SAN DIEGO -- Junior Stacie Graham's home run to deep center field in the top of the eighth inning gave the BYU softball team a 1-0 win at San Diego State on Friday.

Graham's solo shot to deep center was the first home run of the junior's BYU career and broke a scoreless tie through the game's first seven innings.

"It was a fun game to be a part of," said BYU head coach Gordon Eakin. "Pitching was great on both sides. I couldn't be prouder of our pitchers and our defense played strong the whole game."

A pitchers' duel between BYU's Paige Affleck and San Diego State's Bailey Micetich effectively bottled up any offense by either team. Affleck pitched all but one out before sophomore Hannah Howell entered the game with runners on the corners for the Aztecs in the bottom of the eighth.

With two outs, Howell drew a ground out to end the game and strand the runners, earning her fourth save of the year.

Affleck threw eight strikeouts with three walks and five hits scattered over 7.2 innings pitched for her 15th win. Affleck, the BYU and Mountain West Conference all-time leader in wins, has won each of her last six decisions.

Sophomore JC Clayton had the only hit for BYU in the first seven innings. Micetich forced the Cougars to stay in the infield, earning just three strikeouts but using a a good Aztec defense to keep BYU off the bases.

BYU at San Diego State
04-15-11 at San Diego, Calif. (SDSU SB Stadium)
BYU 1 (24-14,2-0 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE, Kristi 2b..  3  0  0  0   1  0  4  0   0
MESSERSCHMIDT, Tiffa dh..  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
CLAYTON, JC ss...........  3  0  1  0   0  0  3  4   0
FITU,Jessica c...........  2  0  0  0   0  1  8  2   1
 MILLETT,Lacey pr........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
ATAGI,Caschjen 3b........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   0
WILLARD, Delaney rf......  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
 HUDSON,Alexandra rf.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
DUCKWORTH,Carly lf.......  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
GRAHAM, Stacie 1b........  3  1  1  1   0  0  7  2   0
DUGAS,Jessica cf.........  3  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
AFFLECK,Paige p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HOWELL,Hannah p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 27  1  3  1   1  3 24  9   4
San Diego State 0 (27-16,3-2 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MARQUEZ, L. 2b...........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  1   1
CAMELLO rf...............  4  0  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
MILES cf.................  4  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   2
MAEVA 1b.................  3  0  0  0   0  1 12  0   2
WISNESKI ss..............  3  0  1  0   0  0  3  3   0
KLOPP lf.................  3  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   0
MAY, Ka. dh..............  1  0  0  0   2  0  0  0   0
 REIFSCHNEIDE pr.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 LAVERY pr...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
SAHATDJIAN c.............  2  0  0  0   0  2  3  0   1
ROSE 3b..................  1  0  0  0   1  1  1  5   0
 MATHIS ph...............  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 GRAY pr.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MICETICH p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  3   0
Totals................... 26  0  5  0   3  8 24 12   6
Score by Innings                   R  H  E
------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 01 -  1  3  1
San Diego State..... 000 000 00 -  0  5  0
------------------------------------------
E - FITU(3). LOB - BYU 4; SDSU 6. HR - GRAHAM(1). HBP - FITU. SH -
SAHATDJIAN(2). SB - WISNESKI(4). CS - MILES(4); LAVERY(2).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
AFFLECK,Paige.......  7.2  5  0  0  3  8 25 29
HOWELL,Hannah.......  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
San Diego State        IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MICETICH............  8.0  3  1  1  1  3 27 29
Win - AFFLECK (15-9).  Loss - MICETICH (14-9).  Save - HOWELL (4).
HBP - by MICETICH (FITU).
Umpires - HP: Rick Cowan  1B: Rick Hausvik  3B: Steve McCown
Start: 5:57 PM   Time: 2:02   Attendance: 382
Weather: 79 deg., 3 mph in from RF
BYU starters: 4/2b DELAHOUSSAYE; 20/dh MESSERSCHMID; 16/ss CLAYTON; 10/c FITU;
9/3b ATAGI; 28/rf WILLARD; 3/lf DUCKWORTH; 21/1b GRAHAM; 19/cf DUGAS; 12/p
AFFLECK;
San Diego State starters: 22/2b MARQUEZ, L.; 11/rf CAMELLO; 0/cf MILES; 21/1b
MAEVA; 24/ss WISNESKI; 14/lf KLOPP; 1/dh MAY, Ka.; 8/c SAHATDJIAN; 20/3b ROSE;
16/p MICETICH;
BYU 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE popped up to ss. MESSERSCHMID grounded out to 3b.
CLAYTON singled up the middle. FITU popped up to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 1st - MARQUEZ, L. struck out swinging. CAMELLO struck
out swinging. MILES singled to left center. MILES out at second c to ss, caught
stealing. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - ATAGI struck out looking. WILLARD grounded out to 1b
unassisted. DUCKWORTH grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
San Diego State 2nd - MAEVA grounded out to 1b unassisted. WISNESKI
grounded out to ss. KLOPP struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 3rd - GRAHAM lined out to lf. DUGAS grounded out to 3b. DELAHOUSSAYE
flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 3rd - MAY, Ka. walked. REIFSCHNEIDE pinch ran for MAY,
Ka.. SAHATDJIAN out at first 3b to 2b, SAC, bunt; REIFSCHNEIDE advanced to
second. ROSE struck out swinging. MARQUEZ, L. grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - KLOPP to dh. REIFSCHNEIDE to lf. MESSERSCHMID struck out
looking. CLAYTON flied out to cf. FITU struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 4th - CAMELLO grounded out to ss. MILES out at first 1b
to 2b. MAEVA grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 5th - ATAGI grounded out to 3b. WILLARD grounded out to 1b
unassisted. DUCKWORTH grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
San Diego State 5th - WISNESKI singled to left field. KLOPP struck out
swinging; WISNESKI stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by c.
KLOPP to lf. MAY, Ka. to dh for REIFSCHNEIDE. MAY, Ka. lined out to 2b.
SAHATDJIAN struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - GRAHAM grounded out to p. DUGAS grounded out to 3b.
DELAHOUSSAYE walked. MESSERSCHMID reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop;
DELAHOUSSAYE out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 6th - MATHIS pinch hit for ROSE. MATHIS singled up the
middle. MARQUEZ, L. fouled out to 1b. CAMELLO singled to third base; MATHIS
advanced to second. MILES flied out to cf. MAEVA struck out swinging. 0
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 7th - ROSE to 3b for MATHIS. CLAYTON lined out to 3b. FITU hit by
pitch. MILLETT pinch ran for FITU. ATAGI reached on a fielder's choice, bunt;
MILLETT out at second p to 2b. WILLARD popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 7th - FITU to c for MILLETT. WISNESKI popped up to ss.
KLOPP lined out to cf. MAY, Ka. walked. LAVERY pinch ran for MAY, Ka.. LAVERY
out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - DUCKWORTH grounded out to 2b. GRAHAM homered to center field,
RBI. DUGAS singled to shortstop. DELAHOUSSAYE grounded out to p; DUGAS advanced
to second. MESSERSCHMID grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
San Diego State 8th - HUDSON to rf for WILLARD. SAHATDJIAN struck out
swinging. ROSE walked. GRAY pinch ran for ROSE. MARQUEZ, L. out at first 1b to
2b; GRAY advanced to second. CAMELLO singled to second base; GRAY advanced to
third. HOWELL to p for AFFLECK. MILES grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.

