TUCSON -- BYU came back to tie Arizona in the sixth inning, but a single run in the bottom of the sixth for the host team gave Arizona a 2-1 win over the Cougars in the first game of the NCAA Tucson Super Regional on Friday.

BYU will now face an elimination game on Saturday with the first pitch set to be thrown at 1:30 p.m. local time. The game will be televised live on ESPNU, with a third game, if necessary, set for 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two.

Sophomore Delaney Willard brought in BYU’s only RBI, going 2-for-3 with two singles. Freshman J.C. Clayton also had two hits and reached base four times for the Cougars.

BYU got on the board in the sixth inning, begun when Alexandra Hudson, in for Caschjen Atagi, drew the first walk of the game off of Arizona pitcher Kenzie Fowler. After Jessica Fitu advanced Hudson with a sac bunt, Tiffany Messerschmidt came on to pinch run from second base.

That’s when Delaney Willard took a 1-0 pitch to far right field. Messerschmidt rounded third as the throw went home. Wildcat catcher Stacie Chambers caught the ball and was in good position for the block, but a collision with Messerschmidt knocked the ball loose, leaving the sophomore safe.

Arizona’s answer came in the very same inning when Brigette Del Ponte reached on a double off BYU pitcher Paige Affleck. Del Ponte’s double was all designated player Lini Koria needed, taking a pitch for a deep single to centerfield to bring in Del Ponte for the game-winning run.

BYU left seven runners on base through the first five innings and was held scoreless, with the Cougars’ best chance coming in the top of the fourth inning. Atagi reached on a throwing error where Hudson came in to pinch run. Fitu was next hit by a pitch after which Willard smacked a single to set up the Cougars with the bases loaded and one out.

But Amanda Kellum reached base on a fielder’s choice with Hudson out at home and BYU came away with no runs when Jessica Dugas struck out.

Brigham Young Univ. at #3 Arizona
May 28, 2010 at Tucson, Ariz. (Hillenbrand Stadium)
Brigham Young Univ. 1 (46-12)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b..  4  0  1  0   0  2  0  1   0
CLAYTON, J.C. ss.........  4  0  2  0   0  0  0  3   0
QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b.....  4  0  0  0   0  3  1  3   1
RAMIREZ, Andrea 1b.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  9  0   3
DAVIS-ATAGI,Caschjen lf..  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
 HUDSON, Alexandra pr/lf.  0  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   0
 MESSERSCHMIDT, Tiff. pr/  0  1  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
PURCELL-FITU, Jess. c....  1  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
WILLARD, Delaney rf......  3  0  2  1   0  0  2  0   0
VANCE-KELLUM, Amanda dp..  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
DUGAS, Jessica cf........  3  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   4
AFFLECK, Paige p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 28  1  6  1   1 10 18  7   9
Arizona 2 (47-11)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Lastrapes lf.............  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   1
Schutzler cf.............  3  1  2  0   0  0  0  0   0
Arredondo ss.............  3  0  1  0   0  0  1  1   1
Chambers c...............  3  0  0  0   0  0 12  0   0
Del Ponte 3b.............  3  1  2  1   0  0  1  4   0
Koria dp.................  3  0  2  1   0  0  0  0   2
Arriola 2b...............  3  0  0  0   0  0  3  1   0
Kirker 1b................  2  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   1
 Haack ph................  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
Buchanan rf..............  1  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
Fowler p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 25  2  7  2   1  1 21  6   6
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 001 0 -  1  6  0
Arizona............. 100 001 X -  2  7  3
-----------------------------------------
E - Chambers(2); Del Ponte 2(11). LOB - BYU 9; Arizona 6. 2B - CLAYTON(9);
Del Ponte 2(8); Koria(8). HBP - PURCELL-FITU. SH - PURCELL-FITU(9).
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
AFFLECK, Paige......  6.0  7  2  2  1  1 25 26 110
Arizona                IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
Fowler..............  7.0  6  1  1  1 10 28 31 122
Win - Fowler (34-6).  Loss - AFFLECK (32-9).  Save - None.
WP - Fowler(6). HBP - by Fowler (PURCELL-FITU). Inherited runners/scored: None.
Pitches/strikes: AFFLECK 110/65; Fowler 122/83.
Umpires - HP: Keith Kearney  1B: Kevin Wallace  3B: Dustin Douglass
Start: 4:05 pm   Time: 2:03   Attendance: 2597
Weather: 96, sunny, light breeze
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE grounded out to 2b (0-0). CLAYTON
reached on a throwing error by 3b, advanced to second (1-1 KB). QUIOCHO struck
out swinging (2-2 SBBKS). CLAYTON advanced to third on a wild pitch. RAMIREZ
struck out swinging (2-2 FFBBFS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Arizona 1st - Lastrapes grounded out to 3b (2-2 BBKFF). Schutzler
singled to third base, bunt (1-0 B). Arredondo singled to shortstop, bunt (0-1
K); Schutzler advanced to second. Chambers popped up to rf (2-2 KBKFFB);
Schutzler advanced to third. Del Ponte doubled, RBI (3-2 BKBKFB); Arredondo
advanced to third; Schutzler scored. Koria lined out to rf (2-1 BKB). 1 run,
3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - DAVIS-ATAGI struck out looking (1-2 SKBK).
PURCELL-FITU singled to left field (0-1 K). WILLARD flied out to lf (1-0 B).
VANCE-KELLUM fouled out to c (1-2 BSSF). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Arizona 2nd - Arriola grounded out to 3b (1-2 KKB). Kirker grounded out
to 3b (3-2 KBBSBF). Buchanan walked (3-2 BBBKFB). Lastrapes fouled out to c
(0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - DUGAS lined out to ss (3-2 SBBFBFFF).
DELAHOUSSAYE struck out swinging (2-2 BKBKS). CLAYTON doubled to left field
(1-2 BKF). QUIOCHO grounded out to 3b (2-1 FBB). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Arizona 3rd - Schutzler grounded out to ss (3-2 KKBBB). Arredondo flied
out to lf (2-0 BB). Chambers grounded out to 1b unassisted (2-2 FBKFB). 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - RAMIREZ fouled out to 3b (0-2 SK). DAVIS-ATAGI
reached on a throwing error by 3b (2-1 BSB). HUDSON pinch ran for DAVIS-ATAGI.
PURCELL-FITU hit by pitch (1-0); HUDSON advanced to second. WILLARD singled to
left field (1-0 B); PURCELL-FITU advanced to second; HUDSON advanced to third.
VANCE-KELLUM reached on a fielder's choice to third base (0-1 K); WILLARD
advanced to second; PURCELL-FITU advanced to third; HUDSON out at home 3b to c.
DUGAS struck out looking (2-2 KBKBK). 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Arizona 4th - HUDSON to lf. Del Ponte flied out to cf (1-2 BFK). Koria
doubled down the rf line (2-1 BBK). Arriola popped up to lf (2-1 BKB). Kirker
grounded out to 2b (3-2 KBKBB). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - DELAHOUSSAYE struck out swinging (2-2 KBFFBS).
CLAYTON singled to third base (1-2 KBF). QUIOCHO struck out looking (1-2
KFBFK). RAMIREZ grounded out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Arizona 5th - Buchanan lined out to 3b (1-1 BF). Lastrapes grounded out
to ss (1-1 BK). Schutzler singled to third base (3-2 BSKBFB). Arredondo
grounded out to ss (0-1 F). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - HUDSON walked (3-2 BBSKBB). PURCELL-FITU out
at first 3b to 2b, SAC, bunt (0-1 S); HUDSON advanced to second. MESSERSCHMID
pinch ran for HUDSON. WILLARD singled to left field, RBI, advanced to second on
a fielding error by c (1-0 B); MESSERSCHMID scored. VANCE-KELLUM struck out
looking (3-2 BBKKFFBFK). DUGAS struck out swinging (1-2 FBSS). 1 run, 1 hit,
1 error, 1 LOB.
Arizona 6th - MESSERSCHMID to lf. Chambers popped up to lf (1-0 B). Del
Ponte doubled down the rf line (2-0 BB). Koria singled to center field, RBI
(1-0 B); Del Ponte scored. Arriola popped up to 1b (2-1 BKB). Haack pinch hit
for Kirker. Haack struck out swinging (1-2 KKFBS). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - Kirker to 1b for Haack. DELAHOUSSAYE singled
to center field (1-1 BF). CLAYTON reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop
(1-2 SFB); DELAHOUSSAYE out at second ss to 2b. QUIOCHO struck out swinging
(2-2 FKBFBFS). RAMIREZ lined out to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.

