Upcoming Event: Softball versus Southern Utah on March 4, 2026 at 3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Softball
vs Southern Utah
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The University of Utah Athletics
Women's Softball Heads To NIST
3/8/2000 12:00 AM | Softball
March 8, 2000
Salt Lake City - This Week: Utah travels to the 14th annual National Invitational Softball Tournament on Fri.-Sun., Mar. 10-12 in Sunnyvale, Calif. The 16 team tournament features: Utah, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, No. 23 Nebraska, Kent State, Utah State, No. 7 California, Santa Clara, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 22 Long Beach State, Baylor, Central Michigan, University of the Pacific and Virginia.
Tournament Quick Facts: The NIST is an annual event hosted by San Jose State. Each of the 16 teams in the field will play in two pre-determined match-ups on Fri., Mar. 10. Bracket play will begin on Sat., Mar. 11 and continue on Sun., Mar. 12.
This year's tournament field includes four teams ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll and two other teams received votes in the poll.
Amy Villa of the San Jose State Sports Inofrmation Office is the softball contact for the tournament. Villa will be at the tournament site daily. Villa can be reached at (408) 745-9143 or at (408) 210-6345 (cell) and (408) 745-9144 (fax).
Utah's Pool Play Schedule: The Utes will play two teams ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll.
Friday (No. 22) Long Beach State 3:00 p.m. (PST) (No. 4) Arizona State 5:00 p.m. (PST)
Bracket Play
Saturday TBA All Day (PST)
Sunday TBA All Day (PST)
Team Travel: On Thurs., Mar. 9, Utah will depart Salt Lake City at 3:10 p.m. on Delta Flight #2011. They will arrive in San Francisco, Calif. at 4:05 p.m. Utah team headquarters is the Sunnyvale Hitlorn Inn (408) 738-4888. The Utes will stay in California over spring break and participate in the Sacramento State Tournament from Mar. 16-19. Utah team headquarters is the Holiday Inn NE (916) 338-5800. On Sun., Mar. 19m Utah will depart Sacramento, Calif. at 4:50 p.m. on Delta flight #1421 and arrive in Salt Lake City at 7:21 p.m.
The Opposition: Long Beach State is now 10-6 on the season as they defeated Saint Mary's College and Loyola Marymount, Fri., Mar. 3.
Pitcher Traci Hensel picked up the win over St. Mary's in a six inning matchup that was called early due to tournament time constraints. The 49ers scored first with a base hit by Natalie Walker that drove in Jessica Smith. Christina Zepeda followed suit with a double to score Stacey Silva, Christina Ashley and Walker, giving the 49ers a four point lead in the top of the second. The Gales retaliated with a single in the bottom of the inning but were unable to overcome the 49er lead as they eventually fell to the Beach 5-2.
In Game 2, Kristi Fox went the distance to record the win and tie breaking RBI over LMU as the Beach defeated the Lions in extra innings. Fox pitched seven scoreless innings before eventually trading runs with the Lions in the eighth. Allowing just one hit, with no runs and no errors in the top of the ninth, Fox went on to single in Zepeda for the gamewinning run and a final score of 2-1.
