PROVO -- BYU softball lost a close 1-2 game against the University of Massachusetts Friday in Clearwater, Fla., at the Speedline Invitational.

"We came out really flat today," BYU head Coach Gordon Eakin said. "We are a better team than they were, we just didn't get it done."

Junior Summer Tobias started at pitcher for the Cougars and was solid through four innings until giving up some costly hits in the fifth and sixth inning to UMass for only her second loss of the season.

Junior Ashlyn Russell put BYU on the board with a solo home run in the second inning. It was Russell's eighth of the season to take sole possession as league-leader in home runs.

With BYU clinging to a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning, UMass hit a double down the right-field line. The following batter singled to center field and later stole second base. After a costly error by BYU, UMass tied it up 1-1 through five.

BYU couldn't do any damage in the sixth offensively with three consecutive strikeouts.

UMass however, took advantage of the poor hitting by BYU and capitalized in the bottom of the sixth as Tobias allowed two hits that scored one run leaving the Cougars down 1-2 heading into the final inning. Freshman Daniella Urincho reached first base on a fielder's choice. After Urincho stole second and third base, Sophomore Ranae Clarke was at the plate with two outs. Unfortunately, Clarke was unable to make contact and the Cougars were finished.

"Depending on how we come out to play for tomorrow's game will tell a lot about this team." Eakin said. "Can we bounce back from a difficult defeat?"

The Cougars go to 13-2 on the season with Jacksonville University on the schedule for Saturday, March 12 at 12 p.m.

Brigham Young vs Massachusetts
Mar 11, 2005 at Clearwater, Fla. (Eddis Moore Complex)
Brigham Young 1 (13-2)
Player                  AB      R       H       RBI     BB      SO      PO      A       LOB
WATSON-PERRY, Lauren c  3       0       1       0       0       1       4       0       0
WHITELEY, Jennifer cf   3       0       0       0       0       0       1       0       0
PARAMORE, Paige rf      3       0       1       0       0       1       0       0       1
 SNOW, Emi rf           0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0
LE'I, Ianeta 1b         3       0       0       0       0       2       8       1       1
RUSSELL, Ashlyn 3b      3       1       2       1       0       0       1       1       0
 CHAMBERLAIN, Krystle pr0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0
URINCHO, Daniella dh    3       0       0       0       0       1       0       0       0
NORTON, Jodi ss         2       0       0       0       0       2       2       3       0
 CLARKE, Ranae ph       1       0       0       0       0       1       0       0       1
DODDS, Debbie 2b        2       0       0       0       0       1       2       1       0
KENNEDY, Lindi lf       2       0       0       0       0       2       0       0       0
TOBIAS, Summer p        0       0       0       0       0       0       0       4       0
Totals......            25      1       4       1       0       11      18      10      3
Massachusetts 2 (5-7)
Player          AB      R       H       RBI     BB      SO      PO      A       LOB
Puglia ss       3       0       0       0       0       0       3       0       0
Molinari cf     3       1       1       0       0       0       2       0       0
Kelley c        3       0       1       1       0       0       11      0       0
 Holness pr     0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0
Denis rf        3       0       0       0       0       2       0       0       1
Ferrara dh      2       0       1       0       0       0       0       0       0
 Hurd pr        0       1       0       0       0       0       0       0       0
Proctor lf      2       0       1       0       0       0       0       0       0
Morin 1b        2       0       0       0       0       1       1       0       0
Sulick 3b       2       0       0       0       0       0       2       0       1
Stefanoni 2b    2       0       0       0       0       1       1       1       0
LaFogg p        0       0       0       0       0       0       1       1       0
Totals......    22      2       4       1       0       4       21      2       2
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 010 000 0 -  1  4  1
Massachusetts....... 000 011 X -  2  4  0
-----------------------------------------
E - NORTON. LOB - BrighamYoung 3; UMass 2. 2B - Ferrara(2). 3B -
Molinari(1). HR - RUSSELL. SB - WATSON-PERRY; URINCHO 2; Hurd(2);
Proctor(2).
Brigham Young   IP      H       R       ER      BB      SO      AB      BF
TOBIAS, Summer  6.0     4       2       2       0       4       22      22
Massachusetts   IP      H       R       ER      BB      SO      AB      BF
LaFogg  7.0     4       1       1       0       11      25      25
Win - LaFogg (3-4).  Loss - TOBIAS (6-2).  Save - None.