Epenesa walks it off in 7-5 BYU win over Portland State

TEMPE, Ariz. — Martha Epenesa hit a walk-off two-run home run to lift BYU softball in a 7-5 come-from-behind win over Portland State in its first game of a doubleheader in the Littlewood Classic at Farrington Stadium on Friday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Epenesa's homer was the Cougars' third of the day, all two-run shots. Freshman catcher Hailey Morrow sent one out in the fourth inning and Violet Zavodnik homered in the fifth.

BYU split the pitching duties between Chloe Temples, Kaysen Korth and Ailana Agbayani, with Agbayani earning the win after 2.2 innings pitched and three strikeouts. 

Player Highlights

• Martha Epenesa: 3-4, R, 2 RBI
• Hailey Morrow: 2-2, R 2 RBI
• Violet Zavodnik: 1-3, R, 2 RBI

Portland State struck first, getting the leadoff runner aboard, recording three hits and stealing second twice to take an early 3-0 lead in the top of the opening frame. 

Singling twice in the second, the Vikings brought around another run, making it 4-0 for the visitors on the scoreboard. BYU loaded the bases with two outs in its half of the second but a fly out to right field would end the Cougar attack. 

In the fourth inning, Huntyr Ava walked and Epenesa singled, with both Jaelynn Lambert and Lexie Bennett coming in to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt by Lauren Flanders brought Lambert and Bennett into scoring position, with Mallory Barber scoring Lambert on a groundout to second base. 

With Bennett then at third, Morrow launched a two-run homer over the left field fence, drawing BYU within one, 4-3. 

Agbayani singled in bottom of the fifth inning, advancing to first on a Maddie Bejarano sacrifice bunt. Violet Zavodnik then sent a home run to center on the first pitch she saw, giving the Cougars a 5-4 lead, their first of the game.

PSU got a leadoff double in the seventh, scoring the tying run on a single through the left side to make it 5-5.

Bejarano led off for BYU, singling to center field and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zavodnik. Facing two outs and a 2-1 count, Epenesa walked it off for the Cougars, hitting a two-run jack to left center.

BYU will face Oregon State in the second game of its Friday doubleheader at 3:15 p.m. MST.