PROVO, Utah—With two hits and no runs in the second game of a Friday doubleheader, the BYU softball team couldn’t overcome Loyola Marymount for a 5-0 loss after falling 8-2 in the first game of the day. 

“I don’t know if we finally hit a wall where everything’s caught up to us, or what, but it’s dismal right now,” head coach Gordon Eakin said. “We keep telling them to fight and not give up and try to get them to dig deeper. If we don’t come back tomorrow and play the way we’re capable of playing and return the favor, we’re in trouble.”

Video Highlights and Interviews

Game 1
BYU (17-22, 6-4 Pacific Coast Softball) fell 8-2 to LMU (27-18, 10-4 PCSC) in the frist game of the weekend series as the Lions scored eight runs on eight hits. Hannah Howell took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits. Caroline Umphlett pitched three innings in relief and held the Lions to just one hit and one earned run. Carly Duckworth pitched the seventh, giving up two runs on one hit.

LMU's Meghan Harman started things off in the top of the first with a home run to score herself and teammate Skylar Segura, but BYU responded with a double play to halt the Lion momentum. 

JC Clayton scored in the bottom of the first to bring BYU within one after Gordy Bravo grounded out to second base.

Another LMU home run and RBI started the second inning and, with BYU unable to score, gave the visting team a 4-1 edge to start the third. 

Both teams went scoreless through the third inning. The Lions got an unearned run to start the fourth and BYU's Katie Manuma homered, her sixth of the season and BYU's first hit of the game, to end the drought. Manuma's home run also took away the no-hitter for LMU's Sydney Gouveia, who improved to 14-2 with the win.

BYU went 3-up and 3-down to start the fifth, but was unable to capitalize on offense, keeping the score at 5-2 in favor of the Lions.

LMU loaded the bases in the seventh inning and scored three more runs to take an 8-2 lead while BYU was unable to score, ending the game.

Game 2
Coco Taualii and Madisen Robb each got hits for BYU. Pitcher Tori Almond picked up the loss to fall to 6-5 on the season. She had five strikeouts in the game and only gave up three hits, but two were home runs.

LMU (27-18, 10-4 PCSC) had a three-run homer in the first frame, which BYU wasn’t able to respond to in the bottom of the inning. Almond struck out the Lions in order in the second inning, preventing any lead increase.

In the top of the third, shortstop Clayton caught a grounder and tagged second, then threw the ball to Jenna Goar at first in time for a double play, the team's 13th of the season and second of the day. The play sent the game to the bottom of the third.

BYU had a chance to score in the bottom of the fifth with the bases loaded and only one out, but Mylee Davis and Clayton struck out to end the inning.

LMU picked up two more runs on the Lions’ second home run of the night in the sixth inning. The Cougars weren’t able to counter.

The teams meet up again at Gail Miller Field Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. MDT.

PROVO, Utah--The BYU softball team welcomes LMU for its first conference series at home with doubleheaders on Friday starting at 5 p.m. MDT and Saturday starting at 1 p.m. MDT. 

BYU QUICK HITS

• BYU is 10-2 overall against Loyola Marymount and is currently on a six-game winning streak against the Lions. LMU has never played at Gail Miller Field. 
• BYU is just ahead LMU in the PCSC standings with a 6-2 record, while LMU sits at 8-4 having played in one more conference series. 
• Ashlee Brawley Robinson and Katie Manuma each had game-winning RBI’s against UVU to help the team win two of its four games against the Wolverines in its second conference matchup. 
• BYU has just three conference series against Santa Clara, Saint Mary's and CSU Bakersfield left alongside two non-conference matchups against Southern Utah and Utah to finish out the season. 
• At this time last year, BYU was 24-12 with 26 team home runs, a .300 team batting average and 176 RBI. 

OPPONENT NOTES

LMU is currently on a four-game win streak after sweeping Saint Mary’s in its last conference series. The Lions are 25-18 on the season and are just behind BYU in the conference standings with an 8-4 record. The team was favored to finish second in the conference preseason poll and is currently leading the conference with a .403 slugging percentage, 27 home runs, 63 doubles and 278 strikeouts. The Lions have been led all season by freshman pitcher Sydney Gouveia. She has a 13-2 record alongisde a 1.54 ERA in 24 total appearances. Gouveia ranks third in the NCAA in strikeouts per seven innings with 11.5, ninth in total strikeouts with 195 and 12th in shutouts with six. With a record of 5-1 in conference play, she has given up just 10 earned runs on 26 hits for a 1.81 ERA. Newcomer Hannah Montalban has also been a welcome addition to the team, hitting a .367 clip alongside 10 doubles and 14 RBI. The Lions have three players with five or more home runs on the season including senior Olivia Alvarez (5), junior Meghan Harman (6) and freshman Stephanie Crist (7). 

In conference play, LMU split series with CSU Bakersfield and Santa Clara before its sweep of Saint Mary’s. BYU is currently on a six-game win streak against LMU and in that time has outscored the Lions 49-4. LMU is averaging almost four runs and seven hits per game so far this season. The Lions have a huge advantage in power at the plate with 27 home runs to BYU’s 10 and 63 doubles to BYU’s 34. However, BYU has an advantage on the base paths with 50 stolen bases to LMU’s 16 on the season. LMU also has six more games under its belt this season, alongside one more conference series. 

IN THE RECORD BOOKS

There are a number of BYU softball players who are currently setting all-time season and career records at BYU. 

Senior shorstop JC Clayton broke the all-time hit record with six hits against San Diego to surpass Angie Quiocho. She now has 276 career hits and 51 hits so far on the season. Clayton is also fourth all-time in career runs with 173 and second in career batting average at .400. 

Sophomore Lacey Millett is tied for fourth with 15 stolen bases this season after grabbing two stolen bases against UVU in the team’s last game of the series. She is also tied for fifth in season stolen bases with 14 her freshman year. 

Pitchers Tori Almond and Hannah Howell each had 20 wins last season, good enough for fifth in all-time season wins. They have also both moved up in the area of career strikeouts at BYU. Almond is fourth with 330 and Howell is not far behind in fifth with 321. 

WHERE TO WATCH

Friday's doubleheader will be available to follow via live stats. Saturday's games will be broadcast live on BYUtv.