SALT LAKE CITY -- The BYU (30-23, 9-6) softball team remains one game back of conference-leader Utah (35-21-1, 11-6-1) as the two teams split a doubleheader Friday afternoon, with the Utes winning game one 14-7 and the Cougars winning the nightcap 5-1 to remain in the hunt for the Mountain West Conference regular season title.

With the game tied 0-0 going into the sixth inning of game two, Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston hit a two-run home run, her fifth of the season, to give BYU a 2-0 lead. BYU put three more runs on the board in the seventh on RBI-singles by Liz Smith and Mindy Hanson, and a RBI-double from Pierce-Boydston.

Michele Larsen homered in Utah's last at-bat but it was not enough as the Cougars recorded the 5-1 win. Maryon DeWitt-Wallentine (15-14) went the distance, giving up four hits and one run while striking out eight. Kristin Arbogast (27-16) gave up eight hits and five runs while striking out four.

The Utes jumped on the Cougars early in game one, scoring four runs in the first inning on a grand slam by Niki Hayhurst. Utah scored three runs off two BYU errors in the third inning to go up 7-0. Two consecutive bases-loaded walks by Oli Keohohou and Smith, and a two-RBI single from Pierce-Boydston closed the gap to 7-4 in the fourth, but Utah came back in its half of the inning, scoring two runs on a Melissa Stahnke home run and another on a BYU error to go up 10-4.

In the sixth, a three-run home run by Brooke Cadiente, her 10th of the season, again closed the Utah margin to three, but the Utes iced the game in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs to win 14-7. Meghann Pricer (11-6) pitched 3.2 innings in the losing effort, giving up 10 runs, five earned, on six hits. Ariel Capra pitched the final 2.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits. Arbogast got the win, giving up seven runs, three earned, on nine hits.

"After getting off to a devastating start and instead of caving, we played better and hit well throughout the game but errors really hurt us," BYU head coach Mary Kay Amicone said.

BYU returns to action tomorrow with two more games against Utah, beginning at noon.

Brigham Young at University of Utah
                May 04, 2001 at Salt Lake City, Utah (Ute Field)
Brigham Young 7 (29-23,8-6)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KEOHOHOU, O rf...........  2  2  0  1   3  0  1  0   0
SMITH, L lf..............  4  1  3  1   1  1  0  0   0
PIERCE-BOYDS 3b..........  4  0  1  2   0  0  0  3   0
 ROBERTS, J pr...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JOHNSON, M pr...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CADIENTE, B dh...........  5  1  3  3   0  0  0  0   4
HANSON, M 1b.............  3  0  0  0   1  0  8  0   4
HODGEN-KELLY cf..........  3  1  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
ELLIS, J 2b..............  3  1  1  0   0  1  0  3   0
 PRINGLE, K 2b...........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
ERICKSON, B ss...........  2  0  0  0   2  2  3  1   1
CHRISTIANSEN c...........  3  1  0  0   0  1  3  0   1
 FERNLEY, T ph...........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
PRICER, M p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 CAPRA, A p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 31  7  9  7   7  5 18  7  12
University of Utah 14 (35-20-1,11-5-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McLEAN, M cf.............  4  3  3  1   1  0  2  0   0
JEPPSON, A lf............  4  1  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
TREVIS, L 3b.............  5  0  1  0   0  2  0  1   0
STAHNKE, M ss............  3  3  2  2   2  0  3  6   0
HAYHURST, N 1b...........  4  3  2  4   1  0  5  0   5
LARSEN, M 2b.............  3  1  0  0   1  0  5  3   0
PFENINGER, C c...........  3  1  0  0   0  0  5  0   0
OTA, Masie rf............  3  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
KENNEY, A dh.............  4  1  2  1   0  1  0  0   2
ARBOGAST, K p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 33 14 10  8   5  3 21 10   9
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 403 0 -  7  9  5
University of Utah.. 403 304 X - 14 10  3
-----------------------------------------
E - PIERCE-BOYDS; ELLIS, J 3; CAPRA, A; TREVIS, L; 
STAHNKE, M 2. DP - UTAH 1. LOB - BYU 12; UTAH 9. 
2B - McLEAN, M; STAHNKE, M; HAYHURST, N. 
HR - CADIENTE, B; McLEAN, M; STAHNKE, M; HAYHURST, N. 
HBP - PIERCE-BOYDS; JEPPSON, A; PFENINGER, C; OTA, Masie. 
SH - HODGEN-KELLY. SB - McLEAN, M; OTA, Masie.
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
PRICER, M...........  3.2  6 10  5  3  2 21 25
CAPRA, A............  2.1  4  4  4  2  1 12 16
University of Utah     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
ARBOGAST, K.........  7.0  9  7  3  7  5 31 40
Win - ARBOGAST, K (27-15).  Loss - PRICER, M (11-6).  
Save - None. WP - CAPRA, A 2. HB - PRICER, M; 
CAPRA, A 2; ARBOGAST, K.
			      
