BYU mounts comeback with three homers against LMU

LOS ANGELES – BYU softball scored five unanswered runs to defeat West Coast Conference foe Loyola Marymount, 5-2 to remain undefeated in WCC play.

Game Highlights:

• After scoring on a home run today, Rylee Jensen is just four runs away from tying the BYU record career runs
• Martha Epenesa hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the sixth to extend her eight-game hit streak. Epenesa has reached base in 12 straight games
• Violet Zavodnik hit a solo home run in the second inning

Player Highlights:

• Autumn Moffat-Korth: 7 IP, 6H, 0ER, 3K, 1BB
• Violet Zavodnik: 2-3, 2R, 1RBI, 1HR, 2B
• Martha Epenesa: 1-3, 1R, 2RBI, 1HR
• Rylee Jensen: 1-2, 1R, 2RBI, 1HR, 1BB

After LMU took a 2-0 lead early, Violet Zavodnik brought the Cougars back within one in the top of the fourth with a homer to right field bringing the score to 2-1. 

Leading off the top of the fifth, Marissa Chavez singled into left-center to top off an 11-pitch at-bat and was promptly replaced by Taylei Williams to pinch run. Williams used her speed and stole second to get into scoring position before Erin Miklus took an eight-pitch at-bat eventually forcing a walk. 

Arissa Paulson laid down a well-placed sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners as BYU threatened to score. Another walk put Autumn Moffat-Korth at first and loaded the bases for BYU's leadoff batter Rylee Jensen. The senior hit centerfield sacrifice fly to bring in Williams locking the game at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

With one down in the top of the fifth, a BYU error put a Lion's baserunner to scoring position. A sacrifice fly moved the runner to third setting up a big at-bat between the Lions’ clean-up hitter and Moffat-Korth. Moffat-Korth won the battle, grounding out Megan Dedrick to end the inning.

Zavodnik added onto her big day with a double into left-center to open the top of the sixth. Two batters later, Epenesa stepped up to the plate and hammered the ball for a two-run shot as BYU took the 4-2 lead.

Jensen provided an insurance run in the seventh inning, hitting a two-out dinger into left to put the Cougars up by three, 5-3.

With the help of catcher Natalie Sicairos throwing out a runner attempting to steal second, Moffat-Korth continued her dominance into the seventh, sealing the win for BYU, 5-2.

BYU and Loyola Marymount will be back tomorrow, May 1, in a doubleheader. The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 12 p.m. PDT and game two for 2 p.m. PDT.