PROVO -- BYU (43-19) heads to the NCAA Tournament Regional Championship Saturday at noon after defeating Southern Utah Friday night at Miller Park.

In a come from behind win, the Cougars beat the Thunderbirds 10-5, totaling 15 hits and five fielding errors.

"We just went through the motions," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "It's very disappointing because it's almost like we thought we could show up and win. Southern Utah had been playing good ball, and you gotta give them credit."

SUU took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Thunderbird lead-off batter Marci Pratt scored on a throwing error from the Cougar second baseman.

BYU answered back when Jennifer Whiteley scored in the third inning to tie the ball game 1-1. Whiteley singled to left field and advanced to third on a double from Jodi Norton. Whiteley reached home on a throwing error from SUU's second baseman.

The Thunderbirds took the lead again in the bottom of the third when they scored three runs off of two BYU errors and one passed ball. Winning pitcher Christina Gwyn came in to relieve Christie Zinanati after two runs had scored.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Andrea Ramirez tied the game when she singled to right field to bring in Whiteley from second.

Daniela Urincho-Snow got the go-ahead run when she hit a two-run bomb over the left field fence to clear the bases.

"I didn't want this to be the seniors' last game," Urincho-Snow said after the game.

BYU scored two insurance runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh inning.

BYU advances to the Championship game, the furthest the school has ever gone in postseason play, after falling to ASU 7-1 earlier Friday. ASU pitcher Katie Burkhart had a perfect game going into the bottom of the seventh inning, until BYU hit three singles and scored one run.

"We really do have nothing to lose," Eakin said. "We've already forged new ground as a program, but we want to win."

Arizona State vs Brigham Young Univer
                May 18, 2007 at Provo, Utah (Gail Miller Field)
Arizona State 7 (51-15)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Mapes dp.........  4  0  0  0   1  1  0  0   0
Kaitlin Cochran cf.......  3  0  1  0   1  1  2  0   0
Bianca Cruz 3b...........  5  1  2  0   0  0  1  1   1
Mindy Cowles 2b..........  2  1  0  0   2  0  1  0   4
Kristen Miller c/pr......  3  1  2  0   1  0 11  1   2
 Clarissa Andorfer-Lo pr.  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Marisa Trevino ph.......  1  1  1  2   0  0  0  0   0
Ashley Muenz 1b..........  2  1  0  0   1  0  3  0   0
Jackie Vasquez lf........  3  1  1  0   0  0  1  0   0
 Himmita Hixson lf.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Rhiannon Baca ss.........  2  0  1  1   1  0  1  0   0
Michelle Smith rf........  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   1
 Katie Crabb ph..........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
Katie Burkhart p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 29  7  8  3   7  3 21  2  11
Brigham Young Univer 1 (42-19)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Cortney Nix-Clark c......  3  0  1  0   0  2  4  1   0
 Jana Anderson pr........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Jennifer Whiteley lf.....  3  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   0
Jodi Norton ss...........  3  0  1  1   0  2  0  2   0
Emi Snow rf..............  3  0  0  0   0  2  2  0   0
Andrea Ramirez dp/1b.....  3  0  0  0   0  2  4  1   0
Daniela Urincho 1b/dp....  3  0  0  0   0  0  4  0   2
Tracee Hoch 2b...........  2  0  0  0   0  0  3  3   0
Angeline Quiocho 3b......  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  3   0
Monica Gonzales cf.......  2  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   0
Christina Gwyn p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Christie Zinanti p/dp...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 24  1  3  1   0 11 21 10   2
Score by Innings                   R  H  E
------------------------------------------
Arizona State....... 000 304 00 -  7  8  0
Brigham Young Univer 000 000 1X -  1  3  3
------------------------------------------
E - NORTON; HOCH; GWYN. DP - BYU Cougars 1. LOB - ASU 11; BYU Cougars 2. 2B
- Cruz; Miller. HBP - Cochran; Smith. SH - Baca.
Arizona State          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Katie Burkhart......  7.0  3  1  1  0 11 24 24
Brigham Young Univer   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Christina Gwyn......  3.1  3  3  1  3  2 14 20
Christie Zinanti....  2.1  3  4  4  4  0  9 13
Daniela Urincho.....  1.1  2  0  0  0  1  6  6
Win - Burkhart (32-11).  Loss - GWYN (16-9).  Save - None.
WP - ZINANTI. HBP - by GWYN (Smith); by GWYN (Cochran).
Umpires - HP: John Bennett  1B: Jana Tidwell  3B: Russ Pemberton
Start: 12:00 pm   Time: 2:11   Attendance: 450
Game notes:
ID-547540
Game: BYU-ASU2
Play-by-Play
          