Arizona State tallied a 4-2 record at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Sun Devils had an easy time advancing out of its pool, shutting out all three of its opponenst: Sixtenth-ranked Alabama, 4-0, 20th-ranked DePaul, 8-0 in six innings and 21st-ranked Oklahoma State, 10-0 in five innings. ASU advanced into the Gold Bracket where they suffered its first loss to fifth-ranked LSU, 6-4. The Devils then faced 23rd-ranked Nebraska, winning 7-0 to advance into the championship of the Gold consolation game. In the championship game, ASU lost a hard fought 2-1 game in nine innings to 14th-ranked Michigan. NFCA Tournament game highlights included: (Alabama) sophomore pitcher Kirsten Voak throws a one-hitter, striking out eight, while also hitting a game-winning, three-run home run. Freshman catcher Sara Kahler also picked off two players attempting to steal second. (Oklahoma State) sophomore Erica Beach hit a grand slam as ASU unloaded seven runs in the second inning. Sophomore Nichole Thompson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Beach and Voak combined to limit OSU to three hits. (DePaul) Voak again threw a one-hitter, while senior Jamie Hlebechuk hit a grand slam to seal the win. Thompson went 3-for-3 with a run scored. (LSU) Voak came in relief for two and two-thirds innings, striking out six of the eight batters. Sophomore Missy Hixon and Hlebechuck each contributed two hits, including solo home runs. (Nebraska) Voak recorded her third shutout, limiting Nebraska to four hits, striking out eight, while going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Hixon went 3-for-4 with two runs and Thompson went 2-for-3 with two runs. Beach blasted a home run and had two RBIs. (Michigan) Voak and Beach combined to limit UM to five hits. Freshman Kara Brun went 2-for-4.
Weekend Wrap-up: Utah went 2-3 last weekend at the NFCA Lead-Off Classic in Columbus, Ga. Utah is currently 10-10 overall, 0-0 in MWC play.
Utah defeated Florida, 1-0 in seven innings at the NFCA Lead-Off Classic on Fri., Mar. 3 in Columbus, Ga. Kristin Arbogast recorded the win for the Utes, pitching seven innings, giving up four hits, zero runs, four walks and struck out seven. Senior Nicole Wilkinson hit a solo homerun, while teammates Lisa Hashimoto-Hall and Lyndsey Trevis had two hits each.
Utah lost to No. 1 Washington, 8-0 in the late game on Fri., Mar. 3. Seniors Sunny Smith and Lisa Hashimoto Hall and freshman Nikki Hayhurst had one hit each in the game. Jeanette Herbert took the loss for the Utes, picthing 5.2 innings and allowing eight runs, 12 hits, 2 walks and struck out one.
Utah bounced back and defeated No. 17 Illinois-Chicago 5-3, in seven innings, on Sat., Mar. 4. Freshman Nikki Hayhurst was a threat at the plate, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Senior Stacy O'Farrell and sophomore Michelle Larsen each had 2 hits and 1 RBI, while Lisa Hashimoto-Hall, Sunny Smith, Molly McLean and Angie Kenney had one hit each. Arbogast received the win, pitching all seven innings, giving up only six hits, three earned runs, six walks and struck out three.
In the late game on Sat., Mar. 4, Utah was edged by Cal State Northridge and former Ute Sarah Farnworth, 2-0. The Utes couldn't manufacture the runs, but had seven hits by four different players in the game. Kristin Arbogast recorded the loss for the Utes.
Against Utah's first opponent Florida, senior Sunny Smith had three hits (one home run), one run and one RBI. Senior Nicole Wilkinsonhad a double in the game, while Lisa Hashimoto-Hall racked up two hits. Jeanette Herbert took the loss for the Utes, pitching four innings and giving up eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and struck out one. Kristin Arbogast came in relief and pitched two innings for Utah. Herbert is now 1-2 overall and Arbogast moves to 9-7 overall.
Coming Up: Utah travels to the Sacramento State Tournament on Mar. 16-19 in Sacramento, Calif. The 15 team tournament features: Utah, No. 7 California, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Portland State, Virginia, Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee State, No. 25 Oregon, Utah State, San Jose State, Texas A&M, Louisville, No. 23 Nebraska, Sacramento State and Southeast Missouri State.
