BYU opens play at Red Desert Classic

PROVO, Utah – BYU travels to St. George, Utah, to open up the 2014 season in the Red Desert Classic beginning Thursday.

Red Desert Classic
Feb 6-8
Canyons Complex, Field 1
St. George, Utah

Weber State
Thursday, Feb 6 at 2 p.m. MST

Southern Utah
Thursday, Feb 6 at 4 p.m. MST

Nevada
Friday, Feb 7 at 11 a.m. MST

East Carolina
Friday, Feb 7 at 1:30 p.m. MST

University of Texas at Arlington
Saturday, Feb 8 at 11 a.m. MST

BYU

BYU finished the 2013 season with a 33-25 record and took home the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship. They return 12 letterwinners, including seven starters. The Cougars are coached by Gordon Eakin, who holds a 449-200 record entering his 12th year as head coach.

Quick hits

• BYU starts seasons off fast, they are 43-22 all-time in their season opening tournaments.
• They have played in the Red Desert Classic nine times and own a 31-10 record in the tournament.
• Gordy Bravo’s 70 hits as a freshman was second only to JC Clayton’s 80 in her freshman year.
• Lacey Millett-Hofstedt will look to break the all-time steals record trailing Clayton by four in only her junior season.
• Coco Tauali’i enters the season having reached base over the final 16 games of the 2013 season.

Weber State

Weber State finished last season with a 10-38 record and made a coaching change in the offseason. They hired coach Mary Kay Amicone who had led SLCC to three straight appearances in the NJCAA national championship game. The Wildcats return 17 players from last year’s team and bring in six new players.

BYU Series Record vs. Weber State
Overall Series Record: 1-0
BYU Record in Provo: 1-0
BYU Record in Ogden: 0-0
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 0-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 1-0
Longest BYU Win Streak: 1 (2011-Present)
Longest Weber State Win Streak: none
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 8 (2011)
Largest Weber State Margin of Victory: none
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 9 (2011)
Most Runs Scored by Weber State: 1 (2011)

Southern Utah

Despite their 18-34 record, Southern Utah got hot when it mattered most advancing all the way to the championship round of the Big Sky Conference tournament before falling to eventual champion Portland State 4-0. The Thunderbirds return nine players, seven of them are returning starters. The Thunderbirds are coached by Kyle Magnusson who is in his fourth year and holds a 72-93 record.

BYU Series Record vs. SUU
Overall Series Record: 44-4
BYU Record in Provo: 20-2
BYU Record in Cedar City: 14-1
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 10-1
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 35-2
Longest BYU Win Streak: 29 (2006-Present)
Longest SUU Win Streak: 2 (2000-01)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 20 (2010)
Largest SUU Margin of Victory: 5 (2006)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 20 (2010)
Most Runs Scored by SUU: 11 (2003)

Nevada

The Wolfpack ended the season with a 30-23 record finishing fourth in their first year as a member of the Mountain West Conference. They tied or broke several offensive team records including doubles, slugging and on-base percentage. They return 17 players, including six starters, while welcoming three new faces. They are coached by Matt Meuchel who has a career record of 121-140 in his sixth year.

BYU Series Record vs. Nevada
Overall Series Record: 3-1
BYU Record in Provo: 0-0
BYU Record in Reno: 3-0
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 0-1
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 3-1
Longest BYU Win Streak: 3 (2012)
Longest Nevada Win Streak: 1 (2013-Present)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 10 (2012)
Largest Nevada Margin of Victory: 8 (2013)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 10 (2012)
Most Runs Scored by Nevada: 14 (2013)

East Carolina

East Carolina put together a 21-31 season last year and finished with six straight losses. They return 11 letterwinners from the 2013 season. They welcome in 12 new players including former BYU pitcher Caroline Umphlett. The last time BYU faced East Carolina was in the championship game of the Austin Regional. The Cougars won to advance to their first and only Super Regional. They are coached by Beth Keylon-Randolph who is in her second year as the head coach of East Carolina. She has a 623-149 record in her 12 year coaching career.

BYU Series Record vs. East Carolina
Overall Series Record: 3-0
BYU Record in Provo: 0-0
BYU Record in Greenville: 0-0
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 3-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 3-0
Longest BYU Win Streak: 3 (2008-Present)
Longest ECU Win Streak: None
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 5 (2010)
Largest ECU Margin of Victory: None
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 8 (2010)
Most Runs Scored by ECU: 6 (2008)

University of Texas Arlington

UTA wrapped up their 2013 campaign with a 25-28 record finishing sixth in the Western Athletic Conference. They return nine players from last year’s team including five starters and they have 10 newcomers. They are in their first year as a member of the Sun Belt Confernce. They are coached by second year coach Kristie Fox.

BYU Series Record vs. UTA
Overall Series Record: 1-1
BYU Record in Provo: 0-0
BYU Record in Arlington: 0-1
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 1-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 1-0
Longest BYU Win Streak: 1 (2006-Present)
Longest UTA Win Streak: 1 (2001)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 3 (2006)
Largest UTA Margin of Victory: 1 (2001)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 5 (2006)
Most Runs Scored by UTA: 2 (2006)