Cougars win weekend series against Saint Mary's

MORAGA, Calif. – With a win Friday, BYU softball earned the series win against Saint Mary’s after splitting the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, winning the first game 3-2 and dropping the second 2-0.

"Taking two of the three games to win the series is big for us," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Saint Mary's played well today and every ball we hit was right at them. Our pitching was strong we just couldn’t put runs on the board in the second game."

Game One

Game Highlights:

• Emilee Erickson tallied two runs in the game including her sixth homer of the season
• BYU pitcher Autumn Moffat earned her 11th win of the season and struck out the side in the bottom of the third inning

Player Highlights:

• Emilee Erickson: 1-2, 2R, 1RBI, 1 HR, 1 HBP
• Lexi Tarrow: 1-3, 1R, 1RBI
• Autumn Moffat: W (11-10), 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3H, 1BB, 4K

BYU got on the board first in the top of the second inning. With runners on third and second, Lexi Tarrow hit a ball softly in the infield and made it to first on a throwing error by the third baseman. Brooke Hill made it home to give BYU the advantage 1-0.

Erickson increased the Cougar lead in the top of the six, blasting a ball over the fence, making the score 2-0. With two outs, Tarrow sent a ball to the outfield to get on base and stole second with Marissa Chavez batting. Chavez singled to right field and Tarrow made it home for a 3-0 lead.

Saint Mary’s fought back in the bottom of the seventh, rallying for two runs to make it a one-run game. But the Cougars held on and came away with the 3-2 win.

Game Two

Player Highlights:

• Marissa Chavez: 2-3
• Brooke Vander Heide: 2-3
• Arissa Paulson: L (13-10), 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 K

In the second game of the doubleheader, after two scoreless innings, the Gaels put a run on the board. The two teams fought it out, keeping the game at 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth frame when Saint Mary’s scored another run to make the score 2-0.

In the top of the seventh, BYU threatened to score as Chavez and Vander Heide got on base. However, Rylee Jensen flew out to left field to end the game and Saint Mary’s won 2-0. 

BYU returns home for a game against Colorado State on Monday, May 6, with the first pitch at 2:30 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on BYUtv.