BYU earns series sweep at Santa Clara with 8-0 win

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — BYU softball quickly wrapped up its opening series of conference play, earning the series sweep with an 8-0 run-rule win at Santa Clara on Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Homering in each game of the three-game set, the Cougars (20-9, 3-0 WCC) were fueled by a six-run fourth inning in game three of the series at SCU Softball Stadium to finish off the first weekend of league play with a series sweep.

Player Highlights

• Kaysen Korth: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K
• Huntyr Ava: 2-2, HR, 4 RBI
• Martha Epenesa: 2-3, 2B, RBI

BYU had at least one runner on in each of the first three innings, and was able to capitalize in the third inning as it scored two runs. Violet Zavodnik drew a two-out walk and then Huntyr Ava took a 1-0 pitch just over the left field fence to give the Cougars an early lead, with the line drive shot her team-leading seventh home run on the year.

Blowing it open in the top of the fourth inning, BYU batted around the order to score six runs. Walks from Mallory Barber and Maddie Bejarano were sandwiched by singles from Hailey Morrow, Alexis Gilio and Ailana Agbayani before a Santa Clara pitching change. 

Following the change, Zavodnik, Ava and Martha Epenesa each singled as well as the Cougars plated all six runs with no outs to go ahead 8-0 halfway through the fourth.

Starting pitcher Kaysen Korth retired the Bronco side in order in the bottom half of the fourth and Agbayani, coming in to pitch from her shortstop position, did the same in the fifth, sealing the run-rule victory with a strikeout looking. 

BYU will kick off next week early, hosting a Monday evening matchup against Utah at 5 p.m. MDT and Tuesday night game against Utah Valley at 6 p.m. MDT. Both games will be streamed on the BYUtv app.