SALT LAKE CITY – Tori Almond passed Christina Gwyn Trice for third place in career strikeouts, but Utah took a 1-0 victory over BYU softball in nine innings.

“It was a great game that was well pitched by both pitchers,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “Tori threw an incredible game and as good as she has in a long time. Utah deserves credit; they pulled it out in the end.”

Almond struck out seven to give her 428 total career strikeouts, but did not have the run support she needed to get the victory over the Utes (11-9). BYU (10-18) had singles from Coco Tauali’i, Katie Manuma and Ashlee Robinson. Ashley Thompson went 1-for-4 with a double.

“We hit the ball hard, it was just right at them (Utah),” Eakin said. “I’m proud of our kids, they played well."

Utah put runners on first and second to lead off the bottom of the first, but Almond stuck out one and Robinson caught a line drive and threw to second for the inning-ending double play.

Manuma singled to right and Carly Duckworth walked to put runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the second. Robinson hit a blooper to center, but a sliding catch by Utah center fielder Chalese Hadley stranded the runners.

In the top of the third, Tauali’i singled up the middle to get on with one out, but a fly out and a diving catch in center kept the game scoreless. The Utes got two-out bunt single in the bottom of the third, but the runner left early to end the inning.

Neither team could get a base runner in the fourth and the fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, Thompson doubled to the fence in left center with two outs, but McKenzie St. Clair grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning. Utah answered with a lead-off walk in the bottom of the sixth and a sacrifice bunt to move a runner into scoring position. Almond struck out the next batter and a fly ball to center field ended the scoring threat.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Duckworth drew a walk and Robinson singled through the left side, but the Cougars were unable to bring in a run to keep the game scoreless. Almond set down the side in order to send the game to extra innings.

Gordy Bravo walked to put a runner on in top of the eighth, but Thompson’s drive to the warning track was caught and a grounder to short left ended the frame. Almond struck out two and a pop up in foul territory to Robinson retired the side in the bottom of the frame.

Utah doubled down the left field line with one out in the bottom of the ninth to put the winning run in scoring position. Kate Dickman then hit the walk-off double to center field to end the game.

BYU will host Oregon in its home opener Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT at Gail Miller Field. The game can be streamed live from theW.tv.

PROVO, Utah – BYU softball plays in the state of Utah for the first time since the season’s opening week when they take on the University of Utah in the Deseret First Duel Thursday in Salt Lake City.

Deseret First Duel
Mar. 20 at 6 p.m. MDT
Ute Softball Field
Salt Lake City

BYU (10-17, 0-0 WCC)
BYU faced stiff competition in Hawai’i and finished with a 1-4 record. All five of its games were decided by two runs or fewer. Freshmen Lauren Bell and McKenzie St. Clair batted .400 with one RBI each. St. Clair came up big in clutch situations for BYU.

The Cougars trailed in the seventh inning in all five games played in the Rainbow Wahine Classic and St. Clair represented the tying run in three plate appearances going 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI. Bell and St. Clair were both named to the all-tournament team for their contributions.

McKenna Bull had the best week of her career, pitching 16.2 innings with a 2.10 ERA and 31 strikeouts. She earned the win against Hawai’i after not allowing a single baserunner and striking out seven consecutive batters to end the game. Against Valparaiso, she recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts. It was the first double-digit strikeout performance by a BYU pitcher since Tori Almond struck out 10 Santa Clara batters April 19, 2013.

Utah (10-9, 1-1 Pac-12)
Utah opened conference play last week splitting two games against No. 5 Washington. The team is led from the plate by junior Kate Dickman with a .493 batting average, two home runs and 15 RBIs. Freshman second baseman Hannah Flippen is second on the team with a .397 batting average, three home runs and 13 RBIs. Freshman shortstop Anissa Urtez leads the Utes in RBIs with 17 and is tied with Flippen with a team-high three home runs.

Sophomore Kayce Nieto is their primary starter in the circle. She is 5-7 on the year with a 3.21 ERA  and 24 strikeouts. Freshman Sammy Cordova was instrumental in the win over Washington, throwing 4.2 shutout innings in relief of Nieto. She holds a 4-1 record on the year with a 1.84 ERA.

Deseret First Duel
Deseret First Credit Union sponsors games between BYU and Utah in 12 sports. The winner of each game is awarded points and the school with the most points accumulated at the end of the sports year wins the overall duel. Utah holds the overall lead this season 38-6. In softball, BYU has won the last eight contests against Utah, tying its longest streak (2004-06) in the rivalry. 

BYU series record vs. Utah
Overall Series Record: 31-16
BYU Record in Provo: 16-5
BYU Record in Salt Lake City: 12-9
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 3-2
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 25-7
Longest BYU Win Streak: 8 (2004-06 and 2009-Present)
Longest Utah Win Streak: 3 (2006)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 15 (2009)
Largest Utah Margin of Victory: 7 (2001)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 15 (2009)
Most Runs Scored by Utah: 11 (2001, 2004)