Seniors Aid Two Wins

PROVO, Utah - The seniors on the BYU softball team stepped it up on Senior Day to bring in nine of the thirteen runs scored en route to sweeping San Jose State 3-2 and 10-2 on Saturday’s doubleheader.

Seniors honored included Jessica Dugas, Krista Hicks, Tiffany Messerschmidt, Stacie Toney and Delaney Willard.

“It was very important that we held our home field and played a team that I’m really impressed with,” said BYU coach Gordon Eakin. “Our seniors have all been to every regional while they’ve been here. With the way we played this weekend in being 35-13, I think we’re headed to their fourth regional."

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BYU (35-13, 12-4 WAC) combined for 18 hits with tough defense, holding the Spartans to four runs and seven hits while turning three double plays on the day. With the sweep, the Cougars are in the hunt for their fourth-straight conference championship and first in the Western Athletic Conference with one weekend of WAC play left in the regular season.

Game 1

Top contributors for the first game included Toney who gained two RBI, Messerschmidt who had two runs and Tori Almond who threw eight strikeouts.

San Jose State got a quick two runs in the first inning thanks to an early home run to start off the game. The Cougars retaliated with Dugas, Messerschmidt and JC Clayton earning base hits.

With the bases loaded, Toney doubled to send home Dugas and Messerschmidt and BYU went into the second inning tied, 2-2.

Toney gained a double to left field in the bottom of the fourth, but the Cougars were unable to take advantage of the hit and the teams continued on to the fifth inning still tied.

In the top of the fifth, the Cougar defense stayed strong, including its second double play of the game. Messerschmidt got off a hit and took advantage of a San Jose State error in the bottom of the fifth to make second base. Delany Willard then hit a double, gaining an RBI and the lead for the Cougars at 3-2 where BYU held on for the win.