Cougars take down New Mexico 12-1 in game two of double header

PROVO, Utah — BYU softball bounced back in a big way, as they took down the New Mexico Lobos 12-1 in the second game of a Thursday doubleheader at Gail Miller Field. 

Chloe Temples earned her eighth win of the season after pitching through four innings, giving up just one run on three hits.

The Cougars scored early and often in game two as they scored twelve runs on seven hits and carded 10 RBI. Macy Simmons and Brooke Hill-Barrington each went yard for the first time this season, combining for seven RBI in the 12-1 victory. 

After dropping game one of the double-header against New Mexico, Chloe Temples entered the circle for BYU and retired six-straight Lobos to start off game two including ringing up three batters in the first two frames.

The Cougars struck first in the bottom of the second, taking a 1-0 lead. Marissa Chavez hit a line drive off the right-center field wall and slid into second with a one-out double. Mallory Barber took a 1-0 pitch and blooped a single into shallow right field which scored Chavez to give BYU an early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Martha Epenesa drew a leadoff walk and was advanced to second on a Taylei Williams bunt single. Zavodnik laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Epenesa to third and put Williams to second before Huntyr Ava walked to load the bases. Alyssa Podhurcak hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Epenesa with Ava and Williams staying put.

After a Chavez walk, the bases were juiced for Macy Simmons who fouled off the first two pitches she faced before getting all of the 0-2 offering and hitting it off the top of the light post in left field for her first BYU career gland slam. The second Cougar grand slam of the year broke the game open giving the Cougars a 6-0 lead.

The Lobos looked to cut into the BYU lead, with runners on the corners with nobody out in the top of the fourth. Temples struck out the next two New Mexico batters, but a passed ball scored the first and only run of the game.

Williams came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth with one out and Epenesa on first. She singled on a hard hit, ground ball up the middle moving Epenesa to third. A base hit to left field for Huntyr Ava scored Epenesa giving the Cougars an 7-1 lead with one out.

Lo Salcedo entered the game to pinch run for Ava and scored along with Williams as a Podhurcak line drive went off the glove of the right fielder, Podhurcak reaching second on the error. Taryn Lennon pinch hit for Chavez and and was hit by the first pitch she faced to put runners at first and second for pinch hitter Brooke Hill-Barrington. Barrington fought off three two-strike pitches before blasting her first home run of the season to extend the Cougar lead to 12-1 entering the fifth inning.

Carley Brown retired all three batters in the bottom of the fifth to give the Cougars a 12-1 mercy rule victory in game two of the Thursday double-header.

Tomorrow, the Cougars will face New Mexico at 1 p.m. MDT in the last game of the series. The game will be broadcast live on BYUtv.