MORAGA, Calif. — Fresh off of a 3-1 Saint Mary's Tournament showing, the Gaels (13-14) find themselves in their penultimate week of non-conference play, and will be busy, with six games in this very week. Things get started with a home tilt against Georgia Tech (17-11), before the Gaels hit the road for single games against Utah (8-22) and Utah State (15-12) sandwiching a three game set at Idaho State (18-8).
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Tuesday, March 18 at 3 PM
Cottrell Field – Moraga, Calif.
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Utah Utes
Thursday, March 20 at 2 PM
Dumke Family Softball Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Idaho State Bengals (DH)
Friday, March 21 at 11:30 AM and 2 PM
Direct Communications Field at Miller Ranch Stadium – Pocatello, Idaho
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Idaho State Bengals
Saturday, March 22 at 1 PM
Direct Communications Field at Miller Ranch Stadium – Pocatello, Idaho
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Utah State Aggies
Sunday, March 23 at 10 AM
LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field – Logan, Utah
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HOME RUN DERBY AT COTTRELL
A season ago, Saint Mary's hit just six home runs all season at their home ballpark. This past weekend, the Gaels left the yard five times in their first full home weekend. All four players have now surpassed their home run tallies from a season ago. They Gaels hit 19 home runs all of last season, but with 11 already this season, look like they are well on their way to surpassing that number.
ABOUT THE YELLOW JACKETS
Already three weeks deep into their conference season, Georgia Tech will take on the Gaels in a Tuesday matchup following a weekend series in Berkeley. After dropping two of three to the Golden Bears, the Yellow Jackets sits at 17-11, still a very solid mark to begin the campaign. In year eight at the helm, Head Coach Aileen Morales became the third coach in program history to eclipse the 200 win mark. Coach Morales is the third winningest coach in GT program history, and played for the program's all-time wins leader Sharon Perkins in the late 2000s. Georgia Tech boasts an impressive lineup that features five starters batting over 0.300 and three with at least 10 extra-base hits. Leading the charge is sophomore Gracyn Tucker, who, after appearing in only nine games a year ago, has burst onto the scene as a sophomore with four doubles, eight home runs and 25 RBI in the early going. Sophia Voyles has been excellent in the circle, going 6-3 in her first 11 starts with a 2.11 ERA, but the Yellow Jackets are looking for a bit more consistency from the rest of their starters. The all-time series between these two sides is currently split at two games apiece.
ABOUT THE UTES
Utah will comes into this week having lost four straight and seven of their last eight to run their record to 8-22. All-time winningest coach in Utah Softball history Amy Hogue has enjoyed great success in recent history for the Utes, but has already matched her loss total from a season ago just 30 games into this campaign. Third year Ute starter (and fourth year collegiate starter) Kaylah Nelson has been the leader both on and off the field for this Utah squad, batting 0.306 with five doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI. While the veteran has dazzled at the plate for Utah, its been the youngster Hailey Maestretti who has starred in the circle. The freshman southpaw and defending Colorado Gatorade Softball Player of the Year leads the team with a 2.95 ERA over 80.2 innings pitched. Utah is 6-1 all-time vs the Gaels, with the two squads splitting their last meetings in 2022 in a neutral site event hosted by UC San Diego.
ABOUT THE BENGALS
The Gaels will get their second look at Idaho State this season, after defeating the Bengals 3-2 in Davis in their third game of the season. Since that point ISU has gone 16-7 to run their overall record to 18-8, including a signature win over Texas Tech. Andrew Rich is in his fourth season leading the Bengals, and looks well on his way to his first winning season, now 10 games over 0.500. Ava Brown has been the straw that stirs the drink offensively for the Bengals, with 27 RBI in just 26 games this season. The junior outfielder is now in her third season as an everyday starter in Pocatello, and looks to be on her way to breaking the single season ISU home run record (20). Fellow junior Californian Kasey Aguinaga transferred in after being underutilized at Boise State, and has quickly become the Bengals' ace, having gone 8-2 in 12 appearances with a 1.70 ERA. The Gaels have dominated the all-time series against Idaho State, 8-3, but this Bengals squad looks poised and ready to try and claw into that over this weekend's three game set.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
Utah State will be the Gaels final opponent of the weekend, wrapping up a trip of roughly 260 road miles going from Salt Lake City to Pocatello to Logan. The Aggies hold a 15-12 record coming into the week, under the direction of second year head coach Todd Judge. Coach Judge inherited an 18 win team two seasons ago, surpassed that in his first year, and looks like he will once again show a win total improvement in year two. The Aggie offense this season has been formidable to say the least. The dynamic duo of San Diegans Ariel Fifeta and Giselle Gonzales lead the charge. Fifeta is hitting at 0.438 with 18 of her 39 hits coming of the extra base, while Gonzales is hitting at 0.386 with a team best 31 RBI. Pitching, however, has been a bit of a struggle for Utah State, who holds a team ERA north of six and allows opponents to hit at 0.349 against them. This game could very well turn into a slugfest. Utah State lead the all-time series 8-7, with the two teams splitting a doubleheader in Moraga in 2023.
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