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Amy Hogue was a senior in 1994, earning Western Athletic Conference player of the year honors as she captained the Utes to 51 wins — still the school record.
So know that when she says this year's team is "a little bit like that" 1994 team, it's high praise, and Utah's head coach is qualified to give it.
Like that 1994 team, Hogue's Utes can hit — 19th in the nation with a .318 clip last season.
They can also field — leading the nation in double plays, with 46.
Now they just need the equivalent of Ali Andrus (now Sagas), who finished with 32 wins and an 0.61 ERA as a freshman in 1994.
"We've kind of won games in the past by outhitting teams and having super-solid defense," said Hogue before boarding a plane to Los Angeles for Friday's season-opening doubleheader against No. 24 Texas A&M and No. 22 Notre Dame. "We've found a way to win games for the past few years by scoring five, six, seven runs per game."
That formula earned Utah a 31-24 mark in 2014, including a sixth-place Pac-12 finish at 8-15, even as it allowed opponents to hit .336.
Pac-12 coaches recently picked them to finish sixth again in the top-heavy conference, but if they can find an ace to lean on, they can aspire to greater things.
One possibility is sophomore Sammy Cordova, who went 15-8 with a 4.08 ERA as a freshman. Others include returning starters Kayce Nieto and Mariah Ramirez. And despite returning their whole rotation, Utah added two more options in freshmen Miranda Viramontes — who throws a heavy drop ball low in the zone, hitting 70 mph — and Katie Donovan — who uses a riser and a changeup to strike out hitters.
Elsewhere, Utah has an abundance of both talent and youth.
Seven position starters return, including last year's All-Pac-12 Freshman Team trio Anissa Urtez (shortstop), Hannah Flippen (second base) and Bridget Castro (first base) — top-of-the-order hitters and college softball's version of Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Hogue said that this time last year, the sophomores were visibly shaking at the thought of playing their first Division I games, and that this year, they told her, they feel at ease.
"And I thought, 'Well gosh, you played so well nervous and scared,' " she joked.
Flippen was voted captain, along with senior outfielder Kate Dickman, who failed to receive many postseason accolades despite hitting .415.
The lack of recognition bothered Hogue, but Dickman "realized none of that stuff really matters to her," Hogue said.
"She wants this team to be a postseason team, and then make some noise when they get there."
In the early going, the road to the postseason is just that — with 29 consecutive contests away from home. The Utes will play five games this weekend at the SoCal Classic in Westwood, and won't play at home until they host No. 2 Oregon on March 21.
"We're used to it," Hogue said. Utah has 10 players from California, and the opportunity to travel is part of the draw for them. Plus, Hogue said, Utah recruits players who are "low drama" enough to handle the close proximity on buses and at airports.
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
2014 leaders
Kate Dickman, OF • .415, 59 runs, 41 RBIs
Hannah Flippen, 2B • .382, 54 runs, 25 walks
Anissa Urtez, SS • .353, 22 extra-base hits, 55 RBIs
Bridget Castro, 1B • .343, 7 home runs, 434 putouts
Sammy Cordova, RHP • 4.08 ERA, 15-8, 73 strikeouts