FORT COLLINS, Co. — BYU softball weathered a Maryland comeback en route to a 6-4 second-round victory in the NISC at Horsetooth Field on Friday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

The Cougars (34-16, 11-4 WCC) blew the game open in the opening frame after receiving home runs from Huntyr Ava and Maddie Udall for the second time in as many games. They added another run in the second to take a 6-0 advantage through two innings before outlasting the Terrapin attack down the stretch.

Player Highlights

• Maddie Bejarano: 3-4, R
• Hailey Morrow: 2-4, R, RBI
• Martha Epenesa: 2-4, R
• Mallory Barber: 2-4
• Chloe Temples: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 8 K
• Kaysen Korth: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 K

BYU raced out to an early 5-0 lead thanks to a pair of home runs by Ava and Udall. Maddie Bejarano doubled off the left field screen in the top of the first and was brought home by Ava’s towering 2-run shot down the left-field line. After Hailey Morrow dropped a bloop single into left field and Martha Epenesa doubled to the wall in left center, the Cougars had two in scoring position. Udall then launched a 3-run jack to right center as BYU quickly put up five runs.

Ailana Agbayani singled up the middle in the top of the second inning, moving to second on a passed ball and scoring as Morrow singled to left on a payoff pitch, extending the BYU advantage to 6-0. 

Maryland cut into the lead in the bottom of the third inning, scoring two runs off of a couple walks and a single to center, making it 6-2, Cougars. The Terrapins earned a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth before homering to center to draw within two of BYU at 6-4.

Unable to capitalize with two runners aboard in the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars took their two-run lead into the bottom of the final inning. Maryland sent a one-out triple to center before drawing a two-out walk that put runners on the corners, but a strikeout looking finished off the Terrapins and sent BYU to one of two Saturday semifinal games.

The Cougars will now face South Dakota State, who beat Tarleton State in an elimination game on Friday afternoon, in Saturday morning's semifinal, slated to have a 9 a.m. MDT first pitch. The game will be streamed on Triple Crown Sports' YouTube channel.

PROVO, Utah — After picking up a 5-2 win against San José State to open NISC play on Thursday afternoon, BYU softball prepares to face Maryland in a second round matchup.

The Cougars (33-16, 11-4 WCC) and Terrapins will square off in their quarterfinal contest at TC Colorado's Horsetooth Field on Friday, May 19 at Noon MDT, with the winner advancing Saturday morning's semifinal game.

2023 National Invitational Softball Championship

• BYU vs. Maryland
• Friday, May 19 (Noon MDT)
• Live Stream: Triple Crown Sports/YouTube
• Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
• Tickets

BYU was fueled by a pair of home runs in its victory over the Spartans, led by first baseman Huntyr Ava's team-leading 15th long bomb. The senior sent out a two-run shot that broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Cougars the lead for good on Thursday.

Freshman designated player Maddie Udall hit the first homer of her collegiate career an inning later to help secure the victory. Center fielder Maddie Bejarano and right fielder/second baseman Mallory Barber each tallied RBI as well for BYU.

Bejarano went 2-for-2 on the day, while Barber finished 2-for-3. Third baseman Martha Epenesa and second baseman Tristen Turlington each drew a walk. 

Starting righty Kaysen Korth (19-8) tossed all seven innings, giving up just three hits and two runs while striking out eight SJSU batters. The Cougars tallied eight hits, recording at least one hit and one run of of the two San José State pitchers they faced.

BYU now turns its attention to Maryland, in a Puerto Vallarta College Challenge rematch from the second day and third game of the Cougars' 2023 season. 

Maryland (37-17, 11-11 Big Ten)

• The Terrapins run-ruled CSUN in their NISC opener, beating the Matadors, 8-0 in six innings
• Maryland dropped its first game of the Big Ten Tournament last week to Iowa, who is also participating in the 2023 NISC and competing in the opposite pod
• The only common opponents between the Terrapins and Cougars this season are North Dakota State and North Carolina
• Mark Montgomery is in her fourth season at Maryland, posting a 97-76 (.561) record since 2020
• The all-time series between the two teams is tied, 2-2 after the Terrapins beat BYU in Mexico earlier this year, 10-2 (5)
• Cougar head coach Gordon Eakin is 1-2 against Maryland during his tenure, with all three matchups occurring at neutral sites

With a win over the Terrapins, BYU would advance to Saturday morning's NISC semifinal, scheduled for 9 a.m. MDT on Red Rocks Field. If the Cougars fall to Maryland, they would drop into the loser's bracket and play a second game at Horsetooth Field immediately following, facing the winner of Friday morning's CSUN-San José State contest. The elimination game would also be for a shot at a Saturday semifinal slated for Noon MDT.