SALT LAKE CITY – No. 21 BYU softball’s season ended in a 14-0 loss to No. 16/17 Utah in six innings in the NCAA Salt Lake City Regional on Saturday.

BYU (46-13) ends one of its most successful seasons in program history with the loss to in-state rival Utah (36-14). The Cougars allowed 14 runs on 17 hits, both season-highs for an opponent. The loss was BYU's largest margin of defeat since falling 22-5 against Oregon State in 2012.

Senior Lauren Bell went 3 for 3 in her final game at BYU. Lexi Tarrow, Libby Sugg and Ashley Thompson each had one hit in the game.

BYU vs. Utah Box Score

A couple of Cougar miscues in the top of the first allowed the Utes to get up 2-0 early. A rare wild pitch from McKenna Bull gave the first runner time to get home before a sacrifice fly scored the second run.

After BYU failed to capitalize with Bell and Tarrow on first and second in the bottom of the first, Utah homered in the top of the second, making it 3-0.

In the top of the third, the Cougars gave up two more runs. The first was scored off of a single, the second off of a walk with the bases loaded. However, Arissa Paulson, in for Bull, notched a strikeout and a groundout to keep three Utah runners stranded with the deficit 5-0.

The Utes tacked on one more in the top of the fourth with an RBI sacrifice bunt, as the runner dodged the tag from Caitlyn Larsen Alldredge. Paulson struck out another to end the frame and BYU headed into the bottom of the fourth down 6-0.

The game got away from the Cougars in the top of the sixth when the Utes tallied eight runs to take a commanding 14-0 lead. Arianna Paulson and Kerisa Viramontes came in for relief in the inning, finally getting the third out on a grounder to Alldredge.

Bell got a hit in the final frame, but the effort fell short as BYU lost 14-0 in six innings.

PROVO, Utah – After winning the 2017 West Coast Conference title to secure the 2017 NCAA Regionals automatic bid, No. 21 BYU softball will head to the Salt Lake City Regional, starting with a matchup against Mississippi State on Thursday.

“We are excited to be in the NCAA tournament again," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "We look forward to playing quality teams in our own backyard."

The Cougars (44-11, 14-1 WCC) are making their 13th-consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance and 14th in program history. They won the WCC championship for the fourth-straight year, the ninth title in a row overall spanning four different conferences.

The Salt Lake City Regional includes host-team No. 16/17 Utah, Fordham and Mississippi State in addition to BYU.

In 2016, BYU traveled to the Missouri Regional where the Cougars picked up a win against Louisville but lost to No. 15 Missouri and Nebraska.

BYU Game Notes

BYU and Mississippi State will play at 4 p.m. MDT. The game will be televised live on ESPN3. The remaining schedule is as follows (all times MDT):

Thursday: 
4:00 p.m. - BYU vs. Mississippi State
6:30 p.m. - Fordham vs. Utah

Friday:
1:00 p.m. - Game 3 (winners from Thursday)
3:30 p.m. - Game 4 (losers from Thursday)
6:00 p.m. - Game 5 (winner from Game 4 vs. loser of Game 3)

Saturday:
2:00 p.m. - Regional Final
4:30 p.m. - Regional Final Game 2 (if necessary)

Fans can buy tickets at this link.

Opponents Outlook

Mississippi State Bulldogs (36-20, 10-14 SEC)

• The Bulldogs finished the regular season with a 36-20 record, including a 10-14 record in the SEC. They were a No. 9 seed in the SEC tournament, losing in the opening round to Ole MIss, who went on to win the tournament championship.
• BYU has a 1-2 series record against Mississippi State. The last time these two teams faced was in 2012 in NCAA Regionals, which the Cougars won 4-3 in nine innings.
   

No. 16/17 Utah Utes (33-14, 13-9 Pac-12)

• The Utes finished in fifth in the Pac-12, struggling as of late after getting swept at home against Washington. 
• BYU and Utah faced earlier this season in Provo with the Cougars winning 4-3. Libby Sugg hit a pair of two-run homers to lead the team to an upset win.
• The Cougars lead the all-time series 33-17, including a 13-10 mark on the road. In 2016, BYU played at Utah and won 5-4.
   

Fordham Rams (45-15, 18-5 Atlantic 10)

• The Rams finished the season strong, winning the Atlantic 10 championship after already winning the regular-season title. 
• BYU has played Fordham just once previously, winning 5-2 back in 2014 in the Mary Nutter Classic.