The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: 2026 Mountain West Softball Week 4

Week 4 of the 2026 NCAA softball season brought what was probably the most predictable week of the season so far. After three weeks of multiple ranked upsets nearly every day, said ranked teams were mostly able to avoid falling into the same traps this week. The same applies for the 10 teams in the Mountain West Conference, including the one which was unanimously ranked by every major poll this week. With that being said, let’s take a look at the current conference standings after Week 4, which have

certainly changed up a lot.

Standings (After Week 4 of 14)

1. Grand Canyon (22-0)
2. Nevada (13-7)
3. San Diego State (12-8)
4. Fresno State (8-7)
5. Utah State (10-10)
6. New Mexico (9-9)
7. Colorado State (9-10)
8. UNLV (9-11)
9. Boise State (9-12)
10. San Jose State (5-14)

Even if it only lasts for a week, I will be doing an endless victory lap that the top 6 teams are the teams I predicted would be top 6 in the conference before the season (holds for applause). With that being said, I’m going back to normal categories this week, since there wasn’t so much separation between one team and the rest of the pack to justify changing things up. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly for Week 4.

The Good

#22/25 Grand Canyon Lopes (22-0)

Game Results: 6-0 (6-0 home)

vs. Minnesota (7-13) – W, 6-0

vs. CSU Bakersfield (2-18) – W, 15-3 (5 innings)

vs. Wisconsin (13-6) – W, 9-8

vs. Eastern Illinois (5-16) – W, 8-0 (5 innings)

vs. UC Riverside (2-12) – W, 5-0

vs. Eastern Illinois (5-16) – W, 4-0

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Lopes are still undefeated. I’m getting quite tired of repeating myself over and over again every single week with regards to the Lopes, but I suppose that’s bound to happen when literally no one can beat them, and they keep winning in practically the same way every time. Yes, they have had a pitifully easy schedule, one with each and every game being at home, but not slipping up once over the course of a full month is impressive all the same. The Lopes looked a bit unimpressive at times during their joint MTE with Arizona State, but winning four of their six games via shutout tells you a lot about this team, especially since the Lopes have won 12 of their 22 games this season via shutout.

The Lopes used the majority of their pitchers during the four shutout wins. Taryn Batterton recorded 8.1 innings of scoreless play, Oakley Vickers recorded 6.1, Abi Jones had 4.1, Natalie Fritz had 4.0, and Maggie Place had 3.0. Even in their close-looking wins over bad teams, the Lopes never really felt under much threat due to the dominance of their pitchers. The only exception to this was in the game against UC Riverside, where GCU only led 2-0 after four innings against the hapless Highlanders, who ended up, disturbingly, out-hitting the Lopes 8-5 on the game. GCU did end up winning the game, but this win was particularly bad, whereas most this season have not been.

The big draw of the weekend was the Lopes’ game against a tough Wisconsin Badgers team. Wisconsin certainly lived up to their namesake, clawing back from an 8-2 deficit to make it 9-8 late in the game, but three straight outs in the top of the 7th locked down GCU’s best win of the season. The Lopes combined for 16 hits, led by senior Sydney McCray, who went 4-for-4. Haley Wilkinson went 3-for-4, Raegan Holtorf went 2-for-3, and Tinley Lucas went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs. The Lopes used Batterton, Vickers, Jones, and Fritz, each of whom gave up at least one run. Nonetheless, they did just enough to hold off the Badgers, scoring their first above-.500 power conference win of the season.

Grand Canyon has finally finished up their home portion of nonconference play, meaning that their last few matchups may be a bit tougher for them. However, with a team this tough to take down, even when they have a rough day at the plate, I wouldn’t recommend holding your breath for a GCU loss. At this point, I really don’t know who can beat them.

Nevada Wolf Pack (13-7)

Game Results: 5-0 (3-0 away, 2-0 neutral)

vs. Sacred Heart (2-8) – W, 5-1

at UC Davis (11-8) – W, 12-4

vs. Santa Clara (9-12) – W, 6-3

at UC Davis (11-8) – W, 4-0

at Sacramento State (16-4) – W, 10-6

For the first time all season, I can safely say it was an all-around great week for the Nevada Wolf Pack. Yes, Nevada’s 5-0 run through the Capital Classic featured their first week without facing a truly elite team, but playing three true road games against teams with records well above .500 is not exactly a cakewalk. Pack fans should be more than satisfied with their team’s performance this week.

