ST. GEORGE -- In the opening game of the 2002 season, the BYU women's softball team won handily over the host Southern Utah 10-1, Friday at the Thurderbird Classic. The game was called after six innings due to the eight-run rule. The Cougars avenged an opening day loss against Southern Utah at the same tournament last season.

The Thunderbirds scored first, but the Cougars showed poise to come back strong. Junior Brooke Cadiente smashed a three-run home run and finished the game with four RBI. Kate Peterson, a transfer from Oregon, had a wonderful Cougar debut, hitting 2-3 with two RBI. Cynthia FallowField (1-0) picked up the win after pitching only one game last season.

"I was really pleased with our composure after trailing early," said head coach Mary Kay Amicone. "We kept our confidence and it's good to start the season with a win."

The Cougars had 13 hits and committed no errors as a team, showing no signs of the opening day jitters.

The Cougars (1-0) will face Oregon State at 10 a.m., the University of San Diego at 2 p.m., followed by St. Mary's at 4 p.m. tomorrow to finish the tournament.

Brigham Young at Southern Utah
                        Feb 1, 2002 at St. George, Utah
Brigham Young 10 (1-0)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Smith, L. cf.............  4  1  2  1   0  0  2  0   0
Pringle 2b...............  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  3   1
Boydston 1b..............  4  2  1  1   0  0  8  2   0
Keohohou lf..............  3  2  1  1   1  1  0  0   0
Cadiente rf..............  3  2  3  4   1  0  1  0   0
Watson dh................  3  0  2  0   1  1  0  0   0
Peterson ss..............  3  0  2  2   1  0  3  2   0
Layns c..................  3  1  0  0   1  2  1  0   6
Johnson, M. 3b...........  2  2  1  0   1  0  0  0   0
Polk p...................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  3   0
Totals................... 29 10 13  9   6  5 18 10   7
Southern Utah 1 (0-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MICHIUE ss...............  2  0  1  0   1  0  2  1   1
TILLERY cf...............  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   1
LEPREY dh/p..............  2  0  0  0   1  0  0  2   3
LEEMAN 3b................  2  0  1  0   1  0  0  1   0
GALLO 2b.................  3  0  1  0   0  0  2  3   2
BINGHAM rf...............  3  1  1  0   0  0  1  0   1
HEAPS 1b.................  3  0  0  0   0  0  7  0   1
ANDRADE lf...............  3  0  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
WHITTAKER c..............  3  0  0  0   0  0  5  2   0
EVANS p/dh...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 22  1  6  1   3  0 18 10   9
Score by Innings                R  H  E
---------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 001 144 - 10 13  0
Southern Utah....... 010 000 -  1  6  2
---------------------------------------
E - TILLERY(1); ANDRADE(1). DP - BYU 1. LOB - BYU 7; SUU 9. 2B -
Boydston(1); Cadiente(1); BINGHAM(1). HR - Cadiente(1). HBP - MICHIUE;
TILLERY. SH - TILLERY(1). SB - ANDRADE(1). CS - Cadiente(1).
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Polk................  6.0  6  1  1  3  0 22 28
Southern Utah          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
EVANS...............  1.0  5  4  4  2  1  7  9
LEPREY..............  5.0  8  6  5  4  4 22 26
Win - Polk (1-0).  Loss - LEPREY (0-1).  Save - None.
WP - LEPREY 2(2); EVANS(1). HBP - by Polk (MICHIUE); by Polk (TILLERY).
Umpires -
Start: 4:00 pm   Time: 2:15   Attendance: 213
Game notes:
Game #1 of Thunderbird Canyon Park

The BYU women's softball team will start the 2002 season at the annual Thunderbird Canyon Park Classic held in St. George and hosted by Southern Utah Friday and Saturday. The Cougars look to defend their MWC title this season despite the loss of nine seniors from last year's team.

The Cougars will face host Southern Utah on Friday at 4 p.m. The Cougars then play a three games on Saturday facing Oregon State at 10 a.m. They will then play the University of San Diego at 2 p.m. followed by St. Mary's at 4 p.m.

Last year, the Thunderbirds stole the season-opener with a 7-5 win over the Cougars. The Cougars lost to Oregon State twice last year in the same tournament 2-3, 4-7. BYU did pick up its first win of the season over St. Mary's with a 8-5 win, led by Oli Keohohou's first collegiate home run. Last season Keohohou, known as Oli, was a First-team All-American and was one of four finalists for the Honda Award, given to the top collegiate player in the country. Keohohou and junior Brooke Cadiente, the 2001 MWC Tournament MVP, should be exciting to watch.

"We are excited to get going," said head coach Mary Kay Amicone, who was voted MWC Coach of the Year last season. "You can only prepare so much indoors and it's time to play ball."

The Cougars were picked to finish second in the MWC in the preseason coach's poll, just behind Utah. Last year the Cougar's were picked fifth and surprised the conference by winning both the regular season and the conference tournament.