Cougars Win in Regular-Season Finale

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (May 10, 2008) -- The BYU women's softball team (42-18, 14-6) came from behind, to record a 8-4 win over New Mexico in the regular season finale Saturday night.

With the win the Cougars seal a second-place finish in the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State took the championship at 15-5.

"It has been an incredibly exciting conference season, with the final decision coming down to the last day of competition," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said.

The Cougars fell behind after one complete inning when the Lobos totaled two runs off of two hits in their first plate appearances.

BYU answered back in the second inning. Freshman Jessica Purcell walked and reached home off of Junior Stephanie Platt-Hopkins' single up the middle.

In the third, New Mexico furthered its lead off with an RBI single. The Lobos had two runners in scoring position before Zinanti forced a line-drive to retire the side.

BYU tied the score a three a piece when freshman Kristin Delahoussaye hit two-RBI double to left-center field.

Senior hurler Christina Gwyn-Trice came in to relieve Zinanti with one out in the bottom of the fourth. She recorded one out but walked two batters. Senior catcher Emi Snow-Willing picked off the baserunner at second to record the final out of the inning without allowing any damage.

The Cougars gave up the lead in the fifth inning when three hits allowed one run before forcing three straight outs.

Snow-Willing tied the game 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning when she batted in Caschjen Davis, who hit a leadoff double. Delahoussaye batted in another runner with a single up the left side. The Cougars took their first lead of the game at 5-4, after 6.5 innings.

In the top of the seventh BYU loaded the bases with no outs and drove in three runners to stretch its lead to 8-4. Snow-Willing and Platt-Hopkins both grabbed an RBI and Delahoussaye brought in a run when she was hit by a pitch, before BYU was retired.

Despite giving up a walk and a single, BYU held onto their lead to take the 8-4 win.

The Cougars end their season 42-18 and await NCAA selection. The selections will be announced Sunday at 8 p.m.