  			         University of Utah Softball
                  Brigham Young at University of Utah (Game 2)
                 May 04, 2001 at SALT LAKE CITY, UT (UTE FIELD)
Brigham Young 5 (30-23,9-6)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KEOHOHOU, O rf...........  3  2  0  0   1  1  1  0   0
SMITH, L lf..............  4  1  2  1   0  1  0  0   0
PIERCE-BOYDS 3b..........  4  1  3  3   0  0  0  0   0
 JOHNSON, M 3b...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CADIENTE, B dh...........  3  0  1  0   1  0  0  0   1
HANSON, M 1b.............  3  0  1  1   1  1  7  0   0
 ROBERTS, J pr...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HODGEN-KELLY cf..........  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
PRINGLE, K 2b............  3  0  1  0   0  1  2  2   0
ERICKSON, B ss...........  3  0  0  0   0  0  2  3   1
CHRISTIANSEN c...........  2  0  0  0   0  0  9  0   0
 ELLIS, J ph.............  1  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
DEWITT-WALLE p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 29  5  8  5   3  4 21  5   6
University of Utah 1 (35-21-1,11-6-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McLEAN, M cf.............  2  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   0
JEPPSON, A lf............  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
TREVIS, L 3b.............  3  0  0  0   0  3  2  2   0
STAHNKE, M ss............  3  0  0  0   0  2  1  1   0
HAYHURST, N 1b...........  3  0  1  0   0  0  9  1   0
LARSEN, M 2b.............  3  1  1  1   0  1  1  2   0
PFENINGER, C c...........  3  0  1  0   0  0  5  1   0
OTA, Masie rf............  2  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   0
KENNEY, A dh.............  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
ARBOGAST, K p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  3   0
Totals................... 24  1  4  1   1  8 21 10   3
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 002 3 -  5  8  0
University of Utah.. 000 000 1 -  1  4  2
-----------------------------------------
E - HAYHURST, N; LARSEN, M. DP - BYU 1. LOB - BYU 6; UTAH 3.
2B - PIERCE-BOYDS 2. HR - PIERCE-BOYDS; LARSEN, M. CS - SMITH, L.
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
DEWITT-WALLE........  7.0  4  1  1  1  8 24 25
University of Utah     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
ARBOGAST, K.........  7.0  8  5  0  3  4 29 32
Win - DEWITT-WALLE (15-14).  Loss - ARBOGAST, K (27-16).  
Save - None.

The second-place BYU softball team will finish conference play this week with four games against conference-rival Utah. The teams will play two games in Salt Lake City Friday, beginning at 2 p.m. and then return to Provo for two games Saturday, starting at noon.

Last Week

The Cougars split with San Diego State Friday, losing game one 3-1 before winning the second game 4-0. They then swept UNLV Saturday, 7-1 and 10-2 to go 3-1 on the weekend.

BYU Probable Starters

•C -Angie Christiansen - R/R, Sr. (.210, 22 hits, 11 runs, 13 RBI)

•1B - Mindy Hanson - R/R, Sr. (.270, 33 hits, 14 runs, 19 RBI)

•2B - Jacki Ellis- R/R, Sr. (.221, 17 hits, 13 runs, 16 RBI)

•SS - Becca Erickson - R/R, Sr. (.228, 29 hits, 20 runs, 6 HR, 26 RBI)

•3B - Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston - R/R, Jr. (.316, 48 hits, 26 runs, 29 RBI)

•CF -Lindsey Hodgen-Kelly - R/R, Sr. (.298, 39 hits, 30 runs, 12 RBI, 17 SB)

•RF - Oli Keohohou- R/R, Fr. (.492, 59 hits, 56 runs, 19 HR, 57 RBI)

•LF - Liz Smith- L/R, Jr. (.268, 40 hits, 28 runs, 7 RBI, 12 SB)

•DH - Brooke Cadiente - R/L, So. (.303, 46 hits, 30 runs, 9 HR, 41 RBI)

•P - Meghann Pricer - R/R, Sr. (11-5, 2.21 ERA, 92 SO, 126.1 IP)

Nation's Elite

After playing in 50 games, freshman Oli Keohohou is among the nation's elite in a variety of categories. She leads the NCAA's with a .492 batting average, and leads in home runs with 19 in 50 games, an average of .38 homers per game. She is third in runs batted in with 57, averaging 1.14 RBI a game. As a team, BYU is 15th in the nation in scoring with 270 runs in 50 games, an average of 5.29 a game.

