Cougars Contend for First

PROVO -- The No. 24 BYU softball team (34-14, 7-0 MWC) travels to Las Vegas and San Diego for four games as the Cougars look to stay atop the Mountain West Conference during the road trip.

BYU aims to keep its 15-game winning streak alive with the upcoming contests. The 15 games mark the second-longest winning streak in school history. The longest winning streak spanned 16 games in 2007, when BYU went on to win the MWC Championship.

The Cougars will face UNLV on Thursday at 5 p.m. PDT before heading to San Diego State for three games. BYU was originally scheduled to face SDSU at home on April 16, but a snowstorm kept the game from being played at Miller Park. The game will be made up as part of a Saturday afternoon twinbill.

BYU and San Diego State, who were picked to contend for the MWC title in a pre-season coaches’ poll, are the last two teams to face one another at least once this season. The Cougars lead the conference at 7-0, while the Aztecs are 1 games back at 8-2.

Whichever team takes the three-game series will settle into a secure spot at first in the MWC standings.

BYU swept UNLV in a two games at Miller Park this season. The Cougars won the first game 7-1 and the second game 5-2. BYU’s pitching staff led the way as Christie Zinanti struck out 11 batters and Paige Affleck threw a two-hitter in the second game.

The three-game series with San Diego State begins on Friday at 6 p.m. PDT, and the doubleheader begins on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.

Livestats are available at www.byucougars.com