PROVO -- For the first time in program history, BYU (46-11) will participate in the NCAA softball tournament’s second round, traveling to play Arizona (46-11) in a best-of-three series in one of eight NCAA Super Regionals.

The two teams will begin play on Friday at 4 p.m. local time with a second and third game, if necessary, scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium. Friday's game will be televised live on ESPN2 HD and simulcast on ESPN3.com while Saturday's contest(s) will be shown on ESPNU.

“They’re a great softball team and program,” said BYU coach Gordon Eakin. “They truly are the face of college softball and have a tremendous winning tradition. We’re going to have to play pretty much flawless softball to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Arizona is the No. 10-seed in the tournament and was ranked fourth in the country at the end of the regular season. The Wildcats defeated Cornell and then defeated Hofstra twice to move on. Arizona has four player with at least 16 home runs this season, including 21 by Brigette Del Ponte, who also leads the team with 75 RBI. Brittany Lastrapes is first on the team with a .408 batting average with 75 hits on the year.

Freshman Kenzie Fowler will likely start against BYU, a freshman with an ERA of 1.25 and a 33-6 record.

"We have great admiration for Coach Candrea and this Arizona softball team and we are honored to be able to compete in the Tucson Regional with a chance to advance to the College World Series," Eakin said.

The Cougars advanced with a sweep of the competition last weekend in Austin, Texas, defeating East Carolina, 1-0; No. 7-seed Texas, 9-8; and East Carolina again in the championship game, 8-3.

Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year JC Clayton led BYU by batting 8-for-10 with three runs and an RBI over the weekend. Sophomore Jessica Dugas was right behind, batting 7-for-9 with three runs.

The two slappers set up BYU’s top hitters, including MWC All-Teamers Angeline Quiocho, Jessica Fitu and Kristin Delahoussaye.

Quiocho, who will finish her career atop the BYU and MWC record books in every major hitting category, had six RBI, including a grand slam against Texas last weekend. Fitu added four RBI and hit for the cycle over the course of the Regional while Delahoussaye added a key double in the bottom of the seventh against Texas, finishing with four hits, two doubles, two runs and three RBI in Austin.