Softball | 3/24/2025 2:30:00 PM

(St. George, Utah - March 24, 2025) - The Trailblazers travel to Las Vegas for a contest at UNLV on Tuesday afternoon.

Game #32
Who | Utah Tech (12-19) at UNLV (17-14)
When | Tuesday, March 25 / 4 p.m. MT
Where | Eller Media Softball Stadium / Las Vegas, Nev.
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech is coming off winning two of three over the weekend against Utah Valley sweeping a doubleheader over the Wolverines on Friday winning contests, 10-8 and 7-2 and fell 14-0 in five innings in the series finale.

A high-scoring game one saw the Wolverines score first with a run in the top of the first, but the Trailblazers quickly responded with a four-run frame. A sacrifice fly from Rylie Haith got the scoring started and was followed by an RBI single to center by Marisa Rubio and Carly Eldredge laced a two-run RBI double to left for a 4-1 lead.

A six-run second inning for the Wolverines, that included a pair of two-run home runs, pushed UVU in front, 7-4, but the Trailblazers quickly responded with three runs to tie the game at seven after two innings. A walk to Maka Sonognini followed by singles by Kinley Pappas and Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona loaded the bases for Rubio, who cleared the bases with a double to center.

A sacrifice fly by Cassidy Hornung put UT in the lead, 8-7 in the fourth, but the Wolverines tied the contest with a sacrifice fly of their own in the fifth. The Trailblazers responded with the eventual game-winning run coming around on a sacrifice fly by Kahahawai-Kekona and Kennedy Embrey added an insurance run after a throwing error by Utah Valley.

The Wolverines again got the scoring started in the second contest with a run in the second, but the Trailblazers tied the contest at one after three innings with an RBI single through the left side by Pappas. A six-run fourth inning for the Trailblazers broke open a 7-2 lead as UT sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame.

The big inning for Utah Tech got ignited with a two-run RBI single by Ellie Evans followed by an RBI single from Pappas and then got back-to-back RBI extra-base knocks from Kahahawai-Kekona and Haith. Price shut down the Wolverines over the final three innings holding UVU to a pair of singles to seal the victory.

ABOUT THE UNLV REBELS
UNLV is 17-14 overall on the season and is coming off winning one of three at home over the weekend against Fresno State taking the series finale, 2-0 and dropped the first two contests, 5-3 and 3-1.

The Rebels, who are 8-4 at home this season, opened the season at home with back-to-back tournaments earning a win over Buffalo and two wins apiece over Southern Utah, Idaho State and Monmouth.

UNLV posted a 31-19 overall record in 2024 and finished in a tie for second in the Mountain West regular season standings with a 14-8 mark. The Rebels dropped a pair of contests in the MW Tournament falling to Nevada, 8-0 in five innings and to Boise State, 5-4 in eight innings.

As a team this season, the Rebels are hitting .291 as a team to check in fifth in the Mountain West and are averaging 5.23 runs per game to also rank fifth in the conference.

Four Rebels are each hitting over .300 from the plate led by senior infielder Ariana Martinez ranking second in the MW in both batting average (.431) and hits (44) . She also leads the club in runs (22), home runs (8), doubles (9), RBI (33), total bases (77), slugging percentage (.755) and on-base percentage (.508).

The duo of Karmyna Becerra and Sofia Morales have each started all 31 games with Becerra smacking five home runs and Morales leading the team with 103 at-bats.

In the circle, UNLV ranks fifth in the MW in ERA (3.77) while opponents are hitting .273 and have a 1.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Two Rebel pitchers, Ameila Weber and Yanina Sherwood, each have a team-leading seven wins apiece in the circle Sherwood leading the club with 102.0 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts. Weber has a team-low 3.53 ERA and opponents are hitting .257.

SERIES HISTORY VS. UNLV
The Trailblazers trail the overall series against UNLV, 4-2 with the Trailblazers winning the last two contests, both in St. George. UT notched a 2-1 victory in 2023 and also won, 8-0 in five innings in 2022.

The first four contests in the series all came in Las Vegas with their first meeting coming in 2017, two in 2021 and one in 2022.

WAC RANKINGS IN 2025
The Trailblazers lead the WAC in hits and rank 41st nationally in hits with 265.

Utah Tech is also second in the conference in batting average (.314), stolen bases (46), total bases (345) & sacrifice bunts (24), third in walks (100) & scoring (5.45) and fourth in on-base percentage (.388), RBI (151) & runs (169).

Individually, Kahahawai-Kekona ranks fourth in the WAC in hits (38), batting average (.418) and RBI (28).

Hornung is hitting .375 from the dish, ranks third in the WAC in runs per game (0.90) and ranks fourth in the conference with 10 stolen bases. 

In the circle, Sauren Garton ranks third in the WAC in complete games (6), fourth in starts (13) and fifth in innings pitched (79.0) & strikeouts (55). 

Riley Price leads the Trailblazers with six wins and has tossed 71.2 innings in 17 appearances matching Garton with 13 starts and has notched 35 strikeouts.

FIVE THE MAGIC NUMBER
The Trailblazers have reached five or more runs in 11 of their 12 wins this season and are 11-9 overall on the season when reaching the five-run plateau.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN 
Utah Tech is 202-123 (.622) overall on the road in the NCAA era.

The Trailblazers are 175-102 (.632) on the road under head coach Randy Simkins.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers stay on the road this weekend traveling to Abilene Christian (8-24, 4-5 WAC) to face the Wildcats on Friday and Saturday.