The most iffy game of the weekend was the Pack’s 5-1 win against MAAC school Sacred Heart, where the Pioneers put up a spirited fight against the heavily favored Wolf Pack. Ainsley Berlingeri got the nod to start, going 6.0 innings while giving up four hits and just one total run on a solo home run in the top of the 6th. On the hitting side, the Wolf Pack, led by a 3-for-4, 2 RBI day by Madison Clark, scored four runs in the bottom of the 6th to break a 1-1 tie. McLean then came into the game in the top of the 7th, trying her best to blow the Wolf Pack’s whole lead by loading the bases with just one out via two hits and a walk, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the game in favor of the Pack.

The Wolf Pack went on to face home team UC Davis in the next game, combining for 13 hits and a season-high 12 runs in a dominant 12-4 victory. McLean got the start here, predictably giving up a two-run homer in the bottom of the 1st, McLean’s second straight start giving up two runs in the 1st inning. McLean pulled it together somewhat after that, but only lasted 2.2 innings before being pulled for Tess Bumiller, who went the next 2.1 innings with only one run surrendered. Freshman Sofie Seese was then inserted for the final two innings, allowing just one run on two hits to close out the game. At the plate, Rylie Haith, Talia Tretton, and Hannah Di Genova each had 2 RBIs to lead the team, with the latter going 3-for-4 with a triple and a home run.

Nevada’s next game was against defending WCC champs Santa Clara, where the Wolf Pack would use a three-run fourth inning to defeat the Broncos 6-3. Bumiller went 6.0 innings while allowing two earned runs against five strikeouts, then Seese was put into the game once more for the final inning to close out the win. Nevada was led at the plate by Madison Clark and Katie Wetteland, the former going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while the latter went 2-for-3 with a whopping four RBIs.

Next, the Wolf Pack had a rematch with the Aggies, this time defeating the hosts off the back of an excellent pitching performance, 4-0. Talia Tretton went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits against four strikeouts, before passing it off to Seese for the third straight game, the freshman going the final two innings while allowing just two hits. All of Nevada’s runs came in the first two innings, scoring on a three-run homer by Di Genova and a throwing error by the Aggies’ defense. That moonshot was Di Genova’s sixth home run of the season, said mark standing alone as the best in the conference.

The Wolf Pack’s final game of the tournament was in Sacramento against the other host of the event: the Hornets. After an error-ridden first inning of play where Nevada scored four unearned runs, the Hornets proceeded to light Tretton up to the tune of six runs in a row, including two home runs in the 3rd inning that got her chased from the game, with McLean being put into the game once again. This time, McLean finally looked like the preseason Pitcher of the Year she was supposed to be, holding the Hornets hitless for the next three innings.

The biggest takeaway from this game is that Sac State ace Kennedie Bacon deserves reparations from her defense, as she did not give up a single earned run in her six innings in the circle, yet the Hornets’ error-ridden mess of a defense committed four errors that gave up an absurd six unearned runs, including two in the top of the 6th inning with two outs, runs that allowed Nevada to tie the game. Entering the top of the 7th somehow tied at six, the Pack went ham on Hornet relievers, scoring four runs, all of them earned this time, to enter the bottom of the frame up 10-6. McLean closed out the game with a walk and three outs, ending her day with 5 Ks and only two walks in the ultimate “I’m back” performance. Nevada recorded 14 hits during the game, led by three each by Maddie Clark and Haylee Engelbrecht, along with 2 RBIs from Bailie Clark.

5-0 was not an easy record to achieve, but I would argue that this was a better week from the Wolf Pack than their record alone would indicate. Nevada not only won games, they did so in a variety of ways against some very good teams, one of them in clutch, comeback fashion against a team that was 16-3 entering the contest. But most importantly, Hailey McLean might be back to her dominant self, and if she is? Look out, Mountain West. The Pack might just go back-to-back.

The Bad

Boise State Broncos (9-12)

Game Results: 1-4 (0-1 away, 1-3 neutral)

vs. Kansas (14-7) – L, 4-1

at #7/8 Arkansas (19-1) – L, 10-1 (5 innings)

vs. RV/NR Omaha (14-4) – L, 12-6

vs. Kansas (14-7) – L, 10-1 (5 innings)

vs. RV/RV Charlotte (12-10) – W, 6-3

Boise State was given a very tough schedule for this week’s MTE, and they certainly proved that fact by going 1-4 with two run-rule losses. Getting a win in their final game certainly helped the overall feel of the weekend, but it does not help their standing, as they have fallen all the way down to 9th in the MWC standings.

