Cougars Clinch Conference Title

SALT LAKE CITY -- Angeline Quiocho hit a bases-loaded single in the top of the ninth Saturday to give No. 25 BYU the lead over rival Utah en route to winning 7-2, and clinching its second straight Mountain West Conference Title.

“It was a hard-fought game,” said BYU head coach Gordon Eakin. “Paige (Affleck) threw a great ballgame and we were able to stay consistent with the bats.”

With the victory the Cougars clinched their second Mountain West Conference title in as many years and improved their overall record to 43-11, with a 12-3 conference record. The Cougars await the announcement of their sixth straight NCAA regional tournament bid and are hopeful for the chance to host for the third time in five years.

Affleck, a junior, picked up her 30th win of the season, striking out five and walking four in her eighth complete-game performance of the year. With the win, Affleck improved her overall record to 30-8, and her conference record to 9-2.

Andrea Ramirez hit her 19th homerun of the season in the top of the second inning to put the Cougars up 1-0. Ramirez is second in the Mountain West Conference in homeruns behind teammate Quiocho. BYU is now 28-3 when it scores first and 38-6 when it hits at least one home run.

Affleck silenced the Ute bats until the bottom of the seventh, when Utah scored two runs on two hits to send the game into extra innings.

After holding the Utes in the bottom of the eighth, the Cougars loaded the bases for Quiocho, who leads the nation in home runs with 27. With a 1-1 count, Quiocho delivered a two-RBI single to put the Cougars up for good. BYU added three more insurance runs in the inning.

The Cougars await their placement in the NCAA regional tournament, beginning May 20. The tournament site will be announced Sunday, May 16 at 10 p.m. EST on ESPNU.

