SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The 2021 schedule for the Utah Softball team was released on Monday as the Pac-12 unveiled the week-by-week conference matchups. The Utes, who are receiving votes in preseason polls, will take the field on Feb. 11, at Grand Canyon University, for the first time since the 2020 season was cut short by the pandemic last March. Utah will seek to quickly return to the high level of play that saw the team race out to a 14-4 record in the shortened 2020 season.
"I'd be remiss to not start with how thankful I am for the commitment from our administration to allow this to happen," said head coach Amy Hogue. "The efforts from our student-athletes to do their best to stay healthy so they can play games clearly proves how meaningful it is for them to have a season. Our administration at Utah and the Pac-12 conference have worked hard to give us protocols that will give us the best chance to play, and I'm hopeful that we will have a season full of games this spring."
In addition to Utah receiving votes in the national polls, the Pac-12 features five ranked teams—Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA and Washington—against whom the Utes are scheduled to play 24 games this season.
"Last season ended abruptly, just prior to Pac-12 games, so seeing 36 games this season (up from 24) against our conference foes, feels as if we get the chance to make up for those lost opportunities," Hogue said. "In a normal year, this schedule would be daunting because of the difficulty presented, but we couldn't be happier for the chance to get on the field and compete."
In Pac-12 Conference play this year, teams will play a four-game series each weekend, with a doubleheader on the second day of each series. Only three of the four games will count toward the Conference standings, meaning each team will play a total of 32 games against league opponents in the conference portion of the schedule (March 19-May 15), but only 24 will count toward determining the Pac-12 champion. The two single games and the first game of the doubleheader, regardless of day, will count as Conference games. If all four games are played, the second game on Day 2 of each series will be counted as a non-conference game. If only three contests are completed in total, all will count as Conference games. Utah has four other non-conference games against Pac- 12 foes.
After the Feb. 11 opener at Grand Canyon, Utah will play in tournaments on back-to-back weekends: Arizona State's Kajikawa Classic Feb. 12-14 and the UNLV tournament Feb. 19-21 in Las Vegas. The Utes return to Tempe, Ariz., Feb. 21-March 1 for three games against Pac-12 foes, facing Oregon Feb. 28 and UCLA and ASU on March 1.
One more weekend of tournament play will follow, March 12-14, at the Dixie State Tournament in St. George, Utah.
Pac-12 Conference play commences March 19-21 at Oregon before the Utes make their 2021 home debut on March 23 with a doubleheader against Utah Valley. Utah will host Stanford (March 26-28), Arizona State (April 1-3), UCLA (April 30-May 2) and Oregon State (May 13-15) in Pac-12 play, and host additional non-conference games against Weber State (April 14) and Idaho State (April 28; doubleheader).
The 2021 NCAA softball tournament selections will be announced on Sunday, May 16, with Regionals scheduled for May 21-23, Super Regionals May 27-30 and the Women's College World Series June 3-9 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Under 14th year head coach Amy Hogue, Utah enters the 2021 campaign with a talented and deep roster led by two-time NFCA All-Region selection Alyssa Barrera. The center fielder, who returns for her "super senior" year after the 2020 season was cut short, ranks fourth in Utah history with a .367 batting average. She hit .421 with a .492 on-base percentage while slugging .649 in 2020, and was one of just two Pac-12 players to rank in the top 20 in those individual categories, as well as runs scored.
Six other starting position players return this year, including sophomore left fielder and leadoff batter Haley Denning (.397, 12-12 stolen bases), sophomore second baseman Madi Jacobus (team-leading 7 doubles and 17 RBI) and junior third baseman Ellessa Bonstrom (.380, 5 home runs and team leading .740 slugging percentage).
All three pitchers who accounted for every inning pitched for the Utes in 2020 are back this season. Junior Sydney Sandez has been the leader of the staff for each of the past two seasons, and finished 2020 with a record of 11-3 with a 2.42 ERA. She pitched three complete games and added two saves. The staff is bolstered by sophomores Mary Beth Feldman (3-1, 3.32 ERA) and Halle Morris (0-0, 4.44).