Across the first four games, the only games that were even remotely competitive were the first loss to Kansas and the loss to Omaha. Two separate 10-1, 5 inning losses to Arkansas and Kansas were both captained by Julianne Rose, who now has a record of 2-7 in the circle this year. The Omaha loss, despite being closer on the scoreboard, was equally uncompetitive, with the Mavericks jumping out to a 10-1 lead over the Broncos in the top of the 5th. Boise State avoided getting run-ruled, but it never really felt as if they had any chance of winning.

As for the Broncos’ first loss to the Jayhawks, Boise State got out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning, courtesy of a Quinn Southerland RBI double. Both Olivia Bauer and Charley Duran did a great job for the Broncos in the circle, but the loss would go to Loula-Rae McNamara, and rightfully so. McNamara gave up all four of the Jayhawks’ runs during her 2.1 inning stint, more than enough to blow the game, especially since the Broncos only recorded three hits all game.

Having lost 10 of their previous 12 games, the Broncos would then enter a contest against the Charlotte 49ers, an RV team with two ranked wins on their resume, but one that had lost their first four games of the tournament. Boise State took advantage, never trailing Charlotte at any point in a bounceback 6-3 win. Bauer went 3.2 innings before being pulled after giving up three runs in the bottom of the 4th. Rose came into the game, mowing down the next nine batters in a row to close out the game. Skylar Stroh, Mya Flindt, and Marissa Gonzalez each had two hits on the day to lead their team at the plate.

The Broncos did not go 0-5, which is what I initially thought would happen. However, that’s really all I can say about their performance that is positive. Boise State would have the easiest path to the tournament out of any team in the conference due to their two ranked power-conference wins. This team can beat anybody, but it’s also clear at this point that they can also lose to anybody. The Broncos are chaos incarnate, and that fact doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.

Utah State Aggies (10-10)

vs. Southern Utah (9-12) – W, 2-1

vs. Utah Valley (12-7) – L, 10-1 (5 innings)

vs. Utah (17-5) – L, 11-0 (5 innings)

vs. Utah Valley (12-7) – L, 13-7

at Utah Tech (8-11) – L, 4-0

In a week of high-profile flops from some of the top teams in the MWC, I think Utah State’s implosion in the Beehive Classic was the most overlooked of the week. While USU may have only gone 2-3, their competition was far from fantastic, yet they still got plastered three separate times.

The Aggies’ first game of the tournament was against a struggling Southern Utah Thunderbirds team, one that would take them to the brink of defeat, the Aggies ultimately escaping with a 2-1 win. Rylie Pindel led her team to victory from the circle, allowing just four hits and one run across a complete-game outing. Having been shut out for the first four innings, the Aggies ended up pulling ahead over their final two innings at the plate, courtesy of solo home runs from both Kya Pratt and freshman Jazmin Ramirez. This was far from an easy or impressive win, but a win is a win, at the end of the day. Besides, an ugly win is better than what would come next for the Aggies.

Utah State would go on to lose their next three games in blowout fashion, two to Utah Valley and the other to Utah. The Aggies were outright dominated in all three, only having the lead briefly in the second game against the Wolverines, leading 3-2 after the first inning. Faith Kroening even went 4-for-5 across the game, but only one RBI wasn’t nearly enough to undo the damage done by Aggie pitchers. USU gave up a combined 34 runs across these three games, by far the most of any Mountain West team over any three-game stretch this season.

To add insult to injury, Utah State ended the weekend by getting shut out by host Utah Tech, a team that entered the game with a 7-11 record. The Aggies were only held to three hits all game, while Kendall Cochran gave up four runs in the third inning before being pulled, in what was yet another terrible performance in the circle for the struggling Aggies, who now rank dead last in the MWC in ERA.

Having now ended the MTE portion of their season, Utah State has now lost eight of their last 11 games, yet miraculously still rank 5th in the conference standings. The Aggies are very likely to lose that standing this week, given that they are about to go on the road for a three-game series at Big 12 school Kansas, who just beat Boise State by a combined score of 14-2 in a two-game sweep. Utah State looks lost right now, and I have doubts that they will be able to solve their problems any time soon.