Score by Innings                   R  H  E
------------------------------------------
Arizona State....... 000 304 00 -  7  8  0
Brigham Young Univer 000 000 1X -  1  3  3
------------------------------------------
Arizona State starters: 12/dp Mapes; 16/cf Cochran; 9/3b Cruz; 22/2b Cowles;
33/c Miller; 99/1b Muenz; 21/lf Vasquez; 5/ss Baca; 8/rf Smith; 7/p Burkhart;
Brigham Young Univer starters: 10/c NIX-CLARK; 3/lf WHITELEY; 8/ss NORTON;
18/rf SNOW; 31/dp RAMIREZ; 22/1b URINCHO; 4/2b HOCH; 33/3b QUIOCHO; 24/cf
GONZALES; 11/p GWYN;
Arizona State 1st - Mapes struck out swinging. Cochran walked. Cruz
grounded out to 2b; Cochran advanced to second. Cowles walked. Miller flied out
to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 1st - NIX-CLARK struck out swinging. WHITELEY
grounded out to c unassisted. NORTON struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 2nd - Muenz popped up to 2b. Vasquez singled. Baca flied
out to lf. Smith flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 2nd - SNOW flied out to cf. RAMIREZ grounded out to
1b unassisted. URINCHO popped up to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 3rd - Mapes grounded out to 3b. Cochran struck out
swinging. Cruz singled. Cowles popped up to 1b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 3rd - HOCH flied out to lf. QUIOCHO fouled out to
rf. GONZALES struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 4th - Miller doubled. Andorfer-Lop pinch ran for Miller.
Muenz walked. Vasquez reached on a fielder's choice; Muenz advanced to second
on an error by 2b; Andorfer-Lop scored. Baca grounded out to c, SAC, bunt;
Vasquez advanced to second; Muenz advanced to third. Smith hit by pitch. Mapes
reached on an error by p; Smith advanced to second; Vasquez advanced to third;
Muenz scored, unearned. Cochran hit by pitch; Mapes advanced to second; Smith
advanced to third; Vasquez scored, unearned. ZINANTI to p for GWYN. Cruz
reached on a fielder's choice; Cochran advanced to second; Mapes advanced to
third; Smith out at home 3b to c. Cowles flied out to rf. 3 runs, 1 hit, 2
errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 4th - Miller pinch ran for Andorfer-Lop. Miller to
c. NIX-CLARK struck out swinging. WHITELEY struck out swinging. NORTON struck
out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 5th - RAMIREZ to 1b. URINCHO to dp. Miller singled. Muenz
flied out to rf. Vasquez grounded out to 2b; Miller advanced to second. Miller
advanced to third on a wild pitch. Baca walked. Crabb pinch hit for Smith.
Crabb grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 5th - Smith to rf for Crabb. Hixson to lf for
Vasquez. SNOW struck out swinging. RAMIREZ struck out swinging. URINCHO
grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 6th - Mapes walked. Cochran hit into double play 2b to 1b;
Mapes out on the play. Cruz doubled. Cowles walked. Miller walked; Cowles
advanced to second; Cruz advanced to third. Trevino pinch hit for Miller.
Miller to c for Trevino. Trevino pinch hit for Muenz. Trevino singled, advanced
to second on the throw, 2 RBI; Miller advanced to third; Cowles scored; Cruz
scored. ZINANTI to dp for URINCHO. URINCHO to p for ZINANTI. URINCHO to p for
ZINANTI. ZINANTI to dp for URINCHO. Hixson reached on an error by ss; Trevino
advanced to third; Miller scored. Baca singled, RBI; Hixson advanced to second,
out at third ss to 1b to 3b; Trevino scored. 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 6th - Muenz to 1b for Trevino. HOCH flied out to
cf. QUIOCHO lined out to ss. GONZALES struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Arizona State 7th - Smith struck out swinging. Mapes grounded out to ss.
Cochran singled. Cruz flied out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 7th - NIX-CLARK singled. ANDERSON pinch ran for
NIX-CLARK. WHITELEY singled; ANDERSON advanced to second. NORTON singled, RBI;
WHITELEY advanced to second; ANDERSON scored. SNOW struck out swinging. RAMIREZ
struck out looking. URINCHO reached on a fielder's choice; NORTON out at second