Box Score
                            The Automated ScoreBook
                    Brigham Young Univ. at New Mexico Lobos
                 May 10, 2008 at Albuquerque, N.M. (Lobo Field)
Brigham Young Univ. 8 (42-18,14-6 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b..  4  0  3  4   0  0  3  2   2
GONZALES, Monica cf......  5  0  2  0   0  0  0  0   2
VANCE, Amanda dp.........  3  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   1
SNOW, Daniela 1b.........  3  1  2  0   0  0  5  1   1
 NIX, Whitney pr.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b.....  4  1  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
PURCELL, Jessica ss......  2  2  0  0   1  0  2  1   2
DAVIS, Caschjen lf.......  4  1  1  0   0  2  2  0   0
WILLING, Emi c...........  4  2  3  2   0  0  6  3   0
HOPKINS, Stephanie rf....  3  1  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
ZINANTI, Christie p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
 TRICE, Christina p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  8 15  7   2  3 21  8   9
New Mexico Lobos 4 (25-26,7-13 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
LOEFFELHOLZ, Sara lf.....  2  1  1  0   2  0  1  0   0
HUGHES, Samantha cf......  3  2  1  0   1  2  2  1   1
ELCESS, Lindsey 1b.......  4  0  2  1   0  0  6  1   0
GILMORE, Katie 2b........  1  0  1  1   2  0  4  2   0
 TURCOTTE, Scottie Jo pr.  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HOLYFIELD, Kimberly pr..  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
PARRA, Gabriella rf......  4  0  3  2   0  0  2  0   0
 CARTER, Heather pr......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
GEORGE, Tianna ss........  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  2   3
BRANDOW, Erin dp/c.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   4
RUBALCAVA, Analise 3b....  2  0  0  0   1  1  1  3   0
 HUDSON, Ashley pr.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
ALLEN, Ashley c/p........  2  0  0  0   1  1  3  2   0
NINEMIRE, Kelly p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MACHAC, Madelyn p/dp....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 26  4  9  4   7  6 21 11   9
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 010 202 3 -  8 15  0
New Mexico Lobos.... 201 010 0 -  4  9  2
-----------------------------------------
E - GEORGE 2. DP - Lobos 2. LOB - BYU 9; Lobos 9. 2B - DELAHOUSSAYE; DAVIS;
WILLING 2. HBP - DELAHOUSSAYE; SNOW; PURCELL. SH - HOPKINS; GILMORE. SB -
LOEFFELHOLZ; HUGHES; TURCOTTE; PARRA. CS - GONZALES; ELCESS; HUDSON; ALLEN.
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
ZINANTI, Christie...  3.1  5  3  3  3  1 13 16
TRICE, Christina....  3.2  4  1  1  4  5 13 18
New Mexico Lobos       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
NINEMIRE, Kelly.....  5.0 10  4  3  2  2 22 25
MACHAC, Madelyn.....  1.1  5  4  3  0  1  9 12
ALLEN, Ashley.......  0.2  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Win - TRICE (17-7).  Loss - MACHAC (6-8).  Save - None.
WP - ZINANTI 2. HBP - by NINEMIRE (SNOW); by MACHAC (PURCELL); by MACHAC
(DELAHOUSSAYE).
Umpires - HP: Kevin Davis  1B: John Baca  3B: Ray Rosalez
Start: 7:00 pm   Time: 2:43   Attendance: 635
NINEMIRE faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Game: NM4
Play-by-Play
                            The Automated ScoreBook
             Brigham Young Univ. at New Mexico Lobos - Play-by-Play
                 May 10, 2008 at Albuquerque, N.M. (Lobo Field)
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 010 202 3 -  8 15  0
New Mexico Lobos.... 201 010 0 -  4  9  2
-----------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 4/2b DELAHOUSSAYE; 24/cf GONZALES; 6/dp VANCE;
22/1b SNOW; 33/3b QUIOCHO; 10/ss PURCELL; 9/lf DAVIS; 18/c WILLING; 5/rf
HOPKINS; 14/p ZINANTI;
New Mexico Lobos starters: 12/lf LOEFFELHOLZ; 4/cf HUGHES; 20/1b ELCESS; 24/2b
GILMORE; 21/rf PARRA; 7/ss GEORGE; 16/dp BRANDOW; 2/3b RUBALCAVA; 1/c ALLEN;
9/p NINEMIRE;
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE singled to center field. GONZALES
singled up the middle; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. VANCE popped into
double play 1b to 2b; GONZALES out on the play. SNOW grounded out to 1b
unassisted. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 1st - LOEFFELHOLZ grounded out to ss. HUGHES walked.
HUGHES stole second. ELCESS singled to right field, RBI; HUGHES scored. ELCESS
out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. GILMORE walked. TURCOTTE pinch ran for
GILMORE. TURCOTTE stole second. PARRA singled to center field, RBI; TURCOTTE
scored. GEORGE lined out to p. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - GILMORE to 2b for TURCOTTE. QUIOCHO struck
out. PURCELL walked. DAVIS reached on an error by ss; PURCELL advanced to
second. WILLING fouled out to lf. HOPKINS singled up the middle, advanced to
second on the throw, RBI; DAVIS advanced to third; PURCELL scored, unearned.
DELAHOUSSAYE grounded out to ss. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 2nd - BRANDOW grounded out to p. RUBALCAVA grounded out
to 2b. ALLEN walked. ALLEN out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - GONZALES grounded out to 3b. VANCE walked.
SNOW singled to center field; VANCE advanced to second. QUIOCHO flied out to
rf; VANCE advanced to third. PURCELL lined out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 3rd - LOEFFELHOLZ singled through the right side.
HUGHES struck out; LOEFFELHOLZ stole second. LOEFFELHOLZ advanced to third on a
wild pitch. ELCESS popped up to p. GILMORE singled up the middle, RBI;
LOEFFELHOLZ scored. PARRA singled to center field; GILMORE advanced to second.
PARRA advanced to second on a wild pitch; GILMORE advanced to third on a wild
pitch. CARTER pinch ran for PARRA. GEORGE lined out to 1b. 1 run, 3 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - PARRA to rf for CARTER. DAVIS struck out.
WILLING doubled to left center. HOPKINS singled, bunt; WILLING advanced to
third. DELAHOUSSAYE doubled to left center, 2 RBI; HOPKINS scored; WILLING
scored. DELAHOUSSAYE out at second c to 2b to ss. GONZALES singled to left
field. GONZALES out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 4th - BRANDOW flied out to lf. TRICE to p for ZINANTI.
RUBALCAVA walked. ALLEN flied out to lf. LOEFFELHOLZ walked; RUBALCAVA advanced
to second. HUDSON pinch ran for RUBALCAVA. HUDSON out at second c to ss, caught
stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - RUBALCAVA to 3b for HUDSON. VANCE lined out to
cf. SNOW hit by pitch. QUIOCHO singled to left field; SNOW advanced to second.
NIX pinch ran for SNOW. PURCELL reached on a fielder's choice to second base;
QUIOCHO out at second 2b to ss; NIX advanced to third. PURCELL out at first 1b
unassisted, runner left early. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 5th - SNOW to 1b for NIX. HUGHES singled to center
field. ELCESS singled through the left side; HUGHES advanced to second. GILMORE
out at first 1b to 2b, SAC, bunt; ELCESS advanced to second; HUGHES advanced to
third. PARRA singled down the lf line, RBI; ELCESS advanced to third; HUGHES
scored. PARRA stole second. GEORGE struck out. BRANDOW flied out to rf. 1
run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - DAVIS doubled to left field. MACHAC to p for
NINEMIRE. WILLING doubled down the lf line, RBI; DAVIS scored. HOPKINS out at
first 3b to 2b, SAC, bunt; WILLING advanced to third. DELAHOUSSAYE singled
through the left side, RBI; WILLING scored. GONZALES grounded out to 3b;
DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. VANCE popped up to 2b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 6th - RUBALCAVA struck out looking. ALLEN struck out.
LOEFFELHOLZ walked. HUGHES struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - SNOW singled through the right side. QUIOCHO
singled up the middle; SNOW advanced to second. PURCELL hit by pitch; QUIOCHO
advanced to second; SNOW advanced to third. DAVIS struck out. WILLING singled
through the left side, RBI; PURCELL advanced to second; QUIOCHO advanced to
third; SNOW scored. HOPKINS reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop; WILLING
advanced to second; PURCELL advanced to third; QUIOCHO scored on a throwing
error by ss, unearned. DELAHOUSSAYE hit by pitch, RBI; HOPKINS advanced to
second; WILLING advanced to third; PURCELL scored. BRANDOW to c. ALLEN to p.
MACHAC. GONZALES flied into double play cf to ss to 3b; WILLING out on the
play. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
New Mexico Lobos 7th - ELCESS grounded out to 2b. GILMORE walked.
HOLYFIELD pinch ran for GILMORE. PARRA reached on a fielder's choice to second
base; HOLYFIELD out at second 2b unassisted. GEORGE singled to center field;
PARRA advanced to second. BRANDOW struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.