No. 25 Brigham Young Univ. at Utah
May 15, 2010 at Salt Lake City, Utah (Ute Softball Field)
Brigham Young Univ. 7 (43-11,12-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b..  4  1  1  0   1  0  2  7   0
CLAYTON, J.C. ss.........  5  1  2  0   0  1  2  2   0
QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b.....  5  2  2  1   0  1  1  2   2
RAMIREZ, Andrea 1b.......  5  2  3  3   0  1 14  1   0
DAVIS-ATAGI,Caschjen lf..  3  0  1  1   1  0  1  1   0
PURCELL-FITU, Jess. c....  3  0  1  0   1  0  6  0   0
WILLARD, Delaney rf/ph...  5  0  1  1   0  2  0  0   3
 HUDSON, Alexandra rf....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
VANCE-KELLUM, Amanda dp..  4  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   4
 THOMAS, Whitney pr......  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
DUGAS, Jessica cf........  4  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
AFFLECK, Paige p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  3   0
Totals................... 38  7 12  6   3  6 27 16   9
Utah 2 (26-29,4-11 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
OLSON, Brooke c..........  4  0  1  1   0  0  6  1   0
CLEMENTS, Hannah lf......  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   1
FOSTER, Kara cf..........  4  0  0  0   0  1  3  0   2
COOK, Joni dp............  1  0  0  0   2  0  0  0   0
 BOWLES, Sandi pr/rf.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JENSEN, Jasey rf........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 HOCH, Haylee rf/lf......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HOLM, Whitney 3b.........  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  1   0
HOOPIIAINA, Kelsi ss.....  3  1  1  0   1  0  2  2   0
PALAUNI, Tia 2b..........  3  1  0  0   1  1  5  2   2
MEDINA, Tori rf/dp.......  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 DAHLBERG, Laura ph......  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
PALMER, Lindsey 1b.......  3  0  1  1   0  1  6  0   0
SMUDA, Ashley p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  4   0
 PARKER, Brittany p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 31  2  5  2   4  6 27 10   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 010 001 005 -  7 12  0
Utah................ 000 000 200 -  2  5  0
-------------------------------------------
LOB - BYU 9; Utah 6. 2B - RAMIREZ; PURCELL-FITU. HR - RAMIREZ. SH -
DAVIS-ATAGI; PURCELL-FITU. SB - PALMER.
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
AFFLECK, Paige......  9.0  5  2  2  4  6 31 35 117
Utah                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
SMUDA, Ashley.......  8.2 12  7  7  1  5 37 40 109
PARKER, Brittany....  0.1  0  0  0  2  1  1  3  14
Win - AFFLECK (30-8).  Loss - SMUDA (20-15).  Save - None.
WP - PARKER. Inherited runners/scored: SMUDA 3/0; PARKER 1/0. Pitches/strikes:
AFFLECK 117/68; SMUDA 109/69; PARKER 14/4.
Umpires - HP: Brett Higgins  1B: Ray Meibos  3B: Clair McBride
Start: 1 p.m.   Time: 2:28   Attendance: 371
Weather: 57 degrees, sunny
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE popped up to 2b (1-2 BSS).
CLAYTON grounded out to p (3-2 SBSBFB). QUIOCHO flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah 1st - OLSON out at first 1b to 2b (1-1 SB). CLEMENTS grounded out
to 2b (2-2 FSBB). FOSTER struck out swinging (2-2 BSSBS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - RAMIREZ homered to left center, RBI (0-0).
DAVIS-ATAGI singled to left field (0-1 S). PURCELL-FITU out at first p to 2b,
bunt, SAC (1-1 FB); DAVIS-ATAGI advanced to second. WILLARD lined out to rf
(2-1 FBB). VANCE-KELLUM flied out to lf (1-0 B). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Utah 2nd - COOK grounded out to 2b (0-0). HOLM grounded out to 2b (2-0
BB). HOOPIIAINA walked (3-1 BBBSB). PALAUNI reached on a fielder's choice;
HOOPIIAINA out at second ss unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - DUGAS grounded out to p (3-1 BSBB).
DELAHOUSSAYE singled to right field (0-0). CLAYTON reached on a fielder's
choice (2-1 BSB); DELAHOUSSAYE out at second ss to 2b. QUIOCHO flied out to ss
(2-1 BBF). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah 3rd - MEDINA grounded out to 2b (0-0). PALMER struck out swinging
(3-2 FFFBBBFFS). OLSON singled to third base. CLEMENTS singled to left field
(3-1 BBFB); OLSON advanced to second. FOSTER grounded out to p (2-1 BSB). 0
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - RAMIREZ grounded out to 2b (1-1 SB).
DAVIS-ATAGI grounded out to 2b (1-0 B). PURCELL-FITU doubled to right field
(1-0 B). WILLARD flied out to lf (2-2 BSFFFB). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Utah 4th - COOK walked (3-1 BSBBB). BOWLES pinch ran for COOK. HOLM
struck out swinging (1-2 SBSFS). HOOPIIAINA reached on a fielder's choice (1-0
B); BOWLES out at second ss unassisted. PALAUNI flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - BOWLES to rf. MEDINA to dp. VANCE-KELLUM
popped up to ss (1-1 FB). DUGAS lined out to 3b (0-0). DELAHOUSSAYE flied out
to cf (1-1 BS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah 5th - MEDINA grounded out to 3b (1-0 B). PALMER grounded out to 2b
(0-2 SF). OLSON grounded out to 2b (1-2 SBS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - JENSEN to rf for BOWLES. CLAYTON struck out
looking (0-2 SSK). QUIOCHO singled down the rf line (0-0). PARKER to p for
SMUDA. RAMIREZ struck out swinging (2-2 SFBBS). QUIOCHO advanced to second on a
wild pitch. DAVIS-ATAGI walked (3-0 BBBB). PURCELL-FITU walked (3-0 BBBB);
DAVIS-ATAGI advanced to second; QUIOCHO advanced to third. SMUDA to p for
PARKER. WILLARD singled to left field, RBI (1-0 B); PURCELL-FITU advanced to
second; DAVIS-ATAGI advanced to third; QUIOCHO scored. VANCE-KELLUM reached on
a fielder's choice (0-0); WILLARD out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0
errors, 3 LOB.
Utah 6th - CLEMENTS grounded out to 2b (3-2 SSBFBFB). FOSTER grounded
out to p (2-2 BBFK). COOK to dp for JENSEN. COOK walked (3-1 BBBSB). HOLM
singled (0-1 S); COOK advanced to second, out at third lf to 3b. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - JENSEN to rf for COOK. DUGAS grounded out to p
(0-2 SS). DELAHOUSSAYE flied out to rf (1-0 B). CLAYTON singled to shortstop
(1-0 B). QUIOCHO struck out swinging (1-2 BFFS). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Utah 7th - HUDSON to rf for WILLARD. HOOPIIAINA singled (1-1 SB).
PALAUNI walked (3-2 BBBSSB); HOOPIIAINA advanced to second. DAHLBERG pinch hit
for MEDINA. DAHLBERG struck out swinging (0-2 FFFS). PALMER singled to second
base, RBI (1-0 B); PALAUNI advanced to third; HOOPIIAINA scored. OLSON grounded
out to ss, RBI (1-1 FB); PALMER advanced to second; PALAUNI scored. PALMER
stole third. CLEMENTS struck out swinging (2-2 SSBFBS). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - MEDINA to lf for HOCH. HOCH to rf for JENSEN.
MEDINA to lf for HOCH. HOCH to lf for CLEMENTS. RAMIREZ singled to center field
(3-2 BFBFB). DAVIS-ATAGI out at first c to 2b, bunt, SAC; RAMIREZ advanced to
second. PURCELL-FITU grounded out to 3b. WILLARD pinch hit for HUDSON. WILLARD
struck out swinging (2-2 SBBSS). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah 8th - WILLARD to rf. FOSTER grounded out to 3b. HOCH flied out to
lf (1-1 BS). HOLM popped up to 2b (3-2 BSSBB). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 9th - VANCE-KELLUM singled to right center (1-1 BS).
THOMAS pinch ran for VANCE-KELLUM. DUGAS struck out swinging (1-2 SSBS).
DELAHOUSSAYE walked (3-1 BBBSB); THOMAS advanced to second. CLAYTON singled to
shortstop (1-2 BSS); DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second; THOMAS advanced to third.
QUIOCHO singled to left center, RBI (1-1 FB); CLAYTON advanced to second;
DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to third; THOMAS scored. RAMIREZ doubled to right field,
2 RBI (1-0 B); QUIOCHO advanced to third; CLAYTON scored; DELAHOUSSAYE scored.
DAVIS-ATAGI reached on a fielder's choice to second base, RBI (0-0); RAMIREZ
scored; QUIOCHO scored. PURCELL-FITU flied out to cf. WILLARD struck out
looking. 5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah 9th - HOOPIIAINA grounded out to ss. PALAUNI struck out looking.
DAHLBERG grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.