Conference Play Begins on Road

The BYU softball team (17-15) will take to the road and open Mountain West Conference action with doubleheaders against Colorado State (3-23) Thursday and New Mexico (27-13) Saturday. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Last Week vs. Utah State

The Cougars won two games against Utah St. Wednesday. In the first game, Becca Erickson had a two-run triple and Angie Christiansen had a two-run double as BYU won 8-0. In the second game, a grand slam by Erickson and a solo home run by Oli Keohohou led the Cougars to the 11-1 victory.

BYU Probable Starters

•C -Angie Christiansen - R/R, Sr. (.215, 14 hits, 8 runs, 11 RBI)

•1B - Mindy Hanson - R/R, Sr. (.269, 21 hits, 9 runs, 16 RBI)

•2B - Kari Pringle - R/R, Jr. (.308, 20 hits, 9 runs, 5 RBI)

•SS - Becca Erickson - R/R, Sr. (.215, 17 hits, 12 runs, 5 HR, 21 RBI)

•3B - Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston - R/R, Jr. (.309, 30 hits, 18 runs, 20 RBI)

•CF -Lindsey Hodgen-Kelly - R/R, Sr. (.267, 20 hits, 18 runs, 3 RBI)

•RF - Oli Keohohou- R/R, Fr. (.460, 40 hits, 37 runs, 14 HR, 41 RBI)

•LF - Liz Smith- L/R, Jr. (.261, 23 hits, 16 runs, 2 RBI)

•DH - Brooke Cadiente - R/L, So. (.305, 29 hits, 22 runs, 4 HR, 24 RBI)

•P - Maryon DeWitt-Wallentine - R/R, Sr. (8-9, 3.32 ERA, 94 SO)

Team Leaders

After 32 games, Oli Keohohou leads the team in batting average (.460), hits (40), home runs (14), RBI (41), runs scored (37), walks (23) and slugging percentage (1.046). Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston leads the team in at-bats (97) and doubles (7). Linsdsey Hodgen-Kelly leads the team in stolen bases (8) while four players are tied with two triples each.

Scouting Colorado State

The Rams, picked to finish fourth in the conference, have a 3-23 record and lost two games to Nebraska on Monday, 4-1 and 14-0, respectively. They have lost 11 straight and 16-of-17. Holly Schmillen leads the team with a .366 batting average and 21 hits, including six doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. Kyla Kiester is 2-8 with a 3.84 ERA and 28 strikeouts. Last season, the Cougars were 1-4 against Colorado State, including a 3-0 loss in the opening round of the MWC Tournament.

Scouting New Mexico

The Lobos, picked to finish second in the conference, have a 27-13 record and have won 15 of their last 16 games, including seven wins last week en route to winning the March Madness Tournament. Senior Krissy Keene is hitting .324 with 34 hits and 21 RBI. Freshman pitcher Amy Dumas is 12-2 on the year with a 0.85 ERA, including 11 complete games and four shutouts. Keene and Dumas were recently named the Mountain West Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week. Last season, the Cougars were 2-2 with New Mexico, with both teams winning the home games.

Coach Mary Kay Amicone

Mary Kay Amicone was named BYU's first-ever varsity softball coach on May 6, 1999, three months after the announcement was made to upgrade the softball team from club to varsity status. In her first season, she led the team to a 16-27 (.372), including a 7-13 conference record, good for fifth place. Prior to becoming the head coach at BYU, Amicone served as an assistant coach at the University of Utah (1991, '93-95, '98-99). During that time, the Utes finished fifth ('91) and seventh ('94) at the NCAA Women's College World Series and were regional participants in 1995. She is assisted by Gordon Eakin and Lisa Hall.

Coaches' Quotes

"I'm excited to start conference play. I have really high expectations but your don't know until you get our there and play the games. Conference play is where our focus has been. There is real parity in the conference and any team can beat the other on a given day, but you have to perform well on the road." - BYU coach Mary Kay Amicone.

Preseason Mountain West Conference Coaches' Poll

BYU was picked by the coaches in the Mountain West Conference to

finish fifth in the conference in the preseason poll released Jan. 25. In-state rival University of Utah, where BYU head coach Mary Kay Amicone played and was an assistant coach for seven years, was picked to finish first.

Mountain West Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Utah (5) 25

2. New Mexico (1) 20

3. San Diego State 15

4. Colorado State 11

5. BYU 10

6. UNLV 9

Player/Coach Interviews

Practices are held daily at 4:30 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse Annex. Player or Coach Amicone interviews may be arranged in advance through Shane Bevell, BYU Athletic Media Relations, at (801) 378-8999. Additional information may be obtained through e-mailing Shane at amr-3@byu.edu or by fax at (801) 378-3520.