BYU shuts out Yale 8-0, beats UC San Diego 4-1 in San Diego Classic

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — BYU softball shut out Yale 8-0 in five innings and defeated the University of California San Diego 4-1 on Friday in the San Diego Classic.

GAME ONE VS. YALE

Player Highlights

• Huntyr Ava: 2 AB, 2 R, 1 H, 2 RBI, 2.667 OPS
• Macy Simmons: 3 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 3 RBI, 4.0 OPS

Game Highlights

• After BYU’s first win of the day over Yale, the Cougars upped their home run total to 15 this season.
• BYU’s first four runs scored were all home runs: Macy Simmons (2), Huntyr Ava and Marissa Chavez.

Macy Simmons homered in the bottom of the second inning for BYU to take an early 1-0 lead. The Cougars had Alyssa Podhurcak and Marissa Chavez left on base at the end of the second.

Violet Zavodnik hit BYU’s second home run of the day in the bottom of the third inning, upping the score to 2-0 for the Cougars. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, BYU scored six total runs. The first two were back-to-back home runs, another by Simmons and the other by Marissa Chavez. It was Chavez’s first home run of the season. Ava stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and was walked, allowing Brooke Hill-Barrington’s pinch runner Alexis Gilio to score BYU’s fifth run. Next, Martha Epenesa singled to center field for 2 RBI, bringing home Taylie Williams and Taryn Lennon. Then, Ava was driven in by a single from Simmons into left field. 

The Bulldogs were only able to get one player on base in the top of the fifth inning, so BYU won 8-0 off of the eight-run mercy rule.

GAME TWO VS. UC SAN DIEGO

Player Highlights

• Marissa Chavez: 1 H, 1 RBI, 1 3B, 2.167 OPS

Game Highlights

• After losing three times in-a-row at the Mary Nutter Classic, the Cougars are now back on a three-game winning streak.

The Cougars scored two quick runs in the top of the first inning. Lennon was walked, Gilio singled to second base and then Zavodnik placed a perfectly-executed bunt to load the bases. Ava flew out to left field, but Lennon was able to reach home plate for BYU’s first run. Next up, Simmons singled and brought home Gilio. 

In the top of the third, Zavodnik hit a deep ball into center field, and UC San Diego’s Keila Bosinger came up with a big catch while looking into the sun and running into the wall. 

The Tritons didn’t get a runner on base until the bottom of the third inning. Also, they didn’t get another hit until the bottom of the fifth, when they had three consecutive base hits in a row. After that, BYU’s Autumn Moffat-Korth subbed in for starting pitcher Chloe Temples. With the bases loaded, the Tritons scored off of a fielder’s choice to second base to cut BYU’s lead in half for a score of 2-1.

In the top of the sixth, Epenesa was walked and Lauren Flanders came in to pinch run. Simmons grounded out, but Flanders advanced to second. Chavez stepped up to the plate and hit a triple to bring home Flanders for a 3-1 lead for the Cougars.

BYU battled to put more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh. At the plate, Williams was thrown to 12 times until she struck out while looking. HannahJo Mills went in to pinch hit for Gilio and got hit by a pitch. Then, Zavodnik doubled toward center field and pinch runner Gilio scored.

With a score of 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Tritons weren’t able to get a single hit or runner on base.

BYU and UC San Diego each had five hits even, though the Cougars averaged a higher slugging percentage, .630 over the Tritons’ .478.

Up next, BYU will play Cal at 1 p.m. PST at the USD Softball Complex for its final game of the San Diego Classic. Check the BYU softball schedule page for updates on a live stream and live stats.