SAN DIEGO – The bats remained alive for BYU softball in a doubleheader at San Diego Saturday afternoon as the Cougars won game one 5-1 and game two 6-1 at the USD Softball Complex.

"We played two solid games again today,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “Our pitching was outstanding, giving up just two runs on the day."

The Cougars (33-20, 11-1 West Coast Conference) totaled 38 hits on the weekend, including 11 in both games of the doubleheader, while holding the Toreros (25-27, 4-11 WCC) to five and four hits, respectively. Bridget Fleener and Libby Sugg both went 4 for 6 through both games.

Game one

Sugg, Fleener and Alexa Strid all went 2 for 3 at the plate. Fleener led the team with two RBI while Sugg, Strid and Brooke Vander Heide each drove in a run. Lexi Tarrow also went 2 for 4 with a triple and two runs.

Autumn Moffat pitched a complete game and did not issue any walks.

San Diego got on the board first in the bottom of the third when Sarah Stone sent a solo shot over the left-center fence to take a 1-0 lead.

BYU responded in the top of the fourth to even the score 1-1. Briielle Breland singled up the middle to lead off. Lexi Tarrow laid down a bunt single and later advanced to second while Breland got caught at third. Fleener sent an RBI single to center field and Tarrow came across to tie it up.

The Cougars added three runs in the top of the sixth on four hits. Sugg led off with a double to left field before Erin Miklus came in as a pinch runner and then advanced on a wild pitch. Fleener doubled to left center to score Miklus and go up 2-1.

Ashley Godfrey pinch ran for Fleener and came home as Strid doubled to left field. A single to center field brought Vander Heide in to make it 4-1.

In the seventh inning, Tarrow tripled down the right-field line. Sugg delivered with a sacrifice fly to center field as Tarrow crossed the plate for Cougars’ final run.

BYU at San Diego Game One Box Score

Game two

Four Cougars earned two hits apiece in the second matchup. Jensen, Sugg and Fleener all went 2 for 3 and Alldredge went 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Kerisa Viramontes recorded three strikeouts in the circle and improved to 18-6 on the season.

BYU took an early lead 3-0 in the first on four hits, including three-consecutive RBI doubles. Jensen led off with a bunt single. Sugg doubled to left field with two outs to score Jensen for the first run. Fleener then doubled down the right-field line to bring Sugg in, followed by Strid’s double to left field as Fleener came across to make it 3-0.

San Diego’s Lauren Kane homered to center field with two outs in the bottom of the second to make it 3-1.

In the third frame, Sugg led off with a double to right field. Fleener then singled to center field to put runners on the corners. Caitlyn Alldredge singled to center field, bringing both runners in for a 5-1 advantage.

Two Torero fielding errors put a BYU runner on base and resulted in a run. Sugg reached first before Miklus came in to pinch run. Fleener laid down a sacrifice bunt and Strid grounded out to the pitcher, moving Miklus up two bases. Madison Merrell got on base on another San Diego fielding error allowing Miklus score the final run.  

BYU at San Diego Game Two Box Score

The Cougars return to Provo to battle Loyola Marymount for the conference title next week with a doubleheader on Friday at 5 and 7 p.m. MDT and Saturday at 1 p.m. MDT.

PROVO, Utah – A busy week of softball begins for BYU as the Cougars travel to Southern Utah Monday and host Utah Valley Tuesday before heading to conference foe San Diego this weekend for a three-game series.

BYU Game Notes

The rescheduled game between the Cougars (28-20, 8-1 West Coast Conference) and Thunderbirds (7-36, 4-14 Big Sky) will take place Monday at 4 p.m. MDT at Kathryn Berg Field. BYU then returns to Provo Tuesday to host a Cystic Fibrosis Awareness game against Utah Valley (19-24, 10-4 Western Athletic Conference) in the UCCU Crosstown Clash at 6 p.m. MDT. The Cougars conclude the week in San Diego (25-24, 4-8 WCC) with a matchup Friday at 6 p.m. PDT and a doubleheader Saturday at 12 and 2 p.m. PDT.

Monday’s Southern Utah game can be streamed on PlutoTV Channel 236 while the UCCU Crosstown Clash will be televised locally on KBYU-TV/Channel 11 and streamed live on YouTube. Links to the streams and live stats for all games will be available on the BYU softball schedule page.

BYU celebrates Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month on Tuesday with 6-year-old Team IMPACT teammate Emily Sorenson throwing the first pitch. The Cougars will wear purple ribbons and 100 purple plastic bracelets will be given out to fans.

BYU STORYLINES:

• The Cougars swept the Thunderbirds earlier this season at Gail Miller Park in two five-inning games. In the first game, Alexa Strid went a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate, with five of the team’s eight RBI. Briielle Breland also went 2 for 2 with two RBI, including two home runs. Five players contributed multiple hits to BYU's 14-hit tally in the night cap. Lexi Tarrow went 3 for 4 while Rylee Jensen, Libby Sugg, Emilee Erickson and Strid each contributed two hits for the Cougars.
• In the earlier UCCU Crosstown Clash matchup this year, BYU shut out Utah Valley 11-0 in five innings in Orem. Three Cougars had multiple hits, led by Libby Sugg’s perfect 3 for 3 from the plate and four RBI. Sugg hit her 10th home run of the season, a three-run dinger, and two doubles. Lexi Tarrow went 2 for 3 while Caitlyn Alldredge went 2 for 2, including one home run.
• Currently in second behind LMU in the WCC standings, BYU continues conference play against San Diego this weekend. The Cougars will play LMU (28-21-1, 11-1 WCC) in the final week of the regular season.
• BYU ranks No. 28 nationally and No. 1 in the WCC in home runs per game with 1.0. Twelve Cougars have combined to hit 48 homers in 48 games so far this season, led by Libby Sugg’s 10. Caitlyn Alldredge follows with seven while Rylee Jensen and Briielle Breland have six each. Lexi Tarrow has hit four while Alexa Strid, Madison Merrell, Bridget Fleener and Allie Hancock have all hit three apiece. Ashley Godfrey, Emilee Erickson and Olivia Sanchez have also hit dingers.

OPPONENTS OUTLOOK:
Southern Utah (7-36, 4-14 Big Sky)

• The Thunderbirds are 7-36 on the season and 4-14 in the Big Sky, most recently going 1-2 at Idaho State.
• BYU leads in the overall series 54-7. The Cougars swept a doubleheader earlier this season at home with 8-0 and 10-2 victories.
• Head coach Tom Gray is in his fourth season at Southern Utah and has an overall record of 55-134 with the Thunderbirds.

Utah Valley (19-24, 10-4 WAC) | Game Notes

• The Wolverines are 19-24 and 10-4 in conference play in 2018. Last week, they swept conference foe CSU Bakersfield.
• BYU leads the overall series 38-4 and won 11-0 in five innings against UVU earlier this season.
• TJ Hubbard is in his second season at the helm of the Utah Valley program after going 16-24 in 2017.

San Diego (25-24, 4-8 WCC)

• The Toreros are 25-24 this year and 4-8 in WCC play. They recently dropped three games to conference leader LMU.
• BYU leads the overall series 19-5 and went 3-0 against San Diego in 2017.
• Head coach Melissa McElvain is in her 17th season with the Torero program and has compiled an overall record of 361-473.