2b unassisted. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Arizona State 8th - NIX-CLARK to c for ANDERSON. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer vs Southern Utah
                May 18, 2007 at Provo, Utah (Gail Miller Field)
Brigham Young Univer 10 (43-19)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Cortney Nix-Clark c......  5  1  3  3   0  0  9  2   0
Jennifer Whiteley lf.....  5  2  3  1   0  0  0  0   1
Jodi Norton ss...........  3  0  2  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Stephanie Platt pr......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Emi Snow rf..............  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   0
Andrea Ramirez dp/1b.....  4  1  1  2   0  0  1  0   5
Daniela Urincho 1b/dp....  4  1  2  2   0  0  5  1   0
Tracee Hoch 2b...........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  1   0
Angeline Quiocho 3b......  3  2  1  0   0  0  1  3   0
Monica Gonzales cf.......  3  3  2  1   0  0  1  0   1
Christie Zinanti p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Christina Gwyn p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 35 10 15  9   0  2 21  8   7
Southern Utah 5 (30-31)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Marci Pratt c............  3  1  3  1   1  0  4  1   0
Cassie Cresswell cf......  4  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   1
Kayleen (Rodeo) Carl rf..  3  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   3
Lindi Kennedy ss.........  3  1  1  0   1  0  2  2   1
Erin Niederhauser lf.....  2  1  0  0   2  1  5  0   1
Karli Jenson 3b..........  2  1  0  0   1  1  2  2   1
Bobbi Jo Merrill 1b......  1  1  0  1   1  0  5  0   0
McKell Ashton 2b.........  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Caroline Fernandez dp....  4  0  1  1   0  2  0  0   3
Marissa Gonzalez p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 Kristina Brooks p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 25  5  5  3   6  8 21  9  10
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univer 001 052 2 - 10 15  5
Southern Utah....... 100 300 1 -  5  5  5
-----------------------------------------
E - NIX-CLARK; SNOW; HOCH; QUIOCHO 2; Cresswell; Ashton 3; Gonzalez. DP -
BYU Cougars 1. LOB - BYU Cougars 7; SUU 10. 2B - NORTON; GONZALES. 3B -
NIX-CLARK. HR - URINCHO. HBP - QUIOCHO; Ashton. SH - NORTON; GONZALES;
Carli; Jenson; Merrill. SF - Merrill. CS - Cresswell.
Brigham Young Univer   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Christie Zinanti....  3.1  3  4  2  3  1 12 18
Christina Gwyn......  3.2  2  1  1  3  7 13 18
Southern Utah          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Marissa Gonzalez....  6.0 11  5  5  0  1 29 29
Kristina Brooks.....  1.0  4  5  4  0  1  6  9
Win - GWYN (17-9).  Loss - Brooks (16-16).  Save - None.
HBP - by Brooks (QUIOCHO); by GWYN (Ashton). PB - NIX-CLARK.
Umpires - HP: Jana Tidwell  1B: Jeff Sloan  3B: Russ Pemberton
Start: 6 p.m.   Time: 2:33   Attendance: 427
Game notes:
ID-547896
Gonzalez faced 2 batters in the 5th.
Brooks faced 3 batters in the 6th.
Game: BYU-SUU6
Play-by-Play
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univer 001 052 2 - 10 15  5
Southern Utah....... 100 300 1 -  5  5  5
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univer starters: 10/c NIX-CLARK; 3/lf WHITELEY; 8/ss NORTON;
18/rf SNOW; 31/dp RAMIREZ; 22/1b URINCHO; 4/2b HOCH; 33/3b QUIOCHO; 24/cf
GONZALES; 14/p ZINANTI;
Southern Utah starters: 20/c Pratt; 22/cf Cresswell; 29/rf Carli; 23/ss
Kennedy; 10/lf Niederhauser; 15/3b Jenson; 9/1b Merrill; 27/2b Ashton; 26/dp
Fernandez; 13/p Gonzalez;
Brigham Young Univer 1st - NIX-CLARK flied out to lf. WHITELEY singled.
NORTON flied out to lf. SNOW singled; WHITELEY advanced to second. RAMIREZ
reached on an error by 2b; SNOW advanced to second; WHITELEY out at third ss to
c to 3b to p to c. 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Southern Utah 1st - Pratt singled. Cresswell reached on a fielder's
choice; Pratt advanced to second. Carli reached on an error by 2b, advanced to
