The University of Utah softball team, ranked No. 25, will host the Abilene Christian Wildcats for a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on March 11 and concluding with a game on March 12 at Dumke Family Softball Stadium in Salt Lake City.
This matchup comes as the Utes ride an 11-game winning streak, including a recent sweep of No. 21/22 Arizona State to open Big 12 conference play. The team outscored Arizona State by a combined score of 35-11 during that series. Several players contributed significantly, such as Hailee White, who went five-for-eight at the plate, and Shonty Passi, who hit two home runs and drove in five runs in one game. Kayla Lyon added six RBIs against Arizona State and Mia Gomez homered twice while driving in five runs. In pitching, Raci Miranda earned two wins over the weekend and Hailey Maestretti held Arizona State to just one hit over five innings.
Utah’s pitching staff currently holds an earned run average (ERA) of 1.81, which ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference. The team’s nine shutouts are tied for fifth in Division I softball, and their walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is among the top twenty nationally. Offensively, Utah ranks within the top fifty teams nationwide in several categories including RBIs, walks, doubles, scoring, and hits.
Abilene Christian enters the series with a record of two wins and twenty-one losses through its first twenty-three games this season. Head coach Jo Koons is leading her second year at ACU after guiding them to eleven conference wins last season. Standout players for Abilene Christian include Ari Maxwell with five home runs and underclassmen Audrey Lacina and Jadyn Dawson who are both batting above .300.
Individual Utah players have also received recognition this season: Mia Gomez was named Freshman of the Week by Softball on SI—the third such honor for a Utah freshman this year—and Kennedy Proctor recently set a school record with three doubles in one game against Illinois State.
Looking ahead to this week’s games against Abilene Christian, fans can watch all three contests live on ESPN+ or follow updates via social media channels dedicated to Utah softball.
