BYU softball extends win streak to 12 games with shutout victories over Pacific

STOCKTON, Calif. — BYU softball extended its win streak to 12 games with a pair of shutout victories over Pacific on Friday evening at Bill Simoni Field. With the 3-0 and 10-0 wins over Tigers, the Cougars improved to 37-10 overall and 9-2 in West Coast Conference play. 

GAME ONE

Game Highlights

• Senior HannahJo Peterson hit her first home run of the season, taking her season RBI total to 18.
• All of BYU’s runs were from home runs.
• Autumn Moffat-Korth pitched a complete game shutout with five strikeouts

The Cougars stranded two runners in the top of the first inning but BYU’s starting pitcher Autumn Moffat-Korth followed by striking out her first two batters, keeping the game scoreless after the first inning.

A lead-off solo shot by HannahJo Peterson ensued the first run of the game for either team. In the top of the third inning, Peterson got her first homer of the season, sending the ball past right field for a 1-0 BYU lead. 

BYU would increase its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning. HannahJo Peterson was hit by a pitch and Martha Epenesa hit a sacrifice bunt for her teammate to advance to second. Next, Taylei Williams hit a two-run home run to left field for her third homer of the season. 

The Tigers got a base hit by their designated player Nina Davis, but a 5-4-3 double play by BYU would lead to a ground out for Kyla Eck, ending the fifth inning at 3-0. Pacific entered a new pitcher Hannah Glad in the circle at the top of the sixth, allowing just one hit and zero runs.

Pacific went three up three down in the bottom of the seventh inning, ending the game at 3-0.

GAME TWO

Game Highlights

• Violet Zavodnik hit her 16th home run of the season.
• Eight of the nine hitters from BYU’s starting lineup had at least one hit.
• Freshman Emma Andrewjeski hit the first home run of her career with a three-run shot.
• Chloe Temples tied her season-best of 12 strikeouts.

BYU scored off an RBI single from Huntyr Ava in the top of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Next, BYU’s starting pitcher Chloe Temples struck out three out of four Pacific batters. She went on to have 12 strikeouts, tying her own season-record for all BYU pitchers in strikeouts this season.

In the top of the second inning, the Cougars added another run, changing the scoreboard to 2-0. First, Marissa Chavez doubled to right center and then Macy Simmons was walked. An RBI single from Peterson towards shortstop allowed Chavez to score BYU’s second run.

Violet Zavodnik hit a lead-off solo shot to right center in the top of the third, taking her season total to 16 home runs. Last season, Zavodnik had 14 homers as West Coast Conference Freshman and Player of the Year. Later, Alyssa Podhurcak was walked and Chavez doubled. Brooke Hill-Barrington hit a sacrifice bunt for Podhurcak, taking the game to 4-0 for the Cougars.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Temples struck out three batters in-a-row. 

The Cougars scored two more runs in the top of the sixth, upping the score to 6-0. Peterson singled to shortstop followed by an RBI double down the right field line from Epenesa. Next up, Williams doubled as well, this time down the left field line for BYU’s sixth run.

In the next inning, BYU made it to 10 runs courtesy of a three-run bomb by freshman pinch hitter Emma Andrewjeski. She brought home Peterson and Taryn Lennon for the first home run of her collegiate career. The Tigers couldn’t get a single hit in the bottom of the seventh and the game ended at 10-0.

Up Next

Tomorrow BYU will face Pacific for the last game of the series at 12 p.m. PDT. The game will be available on the WCC Network.