second; Cresswell advanced to third; Pratt scored, unearned. Kennedy popped up
to 2b. Cresswell out at third c to 3b, caught stealing. Niederhauser grounded
out to ss. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 2nd - URINCHO singled, advanced to second on an
error by cf. HOCH flied out to cf. QUIOCHO popped up to 1b. GONZALES fouled out
to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Southern Utah 2nd - Jenson walked. Merrill grounded out to 3b, SAC,
bunt; Jenson advanced to second. Ashton flied out to rf. Fernandez flied out to
rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 3rd - NIX-CLARK flied out to rf. WHITELEY singled.
NORTON doubled; WHITELEY advanced to third, scored on a throwing error by 2b.
PLATT pinch ran for NORTON. SNOW grounded out to 2b; PLATT advanced to third.
RAMIREZ flied out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Southern Utah 3rd - NORTON to ss for PLATT. Pratt singled. Cresswell
struck out swinging. Carli out at first 1b to 2b, SAC, bunt; Pratt advanced to
second. Kennedy grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 4th - URINCHO grounded out to 3b. HOCH struck out
swinging. QUIOCHO fouled out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Southern Utah 4th - Niederhauser walked. Jenson reached on an error by
c, SAC; Niederhauser advanced to second. Merrill walked; Jenson advanced to
second; Niederhauser advanced to third. Merrill advanced to second on a passed
ball; Jenson advanced to third on a passed ball; Niederhauser scored on a
passed ball. Ashton grounded out to 3b. Fernandez singled, advanced to second
on a throwing error by rf, RBI; Merrill advanced to third; Jenson scored,
unearned. GWYN to p for ZINANTI. Pratt singled, RBI; Fernandez advanced to
third; Merrill scored. Cresswell popped into double play c to 1b; Pratt out on
the play. 3 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 5th - GONZALES singled, advanced to second on a
throwing error by p. NIX-CLARK singled; GONZALES advanced to third. Brooks to p
for Gonzalez. WHITELEY singled, RBI; NIX-CLARK advanced to second; GONZALES
scored. NORTON grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; WHITELEY advanced to second;
NIX-CLARK advanced to third. SNOW struck out swinging. RAMIREZ singled, 2 RBI;
WHITELEY scored; NIX-CLARK scored. URINCHO homered, 2 RBI; RAMIREZ scored. HOCH
flied out to lf. 5 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Southern Utah 5th - Carli struck out swinging. Kennedy walked.
Niederhauser struck out swinging. Jenson struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 6th - QUIOCHO hit by pitch. GONZALES reached on an
error by 2b, SAC, bunt; QUIOCHO advanced to second, advanced to third on an
error by 2b. NIX-CLARK tripled, 2 RBI; GONZALES scored, unearned; QUIOCHO
scored. Gonzalez to p for Brooks. WHITELEY reached on a fielder's choice;
NIX-CLARK out at home p to c. NORTON singled; WHITELEY advanced to second. SNOW
popped up to ss. RAMIREZ grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2
LOB.
Southern Utah 6th - Merrill reached on an error by 3b. Ashton reached on
an error by 3b; Merrill advanced to second on an error by 3b. RAMIREZ to 1b.
URINCHO to dp. Fernandez struck out swinging. Pratt walked; Ashton advanced to
second; Merrill advanced to third. Cresswell struck out looking. Carli struck
out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univer 7th - URINCHO popped up to 2b. HOCH popped up to
3b. QUIOCHO singled. GONZALES doubled, RBI; QUIOCHO scored. NIX-CLARK singled,
RBI; GONZALES scored. WHITELEY popped up to 3b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Southern Utah 7th - RAMIREZ to dp. URINCHO to 1b. Kennedy singled.
Niederhauser walked; Kennedy advanced to second. RAMIREZ to 1b. URINCHO to dp.
Jenson grounded out to 3b; Niederhauser advanced to second; Kennedy advanced to
third. Merrill flied out to cf, SAC, RBI; Niederhauser advanced to third;
Kennedy scored. Ashton hit by pitch. Fernandez struck out swinging. 1 run, 1
hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

