Home Opener Against Utah State

The BYU softball team (15-15) will host its first home games of the season Wednesday in a doubleheader against Utah State beginning at 1:30 p.m. The games will be played at Utah Valley State College as Gail Miller Field is still not completed.

At Sacramento State Capital Classic

The Cougars won four straight games after losing their first two in pool play. They defeated Miami University 7-2 and Louisville 10-1 in bracket play after beating Mississippi 6-0 and San Jose State 5-0 in pool play. BYU lost its first two games of pool play, 2-1 to Iowa and a 5-4 loss to Texas Tech in eight innings.

BYU Probable Starters

•C -Angie Christiansen - R/R, Sr. (.213, 13 hits, 7 runs, 9 RBI)

•1B - Mindy Hanson - R/R, Sr. (.290, 20 hits, 8 runs, 15 RBI)

•2B - Kari Pringle - R/R, Jr. (.300, 18 hits, 8 runs, 3 RBI)

•SS - Becca Erickson - R/R, Sr. (.200, 15 hits, 11 runs, 4 HR, 16 RBI)

•3B - Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston - R/R, Jr. (.315, 29 hits, 16 runs, 19 RBI)

•CF -Lindsey Hodgen-Kelly - R/R, Sr. (.232, 16 hits, 15 runs, 3 RBI)

•RF - Oli Keohohou- R/R, Fr. (.451, 37 hits, 34 runs, 13 HR, 37 RBI)

•LF - Liz Smith- L/R, Jr. (.265, 22 hits, 13 runs, 1 RBI)

•DH - Brooke Cadiente - R/L, So. (.286, 26 hits, 19 runs, 4 HR, 22 RBI)

•P - Meghann Pricer - R/R, Sr. (5-4, 1.91 ERA, 57 SO)

Team Leaders

After 30 games, Oli Keohohou leads the team in batting average (.451), hits (34), home runs (13), RBI (37), runs scored (34), walks (22) and slugging percentage (1.037). Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston leads the team in at-bats (92) and doubles (7). Linsdsey Hodgen-Kelly leads the team in stolen bases (5) while four players are tied with three triples each.

Scouting Utah State

The Aggies come into the games with a 4-16 record. After a 3-3 start, they lost 11 straight games before last week's tournament. Utah St. opened the Kia Klassic in California with losses to national powers Notre Dame (0-6) and Oklahoma (0-8) before rebounding to upset No. 7 Fresno State (4-1). On the final day, the Aggies lost to Louisiana-Lafayette (2-4) and nationally-ranked Washington (0-1). Freshman Casey Smith leads Utah St. with a .268 batting average, including 15 hits and four RBI. Freshman pitcher Lisa Spencer is 4-5 with a 2.97 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 57.2 innings of work.

Coach Mary Kay Amicone

Mary Kay Amicone was named BYU's first-ever varsity softball coach on May 6, 1999, three months after the announcement was made to upgrade the softball team from club to varsity status. In her first season, she led the team to a 16-27 (.372), including a 7-13 conference record, good for fifth place. Prior to becoming the head coach at BYU, Amicone served as an assistant coach at the University of Utah (1991, '93-95, '98-99). During that time, the Utes finished fifth ('91) and seventh ('94) at the NCAA Women's College World Series and were regional participants in 1995. She is assisted by Gordon Eakin and Lisa Hall.

Coaches' Quotes

"It will be a good matchup for us. Their (Utah St.) record doesn't show how good they can be. They have played a tough schedule this season." - BYU coach Mary Kay Amicone.

Preseason Mountain West Conference Coaches' Poll

BYU was picked by the coaches in the Mountain West Conference to

finish fifth in the conference in the preseason poll released Jan. 25. In-state rival University of Utah, where BYU head coach Mary Kay Amicone played and was an assistant coach for seven years, was picked to finish first.

Mountain West Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Utah (5) 25

2. New Mexico (1) 20

3. San Diego State 15

4. Colorado State 11

5. BYU 10

6. UNLV 9

Player/Coach Interviews

Practices are held daily at 4:30 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse Annex. Player or Coach Amicone interviews may be arranged in advance through Shane Bevell, BYU Athletic Media Relations, at (801) 378-8999. Additional information may be obtained through e-mailing Shane at amr-3@byu.edu or by fax at (801) 378-3520.