PROVO, Utah – BYU softball took the first two games of a three-game series against San Diego at Gail Miller Field on Friday. The Cougars won game one 3-1, and game two in the fifth inning, 11-3, extending their win streak to 15 games. 

"Overall today we played pretty solid softball," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "In game one, Autumn Moffat-Korth threw a great game, giving us a chance to win when our bats weren't clicking. In game two, we played well in all three areas of the game. Arissa Paulson threw well, we hit the ball well and we had good defense."

Game One vs. San Diego | BYU: 3, USD: 1

Game Highlights:

• Martha Epenesa homered for the second game in a row, launching a two-run shot in the third inning 
• Violet Zavodnik has reached base in 14 straight games, a career-high and team-high this season
• Epenesa is on a four-game hit streak and has reached base in nine straight games

Player Highlights:

•  Violet Zavodnik: 2-3, 1 R
• Martha Epenesa: 2-2, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Autumn Moffat-Korth: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K

The Cougars scored first to take a 1-0 lead after one inning. Violet Zavodnik beat out an infield single and was brought home by Huntyr Ava, who reached on a fielder’s choice. 

Martha Epenesa added to the BYU lead in the third, homering for the second-straight game, a two-run home run that scored Ava, giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead. 

San Diego got one run back in the fifth inning, scoring after two singles sandwiched by a stolen base. 

The Toreros threatened with a runner on second in the sixth, but couldn’t take advantage. Autumn Moffat-Korth retired the side in the top of the seventh to end it, 3-1.

Game Two vs. San Diego | BYU: 11, USD: 3

Game Highlights:

• Violet Zavodnik has reached base in 15 straight games, extending her career-high and team-high this season
• Rylee Jensen hit lead-off home runs in back-to-back at-bats, in the first and third innings
• Zavodnik launched a three-run home run to center in the fourth inning, extending the Cougar’s lead to five at 8-3
• Martha Epenesa homered for the second time in the day, a deep shot to center in the fourth, making it three-straight games with a home run
• Epenesa is on a five-game hit streak and has reached base in 10 straight games

Player Highlights:

• Rylee Jensen: 3-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR
• Violet Zavodnik: 1-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR
• Martha Epenesa: 1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
• Marissa Chavez: 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Arissa Paulson: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

The Toreros scored first in the second game to take an early 1-0 lead. After a leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt to move the runner, San Diego got a single up the middle to bring the runner home. 

Rylee Jensen answered as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning, homering to center to tie it up at 1-1 after one. 

San Diego tacked on two more runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. A lead-off single and fielder’s choice had two Torero runners on and San Diego capitalized with a deep double to left that scored both runners. 

The Cougars tied and took the lead in their half of the third inning, starting with Jensen’s second lead-off homer, this time a deep shot to left-center that flew over the batter's eye. 

With Zavodnik reaching on a fielder’s choice and Epenesa walking, Marissa Chavez hit a single up the middle to score Zavodnik and tie the game at 3-3. Epenesa and Chavez each advanced on an error by the catcher, and Alyssa Podhurcak brought them both home with a double to left-center to give BYU a 5-3 lead after three. 

BYU blew the game open with six runs in the fourth to take an 11-3 lead. After Brooke Hill-Barrington walked and Jensen hit a deep single, Zavodnik hit a three-run homer to left. Huntyr Ava then walked and Epenesa sent a homer to center, her second of the day. Chavez tripled to left and Morgan Sterner came in to pinch run. Podhurcak reached on an error, scoring Sterner for the sixth run of the inning. 

After a lead-off Torero double in fifth, Arissa Paulson got a groundout and two strikeouts to close out an 11-3 5-inning mercy-rule victory. 

The Cougars will host the Toreros at Gail Miller Field for game three of the series on Saturday, April 24, at 1 p.m. MDT.

PROVO, Utah – The BYU softball team will host in-state rival Utah on Wednesday before welcoming San Diego to Gail Miller Field for its first conference home matches. 

Week Ten BYU Game Notes

Schedule and Information

Utah – Wednesday, April 21
Time: 6 p.m. MDT
Location: Provo, Utah
Stadium: Gail Miller Field
Stream: BYUtv Stream
Stats: StatBroadcast

San Diego – Friday, April 23
Time: 5 & 7 p.m. MDT
Location: Provo, Utah
Stadium: Gail Miller Field
Stream: BYUtv Stream
Stats: StatBroadcast

San Diego – Saturday, April 24
Time: 1 p.m. MDT
Location: Provo, Utah
Stadium: Gail Miller Field
Stream: BYUtv Stream
Stats: StatBroadcast

BYU will allow 250 fans and family to attend the softball games this weekend.