Completed Event: Softball versus No. 2 Seed Oklahoma State on May 7, 2026 , Loss , 0, to, 7
Final Score
Softball
0
vs No. 2 Seed Oklahoma State
7
The University of Utah Athletics
2015 Utah Softball Preview: Pitchers
1/21/2015 12:00 AM | Softball
Jan. 21, 2015
SALT LAKE CITY - With just a little over two and a half weeks before opening day, UtahUtes.com will preview the upcoming 2015 season with a breakdown of Utah's roster.
This is the first of a four-part series on Utah's student-athletes at each position, which will run through Monday, Feb. 2.
2015 Utah Softball Preview
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Pitchers
Monday, Jan. 26: Infield
Wednesday, Jan. 28: Outfield
Monday, Feb. 2: Catchers/Schedule
PITCHERS
Utah heads into the 2015 campaign knowing that it had to improve the pitching aspect of the game in order to not only compete in the Pac-12, but at a national level as well.
The Utes went 31-24 overall last season, which included a mark of 8-15 in Pac-12 play. Head coach Amy Hogue feels that the team made a lot of strides heading forward, but she is well aware that the team can get better heading into a new year.
"We finished sixth last year, which was better, but we still have a long ways to go," said Hogue. "We added some depth to our pitching staff and believe our numbers will improve in that portion of the game."
Utah returns the entire pitching staff from last season and added a pair of incoming freshmen into the mix as well.
Sammy Cordova (Huntington Beach, Calif.) returns for her sophomore campaign after leading the Utes with 15 victories inside the circle last season. Cordova went 15-8 overall with a team-leading 4.08 earned run average. A true freshman last season, Cordova, who appeared in 38 games, tallied 73 strikeouts in 146.0 innings pitched and recorded one shutout to go along with nine complete games in her 21 starts. Cordova was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week back on May 5, 2014, and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshmen Team at the conclusion of the regular-season.
Junior Kayce Nieto (Farmington Hills, Mich.) returns to the circle for the Utes as well after going 11-11 with a 5.22 ERA in 25 starts and 35 total appearances last season. The third-year player recorded 48 strikeouts and walked just 29 batters in her 128.2 innings of work, tallied a pair of shutouts and tossed six complete games for Utah in 2014. Her 1.58 walks-per-seven innings ranked first in the Pac-12 and 75th in the nation. She has a combined record of 18-18 in two seasons with the Utes and has a career 4.86 ERA.
Veteran senior Mariah Ramirez (Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.) went 5-5 with a 5.46 ERA, while appearing in 28 games for the Utes last season. Utah's most experienced pitcher fanned 26 batters in her 82.0 innings of work last season. Ramirez, who also served as a designated player in more than 20 games for Utah last season, hit .267 with five doubles and 21 runs batted in on the way to being named a NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team selection.
Utah added depth to the rotation with a pair of incoming freshmen as Hogue welcomes both Katie Donovan (Salem, Ore.) and Miranda Viramontes (Chino, Calif.) to the squad in 2015.
Donovan was a four-year letterwinner at South Salem High School where she won over 70 games inside the circle and tallied a career ERA under 1.00. A member of the 2014 Class 6A State Championship squad, Donovan went 27-1 with a 0.31 ERA and more than 275 strikeouts, and was named Oregon's 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year. She was named the Oregonian Softball Player of the Year as well, and was a MaxPreps All-American selection. In 29 games last season, Donovan recorded 19 shutouts and five no-hitters, which included one perfect game.
A four-year letterwinner at Chino High School, Viramontes went 25-1 with 296 strikeouts and five no-hitters during her senior campaign in 2014. A threat at the dish as well, Viramontes hit .419 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in her final season as well. She was a three-time First Team All-League selection and was named her league's MVP just this past season. Viramontes helped lead Chino to a pair of CIF Southern Section Division II State Championships (2012, 2013) and a state runner-up (2014).
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SALT LAKE CITY - With just a little over two and a half weeks before opening day, UtahUtes.com will preview the upcoming 2015 season with a breakdown of Utah's roster.
This is the first of a four-part series on Utah's student-athletes at each position, which will run through Monday, Feb. 2.
2015 Utah Softball Preview
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Pitchers
Monday, Jan. 26: Infield
Wednesday, Jan. 28: Outfield
Monday, Feb. 2: Catchers/Schedule
PITCHERS
Utah heads into the 2015 campaign knowing that it had to improve the pitching aspect of the game in order to not only compete in the Pac-12, but at a national level as well.
The Utes went 31-24 overall last season, which included a mark of 8-15 in Pac-12 play. Head coach Amy Hogue feels that the team made a lot of strides heading forward, but she is well aware that the team can get better heading into a new year.
"We finished sixth last year, which was better, but we still have a long ways to go," said Hogue. "We added some depth to our pitching staff and believe our numbers will improve in that portion of the game."
Utah returns the entire pitching staff from last season and added a pair of incoming freshmen into the mix as well.
Sammy Cordova (Huntington Beach, Calif.) returns for her sophomore campaign after leading the Utes with 15 victories inside the circle last season. Cordova went 15-8 overall with a team-leading 4.08 earned run average. A true freshman last season, Cordova, who appeared in 38 games, tallied 73 strikeouts in 146.0 innings pitched and recorded one shutout to go along with nine complete games in her 21 starts. Cordova was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week back on May 5, 2014, and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshmen Team at the conclusion of the regular-season.
Junior Kayce Nieto (Farmington Hills, Mich.) returns to the circle for the Utes as well after going 11-11 with a 5.22 ERA in 25 starts and 35 total appearances last season. The third-year player recorded 48 strikeouts and walked just 29 batters in her 128.2 innings of work, tallied a pair of shutouts and tossed six complete games for Utah in 2014. Her 1.58 walks-per-seven innings ranked first in the Pac-12 and 75th in the nation. She has a combined record of 18-18 in two seasons with the Utes and has a career 4.86 ERA.
Veteran senior Mariah Ramirez (Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.) went 5-5 with a 5.46 ERA, while appearing in 28 games for the Utes last season. Utah's most experienced pitcher fanned 26 batters in her 82.0 innings of work last season. Ramirez, who also served as a designated player in more than 20 games for Utah last season, hit .267 with five doubles and 21 runs batted in on the way to being named a NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team selection.
Utah added depth to the rotation with a pair of incoming freshmen as Hogue welcomes both Katie Donovan (Salem, Ore.) and Miranda Viramontes (Chino, Calif.) to the squad in 2015.
Donovan was a four-year letterwinner at South Salem High School where she won over 70 games inside the circle and tallied a career ERA under 1.00. A member of the 2014 Class 6A State Championship squad, Donovan went 27-1 with a 0.31 ERA and more than 275 strikeouts, and was named Oregon's 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year. She was named the Oregonian Softball Player of the Year as well, and was a MaxPreps All-American selection. In 29 games last season, Donovan recorded 19 shutouts and five no-hitters, which included one perfect game.
A four-year letterwinner at Chino High School, Viramontes went 25-1 with 296 strikeouts and five no-hitters during her senior campaign in 2014. A threat at the dish as well, Viramontes hit .419 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in her final season as well. She was a three-time First Team All-League selection and was named her league's MVP just this past season. Viramontes helped lead Chino to a pair of CIF Southern Section Division II State Championships (2012, 2013) and a state runner-up (2014).
Players Mentioned
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