PROVO -- For the second year in a row BYU (41-18) will be a regional host in the NCAA Women's College World Series.

"It just continues to put us on the softball map," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said of his team getting the hosting nod. "People are getting used to our name more and more."

Certainly getting used to the Cougars are the three other teams coming to Provo, which include No. 7 Arizona State (49-15), Cal Poly (39-15) and Southern Utah (29-29). BYU played Cal Poly twice this season, Southern Utah five times and ASU once.

"We've played all three teams that are in our regional," Eakin said. "All of those teams are capable of beating us. Arizona State obviously poses the biggest threat, being a World Series team from last year. We'll have to play our very best game in order to advance."

The double-elimination round begins with BYU squaring off against Big West title winners Cal Poly. The two teams split their season series this year with the Cougars taking the first matchup 7-1 in February and the Mustangs evening the score with a 2-0 victory over BYU in March.

BYU won all five of its games against SUU this season but lost its only contest with ASU in March by the score of 1-8. Senior catcher Cortney Nix-Clark said the familiarity with their opponents and their surroundings should help give the Cougars an edge in the opening round of play.

"We know what kind of teams they are, and anybody's capable of beating anybody," Nix-Clark said. "But, having our fans there, knowing how to play our field and being able to sleep in our own beds is a huge advantage for us. The biggest thing is to not overlook anybody. We can't take anybody lightly because they're going to be fighting just as hard as we will be."

Teammate and fellow senior Jodi Norton echoed Nix-Clark's sentiments saying she's happy she hasn't played her last game on her home field just yet.

"I screamed," Norton said of learning that BYU would host. "I was jumping up and down with my friends and family. I can't believe it. We've played all the teams, and we've beaten two out of three of them. I'm just shocked that we're hosting."

Tickets can be ordered by calling (801) 422-BYU1. All-session passes for adults are $20 and $15 for students and seniors. Adult single-session passes are $7 and $5 for students and seniors. Children ages one and younger will be admitted free of charge. Tickets can also be purchased at the ticket office at Miller Park prior to each game.

Regional tournament games will be played May 17-19. A noon (MST) start time and a 3 p.m. game are scheduled for Thursday. Friday will feature games at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The championship game will be played Saturday at noon. Information on which teams will be playing at the specified times is forthcoming. The winner of the Provo Regional moves on to play in the Super Regionals from May 25-26.