The Ugly

San Diego State Aztecs (12-8)

Game Results: 2-3 (1-0 away, 1-3 neutral)

at San Diego (10-9) – W, 5-0

vs. CSUN (4-12) – L, 3-1

vs. NR/#24 Washington (15-6) – L, 16-2 (5 innings)

vs. NR/#24 Washington (15-6) – L, 11-3 (5 innings)

vs. Kansas City (8-10) – W, 10-2 (5 innings)

San Diego State skated by a spot in the “ugly” tier last week due to Fresno State’s performance being even worse, but SDSU’s outing at the Torrero Classic left no doubt in my mind about where they should go this time. The Aztecs went 2-3 a few miles across the city, being run-ruled twice, losing to an abysmal team, and scoring two wins against two teams that went a combined 25-72 last year.

The Aztecs kicked off their weekend on Thursday, facing off against their crosstown rivals, tournament host San Diego. SDSU got off to a great start, defeating the Torreros 5-0. Matti Kwarta and Faith Jordan combined to allow just five hits during the complete-game shutout, while Quinn Waiki and Angie Yellen each went 2-for-4 on the night, the latter tying with Jazmin Williams for the team lead in RBIs (2 apiece).

The Aztecs bookended their weekend with wins, defeating Kansas City in their final game by a final score of 10-2 in 5 innings. Former Bulldog teammates Jordan and Key-annah Pu’a allowed 8 hits, the former getting the win with four total strikeouts. The Aztecs racked up a season-high 16 hits, led by star Jade Ignacio’s 4-for-4 dominance, along with Olivia Gigante and the 3-for-3 Jayleen Hernandez, each of whom tallied 3 RBIs.

Now for the truly ugly stuff, starting off with the Aztecs’ two games against Washington. In both games, the Huskies completely obliterated SDSU in every facet, winning each by run-rule, and a final combined score of 27-5. The Huskies jumped out to leads of 9-0 and 11-1, combining to out-hit the Aztecs 17-11, while also leaving just seven runners on base compared to the Aztecs’ tally of 14. The Aztecs used five pitchers during the two games, each of whom gave up at least three earned runs. Huskies catcher Jadyn Glab had the games of her life against the Aztecs, combining to go 5-for-5 with two walks and a staggering nine RBIs. Williams was the Aztecs’ best hitter in both games, combining to go 3-for-4 with four RBIs, but that really does not soothe any pain felt from these beatdowns. This is especially true when you consider the fact that neither of these games were the Aztecs’ worst loss of the weekend.

That honor, instead, goes to San Diego State’s humiliating and inexplicable 3-1 loss to Cal State Northridge. The Matadors are in a deep rebuilding year, having had their roster fully gutted when skipper Charlotte Morgan was hired away by Fresno State. CSUN was 3-9 entering the game, having lost a game to Boise State earlier in the year by a score of 24-6, and were starting pitcher Malia Williams, whose ERA entering the contest was a dreadful 7.68.

This should have been as easy of a win as they come, yet Williams looked like a reincarnated Meghan Golden against the Aztecs, not giving up an earned run all game, with the Aztecs’ only run coming off of a Matador error in the 7th inning. Junior Kalia Pollard was the only Aztec hitter to record multiple hits, while Williams drove in the game’s lone unearned run, with SDSU stranding a jaw-dropping 11 runners on base, Waiki alone being responsible for four of them. Pu’a led the teams into a scoreless tie entering the 5th, but Kwarta folded the moment she came into the game, giving up all three of CSUN’s runs before the end of the frame. This loss was terrible at the time and has aged even worse, with the Matadors failing to win another game for the rest of their time in San Diego, including a loss to the lowly Roos.

Overall, this weekend was a disaster for the Aztecs. Not only did they lose more games than they won, one of which was likely a Quad 4 defeat, but they may have put themselves into a situation where they must win the MWC Tournament to make it into the big dance. This was their last great chance to get a Quad 1 win, likely until their home series against GCU towards the end of the season. As of now, SDSU has combined to go 0-4 against ranked competition, being run-ruled three times and being outscored by an overall mark of 42-7. This does not stack up well against conference foe Nevada in terms of a potential at-large bid if the Lopes take home the conference title.

For how much I have talked about the Wolf Pack’s constant collapses against elite foes, at least they have kept each of their five ranked games close throughout, only being outscored 36-20 in said games. Besides, Nevada’s neutral-site win over Indiana is a borderline Quad 1 win, while SDSU’s best win against Kentucky is, at best, a Q2. Right now, if an at-large bid came down to these two teams, I can’t see how the Aztecs could make it in over the Wolf Pack, especially with their awful history against ranked opponents. San Diego State has a surprising amount of work to do if they want to end their time in the MWC with a bang.