Cougars drop games to Long Beach State and Iowa State in Marucci Desert Classic

LAS VEGAS – BYU softball dropped two games against Long Beach State and Iowa State, 5-4 and 5-3, respectively, in the team’s final day of the Marucci Desert Classic Saturday.

“We didn't play very well today. We seemed low on energy and focus in the first game,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “Despite not playing well, we had the lead in both games going in to the seventh inning and couldn't finish. We need to get better at closing out games.”

BYU (4-6) won its first three games of the tournament but dropped the final two.

Long Beach State (6-1, 0-0 Big West) took home a 5-4 walk-off win in its second game of the tournament.

A big seventh inning gave Iowa State (4-4, 0-0 Big 12) a 5-3 victory in the later game.

Game one

Alexa Strid hit the only home run of the day while Caitlyn Alldredge had a two-run double and two RBI. Autumn Moffat, Olivia Sanchez and Kerisa Viramontes shared pitching duties.

Long Beach State scored first on a wild pitch to go up 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning.

In the top of the fourth, Libby Sugg and Strid hit back-to-back singles up the middle. Erin Miklus came in to pinch run for Sugg. Alldredge then hit a double to left center, allowing Miklus and Strid to come across to make it 2-1 for the Cougars.

LBSU evened the score 2-2 on a dinger to left field in the bottom of the fifth. A Beach batter doubled to left field to bring in a run, taking a 3-2 lead.

Strid homered to left field in the first pitch of her third at-bat, her first long ball this season and 13th of her career. Jensen walked with a 3-1 count and the bases loaded for another run and a 4-3 lead.

Long Beach State scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4 walk-off win.

BYU vs. Long Beach State Box Score

Game two

Strid led the Cougars with two hits against Iowa State while Lexi Tarrow had two RBI.

The Cyclones got on the board first in the top of the fourth with a runner on second base advancing home on a single to centerfield. Another batter scored on a wild pitch as Iowa State took a 2-0 lead.

BYU responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run single down the right field line from Tarrow to tie it, 2-2. Bridget Fleener and Miklus, a pinch runner for Emilee Erickson, scored.

In the bottom of the fifth, Erickson hit a grounder up the middle and the pitcher couldn't make a play in time to get an out as runners on every base advanced. Strid crossed home as the Cougars took a 3-2 advantage.

The Cyclones’ bats came alive in the top of the seventh, sending a homer to left field with a runner on base to go ahead, 4-3. Iowa State scored its final run on a single to left field combined with a fielding error as the runner from second came across, 5-3.

BYU vs. Iowa State Box Score

The Cougars will play five games next week at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California, from February 22-24.