OREM, Utah — A three-run seventh inning helped BYU softball earn a 6-5 come-from-behind win against Utah Valley at Wolverine Field on Wednesday night.

“Tonight's comeback was huge for us,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “In the two games this week, our offense has been held to nine hits, and our freshmen accounted for eight of those nine hits. Now we need our upperclassmen to step up.”

BOX SCORE

The Cougars (23-13, 4-2 WCC) fell behind early but scored a run in three-consecutive innings before plating three in the seventh. BYU recorded six hits to UVU’s nine, but benefited from two Wolverine errors and five walks.

Freshman Ailana Agbayani earned the win for the Cougars, pitching three innings in relief and giving up just two hits and one run while striking out three. Fellow freshman Kaysen Korth picked up BYU’s first save of the season, going the final 2/3 of the game. 

Player Highlights

• Tristen Turlington: 2-3, RBI
• Ailana Agbayani: 2-4, 2B
• Huntyr Ava: 1-2, 2B, RBI
• Hailey Morrow: 1-3, RBI

Utah Valley struck first in the bottom of the second inning, leading off with a double down the right field line. The Wolverines moved their runner on a sacrifice bunt, and she would score on a wild pitch to put UVU up 1-0 through two.

Tristen Turlington helped BYU answer in the top of the third, leading off with a single through the right side and moving around to third on a wild pitch. Alexis Gilio reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Turlington and tied the game a 1-1. 

The Wolverines tacked on two more runs in their half of the third, tallying two singles and a double along with a wild pitch to go ahead 3-1.

Hailey Morrow led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk, moving to second on a wild pitch and advancing to third on a flyout. After Martha Epenesa walked, Turlington singled up the middle to score Morrow and make it 3-2, UVU. 

UVU extended its lead again in the bottom of the fourth with a walk, single and sacrifice fly to take a 4-2 lead.

Ailana Agbayani opened the top of the fifth with a double that bounced off the right field fence. She came around to score as Huntyr Ava doubled to right center, cutting into the Wolverine lead at 4-3.

The Cougars sent eight batters to the plate as they scored three runs to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Agbayani led off with a single, advancing to third on a Maddie Bejarano sacrifice bunt before Ava was intentionally walked for the second time.

Morrow singled to right on a ball that flew right above the UVU second baseman’s glove, advancing to second on the throw and scoring Agbayani. Jaelynn Lambert, pinch running for Ava, scored as Maddie Udall reached on a fielder’s choice and then Taryn Lennon, pinch running for Morrow, scored on a wild pitch, putting BYU in front 6-4.

Utah Valley hit a solo home run in its half of the seventh inning to draw within one. The next Wolverine batter was hit by a pitch and moved around to third, but the Cougars got a groundout and pop up to complete the comeback win.

BYU will be off the rest of the week before hosting Utah State on Tuesday, April 25 at 6 p.m. MDT. The game will be streamed on the BYUtv app. 

PROVO, Utah — BYU softball will head to Orem to take on Utah Valley at Wolverine Field on Wednesday night in the second and final matchup between the two teams this season. 

LAST TIME OUT
BYU (22-13, 4-2 WCC) dropped a 1-0 defensive battle to then-No. 5 Stanford on Monday afternoon. The Cougars held the Cardinal to five hits, but tallied just three of their own and left five on base. Shortstop Ailana Agbayani went 2-3 with a stolen base. Designated player Maddie Udall recorded BYU's third hit, a single through the right side. 

LET 'EM FLY
Hitting six home runs last week, the Cougars have homered in seven of their last nine games and in 19 of their 35 games this season, totaling 29 long bombs on the year. Seven different players have gone yard, with Ava's eight leading the team and Morrow's seven just behind.

FIRST INNING FIRE
The opening frame continues to be the Cougars' most productive inning, with 43 runs scored to begin games in 2023. BYU's next three best innings are the second through the fourth innings, scoring 35, 29 and 25 runs in those frames, respectively. The Cougars are 13-2 when scoring in the opening inning in 2023, and 18-3 when scoring first.

CROSS TOWN FOE
BYU and Utah Valley have met 51 times since 2004, with the Cougars leading the all-time series, 46-5. BYU is 19-4 against the Wolverines in Orem, but UVU won the last matchup at Wolverine Field, an 8-1 game on April 27, 2021. The Cougars won the first meeting between the two teams last week, a 9-0 run-rule victory on April 11. 

THE WOLVERINES
Utah Valley (14-23, 7-8 WAC) beat Idaho State in Orem and took one of three at Cal Baptist since last playing BYU. The Wolverines were scheduled to play at Utah State on Tuesday afternoon, but the game was canceled due to inclement weather in Logan. Cody Thomson is in year two as the UVU head coach and has a 38-50 (.432) record in that time.

ON DECK
The Cougars will host five home games next week, welcoming Utah State and Utah Tech to Provo on Tuesday and Wednesday night before playing a three-game series in WCC play with San Diego on Friday and Saturday.