Sugg’s perfect day at the plate helps Cougars to 13-4 win over SUU

CEDAR CITY, Utah – Libby Sugg went a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate with three runs, three RBI and a homer to help BYU softball win a mid-week game against Southern Utah University 13-4 on Tuesday.

"We competed well today in all three phases of the game," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Our offense was strong from start to finish, we pitched well and our defense was strong."

BYU vs. SUU Box

Game Highlights

• The Cougars recorded 18 hits in the game against SUU and scored 13 runs.
• Emilee Erickson and Libby Sugg both hit two-run homers.
• Arissa Paulson earned her sixth win of the season with three strikeouts and allowed only one run.

Player Highlights

• Libby Sugg: 4-4, 3R, 3RBI, 2B, 1HR
• Emilee Erickson: 2-3, 3RBI, 1HR, 1BB
• Taylei Williams: 2-3, 3R, 1BB

BYU (14-18, 0-0) put up four runs in the top of the first inning to start the game. Rylee Jensen started the Cougars’ scoring as Emilee Erickson hit a hard single to the short stop. Taylei Williams made it home on a Libby Sugg double followed by Erickson and Sugg making it home on RBIs from the next two batters. SUU (3-21, 0-0 Big Sky) put up a run in the bottom of the first and the inning ended with BYU ahead 4-1.

In the second, both teams went three-up, three-down with Arissa Paulson tallying two strikeouts.

A single up the middle in the top of the third brought Erickson home for her second run of the day. With bases loaded, Godfrey nailed a ball just out of reach of the center fielder to score Sugg increasing the Cougars lead to 6-1.

Sugg put the BYU up by seven in the top of the fourth, homering to left center field, also scoring Williams who singled two batters prior. But, the Thunderbirds answered back with a two-run homer of their own to put the score at 8-3.

Another run for the Thunderbirds in the bottom of the fifth brought the score to 8-4 but BYU came alive in the top of the sixth putting up five runs. Erickson rocketed a ball over the fence to bring two runs home as the Cougars went up 10-4. Morgan Bevel tacked on another run for BYU as a pinch runner as well as Arissa Paulson and Alyssa Podhurcak to make the score 13-4.

SUU was unable to overcome BYU’s lead and the game ended as the Thunderbirds went three and out in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Cougars the win due to the NCAA eight-run rule.

BYU will begin conference play on Friday, April 5 with a weekend series against Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles. The first game will be played at 2 p.m. PT at Smith Field with a live stream on YouTube.