BYU gathers two wins over Cal State Bakersfield and Hawai'i; goes 4-1 in the Rebel Classic

LAS VEGAS — BYU softball secured back-to-back wins for the second day in a row, with games at the Rebel Classic on Saturday at Eller Media Stadium. The Cougars defeated Cal State Bakersfield 11-2 in five innings and won 4-1 over the University of Hawai’i, going 4-1 at the tournament.

GAME ONE VS CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD

Game Highlights

• The Cougars plated six runs in the third inning
  • Taylie Williams, Lauren Flanders, HannahJo Peterson-Mills, Violet Zavodnik, Huntyr Ava and Marissa Chavez each scored
• Freshman Lauren Flanders started in her first game and recorded her first-career hit at BYU

Player Highlights

• HannahJo Peterson-Mills: 3 H, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1.750 OPS
• Martha Epenesa: 2 H, 1 R, 3  RBI, 1.750 OPS
• Huntyr Ava: 2 H, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1.50 OPS

The Roadrunners scored the first run of the game in the top of the first. The next run for either team didn’t occur until the third inning, where the Cougars scored six times. Starting as the DP, Freshman Lauren Flanders singled off a bunt, earning the first hit of her BYU career. Later, HannahJo Peterson-Mills singled through the right side, allowing Taylei Williams to score BYU’s first run. Flanders scored after Marissa Chavez was walked with the bases loaded, and then Huntyr Ava doubled down the left field line to bring home Peterson-Mills and Zavodnik. Martha Epenesa also had a double, sending the ball to left center allowing Ava and Marissa Chavez to go home.

Cydney Curran of the Roadrunners scored in the bottom of the third, bringing the score to 6-2.

In the top of the fourth, the Cougars scored four times. Ava hit a sacrifice fly for Zavodnik to score, Macy Simmons singled to left field bringing home Epenesa and Chavez and Williams singled through the left side for Alexis Gilio to score.

In the top of the fifth, Epenesa singled through the right side, and Peterson-Mills slid home to take it to 11-2 for the Cougars. The Roadrunners were unable to follow up with a run, so the game ended after the fifth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.

GAME TWO VS HAWAI’I

Game Highlights

• Huntyr Ava hit her second home run of the season

Player Highlights

• Martha Epenesa: 1 hit, 2 RBI
• Marissa Chavez: 2 runs, 2 hits
• Autumn Moffat-Korth: 7 IP, 1 R, 8 K

The Cougars scored twice in the first inning, courtesy of a double by Epenesa, bringing home Chavez and Zavodnik for an early 2-0 lead for the Cougars.

In the top of third, Ava grounded out for Chavez to score to up BYU's lead to 3-0.

Hawai'i would score its only run of the day in the bottom of the fifth when pinch runner Cira Bartolotti made it home, taking the score to 3-1.

BYU's Ava scored the final run of the game, sending the ball over right field to earn her second home run of the season.

Up Next

The Cougars will travel to California for the Stanford Invitational from Feb. 17-19. They will play Stanford, San Jose State, Illinois Chicago and Seattle.