CLICK HERE to follow the BYU softball team on Facebook.

BYU softball travels to play UNLV on Thursday, Apr. 14, and San Diego State on Friday and Saturday, Apr. 15-16, to begin Mountain West Conference play.

COUGAR QUICK HITS

— Junior right fielder Delaney Willard has hit five home runs in BYU’s last four games against Seattle, Loyola Marymount and a doubleheader vs. Southern Utah. Willard’s current four-game home run streak is the longest for a BYU player since Stephanie Hopkins hit one out in four straight in April 2008. Her five homers are the most in a four-game span since Angie Quiocho hit six out of the park also in April 2008.

— BYU senior catcher Jessica Fitu enters the weekend broke the BYU and Mountain West Conference record for most RBI in a career, passing current BYU assistant coach and former Cougar player Ianeta Le’i with her 212th RBI against Seattle on Saturday. Fitu’s sac fly scored JC Clayton in the first inning.

— BYU currently leads the MWC in walks, opposing batting average, hits allowed, earned runs allowed and extra-base hits allowed.

OPPONENTS SERIES NOTES

UNLV is 2-1 in conference play with a 20-14 record overall. UNLV boasts a number of power hitters throughout its roster, including six players with four or more home runs. Conversely, the Rebels have allowed 38 stolen bases this season while grabbing just 12 themselves.

Kylie Wagner leads the team with a .485 average and .939 slugging percentage, but it’s Ashli Holland who has ignited UNLV, racking up 73 total bases with 11 doubles and five home runs among 45 total hits. In the circle, Amanda Oliveto has thrown two no-hitters this sea- son and comes in with a 2.19 ERA and 17-6 record.

BYU next heads to San Diego State in a matchup against what has lately been the top two teams in the conference. SDSU has shown few signs of letdown this season, going 3-0 in the opening round of conference play and hosting a 27-14 record overall.

Typically a team with pitching strength, the Aztecs have solid bats this year, including Lorena Klopp’s 14 home runs. Seven SDSU players have more than 30 hits, including Justeen Maeva’s 41 hits and .363 average. Bailey Micetich has a 1.71 ERA and 14-7 record while last year’s MWC Pitcher of the Year, Samantha Beasley, is at a 3.46 ERA and 9-6 record.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK GOES TO HOUSE

Senior Kristin Delahoussaye earned the MWC Player of the Week after helping the Cougars go 4-0 last week. House's biggest game came against Utah State when the senior racked up 11 total bases (two home runs and a triple) on Mar. 29, tying for the fifth-most total bases in a game by a Cougar in program history and equaling the most in a game for BYU since Angie Quiocho had 12 off three home runs against UNLV on May 7, 2010.

ALL-TIME CONFERENCE WINS LEADER

Already the record holder in all BYU career pitching categories, senior Paige Affleck became the winningest pitcher in Mountain West Conference history on Mar. 19, winning the 74th game of her career over No. 9 California in the Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament championship game. Affleck has now won 79 games in her career.

TAKING MORE

BYU has 12 players with at least one stolen base so far this year, led by freshman Lacey Millett’s nine steals. Seven players have four or more. The Cougars have 47 stolen bases overall, already eighth-most in a season by a BYU team, and had a season-high four stolen bases against Florida State and Iona.

GOTTA SCORE

BYU is 15-0 when scoring at least six runs and 18-0 when leading after five innings. In addition, 11 of BYU’s 14 losses have come by three runs or less.