home in the NCAA era. 

The Trailblazers are 278-85 (.767) at home under head coach Randy Simkins. 

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers close out their seven-game homestand next weekend hosting Utah Valley (7-13, 1-2 WAC) on March 21-22 at Karl Brooks Field.