Cougars beat Blue Demons, go 5-0 at Littlewood Classic

TEMPE, Ariz. — Three home runs fueled BYU softball in a 13-7 shootout win over DePaul in the Cougars’ final game of the Littlewood Classic at Farrington Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Player Highlights

• Alyssa Aguilar: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 K
• Jaelynn Lambert: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Huntyr Ava: 2-3, 2 R, 4 RBI
• Maddie Bejarano: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Ailana Agbayani: 2-2, R, RBI

BYU blew it open early, batting through the order in the bottom of the first inning, scoring five runs on three hits. Maddie Bejarano, Ailana Agbayani, Violet Zavodnik, Martha Epenesa, Mallory Barber and Hailey Morrow all reached safely in the inning for the Cougars. 

DePaul answered in the top of the second inning, getting the first two batters aboard before hitting a three-run home run to left field to make it 5-3, BYU. 

The Cougars were able to stretch their lead in the third, scoring four more runs. Ava led off with a solo shot to center field before Morrow and Emma Andrewjeski both singled, with Morrow advancing to third on Andrewjeski’s hit. 

Lexie Bennett, pinch-running for Andrewjeski, stole second, and Jaelynn Lambert brought both Morrow and Bennett home with a single to left center. Agbayani then singled to left, scoring Lambert to put BYU ahead 9-3 through three innings.

The Blue Demons loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth, but a groundout would end their potential attack. 

Epenesa walked in the bottom of the fourth, and Alexis Gilio pinch-ran for her, bringing up Huntyr Ava, who homered to left center, her second of the game and third of the day. Ava's homer gave BYU an 11-3 lead.

Clawing back in the fifth, DePaul scored four runs off a solo homer, single and error to draw within four, 11-7.

BYU quickly re-solidified its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, with a Lambert single to lead off and Bejarano sending a home run out of center field, her first of the year, to give the Cougars a 13-7 advantage.

The Blue Demons got a runner on in the top of the sixth but were unable to score. BYU looked poised to add to its lead again in the bottom of the sixth with two on and two out, but lined out to end the inning.

DePaul led off with a triple in the top of the seventh but proceeded to line out, strikeout and foul out to seal BYU’s sixth-straight win and 5-0 trip at the Littlewood Classic. 

The Cougars will next travel to Cathedral City, Calif. to compete in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, beginning with a matchup against Missouri on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. MST.