2021 UTAH SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
Day | Date | Time (MT) | Opponent | Location |
Thursday | February 11 | 6 p.m. | Grand Canyon | Grand Canyon University |
Kajikawa Classic – Tempe, Ariz. | ||||
Friday | February 12 | 12 p.m. | Seattle U | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Friday | February 12 | 3 p.m. | BYU | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Saturday | February 13 | 3 p.m. | Seattle U | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Saturday | February 13 | 6 p.m. | Arizona State | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Sunday | February 14 | 11 a.m. | Seattle U | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
UNLV Tourney - Las Vegas, Nev. | ||||
Friday | February 19 | 11 a.m. | Weber State | Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium) |
Friday | February 19 | 1:30 p.m. | Cal Baptist | Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium) |
Saturday | February 20 | 1:30 p.m. | Cal Baptist | Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium) |
Saturday | February 20 | 4 p.m. | UNLV | Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium) |
Sunday | February 21 | 12 p.m. | UNLV | Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium) |
Tempe, Ariz. | ||||
Sunday | February 28 | 5 p.m. | Oregon | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Monday | March 1 | 2 p.m. | UCLA | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
Monday | March 1 | 5 p.m. | ASU | Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium) |
St. George, Utah | ||||
Friday | March 12 | 11 a.m. | Southern Utah | St. George, Utah (Dixie State University) |
Saturday | March 13 | 10 a.m. | Boise State | St. George, Utah (Dixie State University) |
Saturday | March 13 | 12:30 p.m. | Weber State | St. George, Utah (Dixie State University) |
Sunday | March 14 | 12:30 p.m. | Dixie State | St. George, Utah (Dixie State University) |
Friday | March 19 | TBD | Oregon | Eugene, Ore. |
Saturday | March 20 | TBD | Oregon | Eugene, Ore. |
Saturday | March 20 | TBD | Oregon | Eugene, Ore. |
Sunday | March 21 | TBD | Oregon | Eugene, Ore. |
Tuesday | March 23 | 1 p.m. | Utah Valley (DH) | Salt Lake City |
Wednesday | March 24 | TBD | BYU | Provo, Utah |
Friday | March 26 | TBD | Stanford | Salt Lake City |
Saturday | March 27 | TBD | Stanford | Salt Lake City |
Saturday | March 27 | TBD | Stanford | Salt Lake City |
Sunday | March 28 | TBD | Stanford | Salt Lake City |
Thursday | April 1 | TBD | Arizona State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | April 2 | TBD | Arizona State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | April 2 | TBD | Arizona State | Salt Lake City |
Saturday | April 3 | TBD | Arizona State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | April 9 | TBD | California | Berkeley, Calif. |
Saturday | April 10 | TBD | California | Berkeley, Calif. |
Saturday | April 10 | TBD | California | Berkeley, Calif. |
Sunday | April 11 | TBD | California | Berkeley, Calif. |
Wednesday | April 14 | 4 p.m. | Weber State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | April 23 | TBD | Arizona | Tucson, Ariz. |
Saturday | April 24 | TBD | Arizona | Tucson, Ariz. |
Saturday | April 24 | TBD | Arizona | Tucson, Ariz. |
Sunday | April 25 | TBD | Arizona | Tucson, Ariz. |
Wednesday | April 28 | 2 p.m. | Idaho State (DH) | Salt Lake City |
Saturday | April 30 | TBD | UCLA | Salt Lake City |
Sunday | May 1 | TBD | UCLA | Salt Lake City |
Sunday | May 1 | TBD | UCLA | Salt Lake City |
Monday | May 2 | TBD | UCLA | Salt Lake City |
Friday | May 7 | TBD | Washington | Seattle, Wash. |
Saturday | May 8 | TBD | Washington | Seattle, Wash. |
Saturday | May 8 | TBD | Washington | Seattle, Wash. |
Sunday | May 9 | TBD | Washington | Seattle, Wash. |
Thursday | May 13 | TBD | Oregon State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | May 14 | TBD | Oregon State | Salt Lake City |
Friday | May 14 | TBD | Oregon State | Salt Lake City |
Saturday | May 15 | TBD | Oregon State | Salt Lake City |