Inside the Diamond is a weekly feature during the off-season of NCAA Softball. Each week Fastpitch News (FPN) will look at a 2016 USA Today/NFCA (final poll), top 25 teams. FPN will look at the season that was and what 2017 may have to offer. Next up: Utah Softball.
Check out all Inside the Diamond Profiles
Head Coach Amy Hogue led the Utes to a 36-21 record in 2016. They faced a lot of ranked opponents and ended up 12-15 against top 25 teams. That means nearly half their games were against the best the country has to offer. They Swept, then No. 9 Kentucky, in the regional before being swept by No. 8 Florida State in the super regional. Their 13-10 Pac-12 record was good for fourth place.
One big reason for the Utes success was Pac-12 Player of the Year Hannah Flippen and her bat. Flippen also was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American. On the season Flippen posted a .410 batting average with 13 home runs. The good news for coach Hogue is that not only does Flippen return but all four of her best hitters are back in 2017. Those would be Flippen, Anissa Urtez (.383), Delilah Pacheco (.340) and Aubrey Peterson (.316). Urtez led the team in RBI (46), doubles (16) and hits (69).
From the circle, Utah seems to be in good shape as well returning their two top pitchers in Katie Donovan (19-11) and Miranda Viramontes (9-8). They also return Hailey Hilburn (6-1) who as a freshman threw 46.2 innings and posted at 2.85 ERA. It was a rather young pitching staff in 2016 with two sophomores and a freshman carrying the load. Look for them to show improvement in 2017 and having three solid pitchers in a power conference is a good thing.
Who they lose
- Infielder – Kristen Stewart
- Catcher – Shelby Pacheco
- Pitcher – Kayce Nieto
Who they get
- Infielder – BreOnna Castaneda (Rio Rancho, NM)
- Pitcher – Claire Feldman (Lithia, FL)
- Outfielder – Alyssa Barrera (Chino Hills, CA)
- Catcher – Kelly Martinez (Yucaipa, CA)
- Infielder – Ryley Ball (Hooper, UT)
Losing both Stewart and Pacheco could affect the Utes defensively. Replacing the catcher can be tough, but coach Hogue will have options. The class addressed the needs based on who they lose and several of them could see significant playing time from the start.
BreOnna Castaneda is a player that adds speed from the left side of the plate that can also hit for some power. She is also solid on the defensive side of the ball.
Claire Feldman comes in as a blue chip pitching prospect that adds depth to an already solid pitching staff. This should allow coach Hogue to bring her along as she sees fit. How many innings she throws in 2017 is unknown, but she is a power/strikeout pitcher and that could help her see more innings.
Alyssa Barrera is a top flight prospect that should find her way into the line-up at some point. She is an exceptional athlete with a great bat and speed.
Kelly Martinez has power and fills a need at the catcher position for the Utes. Her power at the plate should put her in the running to see some time behind the plate in 2017.
Ryley Ball is yet another recruit known for her power.
Overall Utah seems to be set up to take another step forward in 2017. They do not lose much and return a solid core of players. The best thing is they return their pitchers and add depth in Feldman. Having options in the circle could prove to be beneficial for coach Hogue. They also bring in power, an area they could improve on. Last season they only had one player, Flippen, hit double-digit home runs. As a team, they only posted 38 on the year. So the addition of power hitters can only help those numbers. They play in one of the toughest conferences in the country and there is no reason they should not be in the hunt for the top spot.