Conference Leaders

Keohohou, named this weeks Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, leads the MWC in batting average (.492), runs scored (55), slugging percentage (1.075), on-base percentage (.642) and is tied for the league lead with three triples. Pitcher Meghann Pricer leads the league in opponents batting average (.218). As a team, BYU leads the conference in batting average (.286), slugging percentage (.455), on base percentage (.368) runs scored (270) and triples (18). Cougar pitchers have allowed the fewest hits (288) and runs (133) in the conference, while BYU opponents are batting .232, the lowest in the conference.

Team Leaders

After 51 games, Keohohou leads the team in batting average (.492), hits (59), home runs (19), RBI (57), runs scored (56), walks (54), triples (3) and slugging percentage (1.075). Brooke Cadiente and Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston lead the team in at-bats (152) while Pierce-Boydston leads the team in doubles (9). Lindsey Hodgen-Kelly leads the team with 17 stolen bases.

Scouting Utah

The Utes have a 34-30-1 record, including a 10-5-1 conference record and are currently in first place. They swept UNLV Friday, winning 1-0 and 3-2. They then were swept by San Diego State Saturday, losing 6-2 and 5-0. Lindsey Trevis has a .400 batting average and 66 hits, including 52 RBI. Freshman Melissa Stahnke has a .347 batting average and 59 hits, including 19 home runs and 58 RBI. Kristin Arbogast is 26-15 with a 2.24 ERA and 223 strikeouts in 288 innings.

Softball/Baseball Complex

The newly-opened Gail Miller Field at BYU's Miller Park has 2,100 chair seats all in the lower bowl, making it one of the top-10 seating softball facilities in the NCAA. The dimensions are 210 feet down the left and right field lines and 220 in center field. The field faces northwest and is located west of the BYU Marriott Center. The one-of-a-kind mirrored-image softball/baseball complex was made possible by primary donors Larry and Gail Miller, together with Sy and Betty Kimball. The tensile roof is constructed from a teflon fabric made by Japan's Birdair Corporation and is pulled taut by cables, similar to the design on the Denver International Airport.

Miller Park was built by Sahara construction with Salt Lake City

architect Valentiner/Crane. A shared press box houses radio and TV broadcasts and seating for print media and game-day operations. There are

separate locker rooms for visitors and Cougar clubhouses for both softball and baseball. The complex includes concession stands, a memorabilia mezzanine, handicapped seating, an elevator, an umpire room, a hosting facility, an equipment room, training room, indoor batting cages and coaches offices. Both fields are lighted. The softball scoreboard is located in right field and was manufactured by Daktronics of Brookings, South Dakota.

Coach Mary Kay Amicone

Mary Kay Amicone was named BYU's first-ever varsity softball coach on May 6, 1999, three months after the announcement was made to upgrade the softball team from club to varsity status. In her first season, she led the team to a 16-27 (.372) record, including a 7-13 conference record, good for fifth place. Prior to becoming the head coach at BYU, Amicone served as an assistant coach at the University of Utah (1991, '93-95, '98-99). During that time, the Utes finished fifth ('91) and seventh ('94) at the NCAA Women's College World Series and were regional participants in 1995. She is assisted by Gordon Eakin and Lisa Hall.

Coaches Quotes

"It will be a battle. They are leading the pack but I feel we are in a position to do good things. "--Mary Kay Amicone

Preseason Mountain West Conference Coaches' Poll

BYU was picked by the coaches in the Mountain West Conference to

finish fifth in the conference in the preseason poll released Jan. 25. In-state rival University of Utah, where BYU head coach Mary Kay Amicone played and was an assistant coach for seven years, was picked to finish first.

Mountain West Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Utah (5) 25

2. New Mexico (1) 20

3. San Diego State 15

4. Colorado State 11

5. BYU 10

6. UNLV 9

Player/Coach Interviews

Practices are held daily at 1 p.m. at Gail Miller Field, west of the Marriott Center. Player or Coach Amicone interviews may be arranged in advance through Shane Bevell, BYU Athletic Media Relations, at (801) 378-8999. Additional information may be obtained through e-mailing Shane at amr-3@byu.edu or by fax at (801) 378-3520.