The Snow College softball team began its 2023 season with four victories at the College of Southern Nevada Coyote Classic over the weekend.  The Badgers defeated Glendale Community College 8-4, preseason ranked No. 9 Central Arizona College 9-4, Arizona Western College 4-1, and No. 19 Eastern Arizona College 19-8.
 
The Badgers were coming off a 2022 season that saw them go 20-34 overall and 16-24 within the Scenic West Athletic Conference.  As a result, Snow College brought in Mikelle Magalogo to serve as its new head softball coach.  Magalogo joined the Badgers after serving as an assistant coach at the College of Southern Idaho last season.
 
The Badgers kicked off the season against Pima Community College.  It was a back-and-forth game throughout that saw the Badgers eventually lose 12-9.  PCC scored three runs in both the first and second innings.  The Badgers countered and scored four in the first, one in the second, and two in the third to take a 7-6 lead.
 
The Aztecs proceeded to score six runs between the fourth and the sixth while limiting the Badgers to just two runs over the final four frames to earn the victory.  Snow College recorded 10 hits while McCall Maxfield, Bailey Bowers, and Kaylee Lyman each drove in two runs.
 
Snow College turned around to face GCC and earned its first win of the season in an 8-4 victory.  Bowers and Olivia Spear each hit homers to pace the Badgers offensively.  Taisa Shibuya and Haddie Hadley each recorded two doubles and drove in a total of three runs to aid in the victory.
 
Kaci Smith took over inside the circle after Snow College allowed four runs in the first inning without recording an out.  She pitched seven complete innings scattering just three hits while striking out nine batters and allowing zero walks to shut down the Gaucho's offense.  Smith was awarded the SWAC pitcher of the week for her efforts against GCC.
 
Snow College wrapped up its opening day with a 9-4 victory against CAC.  The Vaqueros were ranked ninth in the NJCAA Preseason Rankings and defeated the Badgers twice during 2022.  Snow College received seven strong innings from August Cowen who allowed just three earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven.
 
Hadley had a perfect game at the plate going 3-3 with two RBIs and two runs.  Seven out of the nine starters had at least one hit as the Badgers totaled nine runs on 13 hits to claim the 9-4 victory.
 
Snow College squared off with AWC on day two of the weekend and earned a 4-1 victory. Snow College took a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.  The Matadors cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, but the Badgers would add insurance runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to secure the win.
 
Andrea Sweat threw a complete game allowing one earned run on five hits.  She struck out four batters to earn her first victory of the season.  Kaitlyn Slade had a perfect day going 3-3 and driving in one of the Badger's four runs.
 
The Badgers capped off the weekend with a convincing 19-8 victory over preseason-ranked No. 19 EAC.  Snow College scored 11 runs in the first inning and never looked back.  The Badgers, who tallied 18 hits throughout the game, would add eight runs over the final four frames to finish the game via mercy rule in five innings.
 
Seven of the nine Snow College starters had at least two hits led by Hadley, who went 3-4 and scored three runs, and Brinley Ellsworth, who also went 3-4 and scored two runs.  In total, the Badgers hit five homers during the game.  Lyman and Bowers hit two homers each, and Andrea Sweat cleared the right-field wall for her first of the season.  
 
Hadley finished the weekend going 10-18 with three doubles, a triple, and five RBIs.  Bowers went 9-18, hit three homers, and drove in nine runs while slugging 1.167 over the two-day tournament.  Shibuya had two hits in each game over the weekend while scoring a team-high 11 runs.
 
The Badgers will finish their non-conference schedule next week at the Western Shootout in Yuma, AZ. They will have rematches with AWC, PCC, CAC, and EAC.  The weekend kicks off on Feb. 2 against AWC at 3:00 p.m. MST.  For additional start times, visit snowbadgers.com.