Softball | 4/29/2026 12:00:00 PM

(St. George, Utah - April 29, 2026) - The Trailblazers close out the regular season this weekend hosting Abilene Christian on Friday and Saturday at Karl Brooks Field for a berth in next week's WAC Tournament.

Game #48 - MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY
Who | Abilene Christian (6-39, 3-12 WAC) at Utah Tech (16-31, 3-12 WAC)
When | Friday, May 1 / 2 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

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Game #49
Who | Abilene Christian (6-39, 3-12 WAC) at Utah Tech (16-31, 3-12 WAC)
When | Friday, May 1 / 4:30 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

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Game #50 - SENIOR DAY
Who | Abilene Christian (6-39, 3-12 WAC) at Utah Tech (16-31, 3-12 WAC)
When | Saturday, May 2 / 12 p.m.
Where | Karl Brooks Field / St. George, Utah
Broadcast | Live Stats | Watch
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X)

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TRAILBLAZERS CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON HOSTING ACU FOR BERTH IN WAC TOURNAMENT
The Trailblazers close out the regular season this weekend hosting Abilene Christian for a berth in next week's WAC Tournament.

Friday will be Military Appreciation Day while Saturday will be Senior Day as the Trailblazers will honor their six departing seniors.

WAC TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
With both the Trailblazers and Wildcats heading into the weekend with identical 3-12 WAC records, the winner of the series will earn a berth in the WAC Tournament.

Depending on the results of the Utah Valley (6-9) at Southern Utah (5-10) series, the Trailblazers can get as high as the No. 5 seed if both UT and SUU finish with the same number of WAC wins as UT won the season series over the Thunderbirds at home at the end of March.

If the Trailblazers sweep ACU & SUU sweeps UVU to give both UT and UVU 6-12 WAC records, UVU would earn the No. 5 seed with the 2-1 series win.

ACU can only get as high as the No. 6 seed with a series win as they lost both series to SUU and UVU. 

ABOUT THE ABILENE CHRISTIAN WILDCATS
Abilene Christian is 6-39 overall on the season and enters the weekend tied for sixth with the Trailblazers with a 3-12 mark in the WAC. 

The Wildcats, who have dropped eight straight games, are 2-14 on the road this season with three wins at home along with one win at a neutral site.

ACU has one WAC win apiece over UT Arlington, Tarleton State and Utah Valley while being swept in their last two WAC series by California Baptist and Southern Utah.

As a team, the Wildcats are hitting .252 and average 3.6 runs per game.

ACU ranks fifth in the WAC in stolen bases (50) and triples (10) while checking in sixth in doubles (49) and home runs (26).

Redshirt sophomore infielder Audrey Lacina leads the Wildcats hitting .325 from the plate while sophomore outfielder Ari Maxwell ranks third in the WAC smacking 12 home runs and is seventh in slugging percentage (.644).

Freshman Ciana Arguijo ranks second in the WAC swiping 18 stolen bases.

In the circle, the Wildcats have a 8.80 ERA while opponents are averaging 8.8 runs per game and hitting .367 from the plate.

Junior pitcher Leah Meyer leads the ACU in wins (3), appearances (26), complete games (4), innings pitched (76.1) and strikeouts (48).

SERIES HISTORY VS. OPPONENT (years they played)

• vs. Abilene Christian - 7-2 (2023, 2024, 2025)
• The Trailblazers are 2-1 all-time at home against ACU with a pair of wins over the Wildcats in 2024 defeating the Wildcats, 9-6 in the series opener and 12-9 in the series finale.
• The Trailblazers are 5-1 on the road at ACU with a sweep in 2023 and won two of three games last season taking the first two games of the series, 5-1 & 8-4.

WHERE THE TRAILBLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC
The Trailblazers lead the WAC in triples (14), rank third in batting average (.301), fourth in stolen bases (52), fifth in slugging percentage (.446), hits (365), doubles (67) & home runs (27).

On the season, Kinley Pappas leads the WAC in batting average (.435), doubles (18-10th nationally), slugging percentage (.830) & total bases (122), is second in triples (5) & third in hits (64).

Sadie Phillips and Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona are tied for third in the WAC with 14 stolen bases apiece.

RECORD WATCH DOWN THE STRETCH
Pappas has entered or nearing the top 10 in four different single season categories ranking third in slugging percentage (.830), tied for fifth in doubles (18), sixth in total bases (122) and ninth in batting average (.435),

Senior Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona is tied for 10th in career at-bats (558) and nearing the top 10 in career hits (191, 4 away), doubles (36, 3 away), runs scored (123, 6 away) & walks drawn (62, 5 away).

Kahahawai-Kekona is tied for sixth all-time in stolen bases (45) and Sadie Phillips is eighth (44).

SIX TRAILBLAZERS HONORED ON SENIOR DAY

• Lakaiya-Braessia Kahahawai-Kekona - .342 AVG, 189 GP, 181 GS, 191 H, 123 R, 36 2B
• Sadie Phillips - .292 AVG, 176 GP, 99 GS, 80 H, 76 R, 14 RBI
• Brooklyn Dowdle - .202 AVG, 132 GP, 26 GS, 26 H, 32 R, 17 RBI
• Sauren Garton - 5.12 ERA, 29-38, 100 APP, 75 GS, 27 CP, 406.1 IP, 246 K
• Baylee Howley - .304 AVG, 128 GP, 103 GS, 93 H, 58 R, 27 2B, 49 RBI
• Abby Mitchell - 15 GP

TRAILBLAZERS IN THE NCAA ERA
Utah Tech is 660-357 (.649) overall in its 19 seasons in the NCAA era.

In his 16 seasons leading the Trailblazers in the NCAA era, Simkins is 557-309 (.643).

HOME RECORD AT KARL BROOKS FIELD
The Trailblazers are 330-122 at home in the NCAA era.

The Blazers are 287-108 at home under Simkins.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers will look to advance to the WAC Tournament for the third time in program history after also earning berths in 2023 and 2024.