2026 WAC SB Release - Week 4

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST SWEEPS THE MARY NUTTER CLASSIC
California Baptist went 5-0 last week in one of collegiate softball’s biggest tournaments of the year, the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Desert, California. The Lancers extended their winning streak to 10 games after defeating Oregon State, UC San Diego, Seattle U, Fresno State and Utah in the tournament. Emily Darwin was named WAC Pitcher of the Week after collecting three wins and a save in Palm Desert including five strong innings in relief against Utah where she struck out six batters and allowed only two hits to preserve the win for CBU.
 
PAPPAS POWERS THE TRAILBLAZERS IN HOME OPENING LYMAN CLASSIC
Utah Tech had a successful home-opening weekend as the Trailblazers went 4-1 in the Lyman Classic as the team scored double-digits in all four wins. The Trailblazers were powered by the WAC Player of the Week, Kinley Pappas, as the catcher/infielder recorded a .611 batting average and posted 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored in the tournament. Pappas tallied three home runs, three triples, and two doubles for a 1.556 slugging percentage.
 
UTAH VALLEY’S STERZER NAMED D1SOFTBALL MID-MAJOR FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley’s strong 4-1 weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada was capped off with Megan Sterzer being awarded with D1Softball’s Mid-Major Freshman of the Week honor. Sterzer went 8-for-13 in the Rebel Classic with a home run, a double, eight RBIs, seven runs scored and four walks. Sterzer hit her first collegiate homer with a grand slam in the Wolverines’ Thursday win over Valparaiso. Utah Valley scored 49 runs in the tournament, the team’s most in any five-game span against D-I opposition.
 
SOUTHERN UTAH’S STRONG SHOWING AGAINST TOP TEAMS
Southern Utah traveled to Tempe, Arizona to compete in the Sun Devil Classic where the Thunderbirds grabbed a pair of wins against New Mexico State and competed well against No. 21 Arizona State and twice against a receiving votes Michigan team. The Thunderbirds offense was able to keep up with the ranked Sun Devils before falling 11-10 on Friday. The SUU pitching staff then held Michigan to eight runs combined in two games including an extra-inning contest where the Wolverines were able to pull away in the top of the 10th and take the 5-3 win. Eight of Southern Utah’s 16 games this season have been against teams that have been ranked or received votes.