Utah vs. Ranked Opponents: Utah is currently 3-6 against Top-25 teams. Utah lost to No. 1 Washington 8-0, on Mar. 3, 2000. On Mar. 4, 2000, the Utes defeated No. 17 Illinois-Chicago, 5-3. On Feb. 11, 2000 the Utes were defeated by No. 16 Cal State Fullerton, 8-0. No. 12 Oregon State beat Utah 11-3 on Feb. 11, 2000. Utah recorded its first win of the 2000 season against a ranked team on Feb. 18., topping No. 25t Oregon, 1-0. The Utes went on to defeat No. 12 Oregon State, 7-6 in eight innings on Feb. 18, 2000. Utah lost to No. 11 Stanford, 2-1 on Feb. 25, 2000. The Utes were shut-down by No. 1 Washington, 14-1 on Feb. 26. Utah lost to No. 25t Oklahoma State, 5-3 on Feb. 27, 2000.
Utah in the Polls: Utah received votes in the preseason, Feb. 20 and Feb 27 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll.
MWC Statistical Leaders: As of Sun., Mar. 5, Utah as a team was first in stolen bases (18), second in the MWC in home runs (14), third in RBI (53), in slugging percentage (.385), in runs scored (57) and total bases (149). The Utes are fourth in walks (30), hits (97), at bats (387) and on base percentage (.310). Utah is third in wins (8) and fourth in innings pitched (101.1). The Utes are fourth in strikeouts (54), in strikeouts looking (19) and sixth with a 4.21 ERA.
Senior Sunny Smith leads the MWC in homeruns (6) and is second in on base percentage (.469). Smith is thrid with a .875 slugging percentage, fifth in total bases (35), in RBI (13), seventh in runs scored (11) and in batting average (.375). She is eighth in walks (7) and 10th in hits (15). Sophomore Molly McLean is third in stolen bases (6), while teammate Lisa Hashimoto-Hall is sixth in stolen bases. Sophomore Lyndsey Trevis is sixth in homeruns (3) and seventh with a .615 slugging percentage. Freshman Niki Hayhurst is 10th with a .355 batting average and 10th with a .429 on base percentage. Senior Jenny Monson is seventh with a .450 on base percentage. Junior Kristin Arbogast is second in wins (6), third in games started (7) and fifth with a 2.71 ERA. Arbogast is fifth in innings pitched (51.2), in strikeouts looking (8), sixth in appearances (10) and ninth in strikeouts (17).
Head Coach Mona Stevens: Mona Stevens, who has built a reputation as one of the top coaches in the nation on both the national and international levels, embarks on her fourth season as head coach at Utah.
A former Ute player and assistant coach, the Provo, Utah, native came home in September of 1996, following a two-year stint at the University of Massachusetts. Stevens was the associate head coach for the Minutewomen during the 1995 and `96 seasons, and was named head coach at UMass in June of `96, three months prior to being hired by her alma mater. In three years under Stevens, the Utes have complied a 118-76 record (.608), chalked-up two third-place finishes in the Western Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1997.
Last season, Utah posted a 28-27 overall record and finished fifth in the Western Athletic Conference with an 8-11 mark. The Utes were the runner-up in the WAC Tournament with a 4-2 record, losing to No. 2 Fresno State in the championship game.
MWC Pre-Season Poll: Utah was selected by the league coaches as the preseason favorite to win the first-ever Mountain West Conference crown. The Utes received three first-place votes and 23 points to edge out New Mexico which claimed two first-place votes and 21 points.
New Mexico had the most wins in school history last season, going 42-14 overall and tying for second place in the WAC with a 14-7 slate. The Lobos return eight starters among 10 letterwinners under the direction of 23-year veteran head coach Susan Craig who received co-Coach of the Year honors in 1999. San Diego State finished tied for third in the conference in 1999 with a 16-8 league record and a 24-34 overall mark. The Aztecs return nine starters and 12 letterwinners. UNLV finished the 1999 season with an 18-31 record and placed sixth in the conference. The Rebels return 10 starters and 15 letterwinners after losing just three players from the 1999 squad. Colorado State went 17-24 overall in 1999 and placed seventh in the final league standings. The Rams return seven starters among 10 letterwinners. The softball program at BYU is in its first season as a varsity sport under the direction of Utah graduate and former assistant coach Mary Kay Amicone.
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