Utah Softball Plays No. 5 Arizona This Weekend

Friday, April 5

Salt Lake City, Utah

6:00 PM

University of Utah

Arizona

4/3/2019 12:20 PM | Softball

2019 Utah Softball Game Notes

Utes and 'Cats meet up for three games at Dumke Family Stadium

SERIES AT A GLANCE

Friday, April 5	Utah vs. No. 5 Arizona \| 6 p.m. \| Flash Back Friday
Saturday, April 6	Utah vs. No. 5 Arizona \| 12 p.m. \| Diamond Club Appreciation Day
Sunday, April 7	Utah vs. No. 5 Arizona \| 12 p.m. \| Swing For Life
LOCATION	Dumke Family Softball Stadium \| Salt Lake City
TELEVISION	Pac-12 Network
LIVE STREAM	Pac-12.com/live
LIVE STATS	UtahUtes.com

ON DECK
Utah hosts No. 5 Arizona this weekend for a three-game Pac-12 set. The Utes have won the last two series here at home (4-2 overall), including two out of three against the No. 1-ranked 'Cats during the 2017 season.

BARRERA BREAKING OUT FOR UTES
Alyssa Barrera leads the Pac-12 and sits seventh nationally with five triples, three of which came against Cal. Over the last 17 games, she is hitting .510 with 19 RBI and an .836 slugging percentage

She ranks ninth in the Pac-12 with a .398 batting average and eighth with 41 hits. In conference play, she ranks seventh in hits, fifth in batting average (.526), fourth in on-base percentage (.571) and eighth in slugging (.842)

Barrera, named to the 2018 USA Softball Player of the Year "Watch List", also made the short list of finalists for the 2017 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award.

Last season, she hit .322 in 2018, the second-best average on the team. As a freshman, she ranked sixth in the Pac-12 and led the Utes with 46 runs scored.

She was also named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team and All-Freshman Team.

BONSTROM BLOWING UP
After her first two Pac-12 series, freshman Ellessa Bonstrom has shown she will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come.

In Pac-12 play, she leads the way with a 1.250 slugging percentage. She also ranks second in on-base percentage (.652), third with seven walks, seventh in home runs (3) and batting average (.500), eighth in total bases (20) and ninth in runs scored (8).

DICKMAN HAS BEEN DYNAMITE
Over the last 17 games, Ally Dickman is batting .379 with 15 RBI while slugging .638 and clubbing a team-leading four home runs

The senior owns the longest hitting streak (10 games) and on-base streak (12 games) for the Utes this season and is currently the toughest at bat in the Pac-12 with just four strikeouts in 85 at bats

NOSKIN A NAME TO REMEMBER
Julia Noskin has registered multiple hits in 12 contests this season and ranks ninth in the Pac-12 with 39 hits

Noskin was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshmen Team in 2018. She hit .310 and led the team in runs (31), walks (15) and on-base percentage (.395).

Her numbers increased in conference play as she led Utah in total hits and batted .333 with a .455 on-base percentage.

The Calabasas, California native played every game for Utah, starting 47 in left field, and moved into the leadoff spot for the final 27 games of the season where she hit .473.

DYNAMIC DUO TURNING TWO
Utah has turned 19 double plays, the most in the Pac-12 and 12th nationally. The Utes turned three in a game vs. Ohio State earlier this year.

Julia Noskin and BreOnna Castaneda have combined for 152 assists, 31 more than second best in the conference (Gortarez-Loomis, ASU)

ASU RECAP
The Utes were swept by the No. 16 Sun Devils in Tempe and a frustrating weekend was capped by an 18-17 loss in the finale.

The Utes pounded out 18 hits, a season-high for any Pac-12 team, but allowed nine runs in the seventh inning before falling.

The 17 runs scored by Utah were its most in a game since joining the Pac-12. The total was also the most in a conference game since 2006 (18 vs UNLV, MWC) and the most ever scored in a true road conference game. The five home runs were also the most in a game since 2012.

Alyssa Barrera hit .500 and scored a team-high four runs while Ally Dickman hit .455 and drove in a team-high six runs. Despite the offensive explosion, Utah pitchers allowed 45 runs in three games, walking 22 batters.

HILBURN HITTING HER STRIDE
Hailey Hilburn was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Pacific Region Team in 2018.

She had her best offensive season for Utah, starting 49 games and hitting .311. She finished third on the team in doubles, home runs, runs batted in, slugging
percentage and walks. She also paced the squad in stolen bases.

In the circle, she made a career-high eight starts and picked up five wins with a career-high 42 strikeouts.

She also limited opposing batters to a .237 average, tops on the team. In Pac-12 play, she racked up the most wins and limited left-handed batters to a .165 average

The jack-of-all-trades for Utah started at six different positions this season; first base, third base, left field, right field, pitcher and designated player.

As a sophomore, she ranked sixth in the Pac-12 with a 1.56 ERA and 5.5 hits allowed per seven innings.

PITCHING PAIR
Newcomer Sydney Sandez's 24 appearances are second most in the Pac-12. Teammate Chantelle Ladner is third with 22 outings

UTES STICK SIX ON PAC-12 ACADEMIC TEAMS
The Utah softball program placed six student-athletes on the Pac-12 All-Academic teams with Ally Dickman taking first team honors.

Dickman was a member of the second team last season and moved up to the top tier in 2018. She became the seventh different Ute to earn Pac-12 First Team All-Academic accolades.

First-time selections Alyssa Barrera, BreOnna Castaneda and Hailey Hilburn were all honorably mentioned.

Utah has had 22 student-athletes earn 36 Pac-12 All-Academic honors since joining the conference in 2012.