Cougars clinch WCC title with wins over Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA, Calif. ­– The BYU softball team clinched its sixth-straight West Coast Conference title, beating Santa Clara 9-2 and 5-3 on Friday night.

"We had two great wins tonight over a much improved Santa Clara team who has been playing very well lately," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin. "Our pitching was solid in both games. We made great adjustments at the plate and came up with timely hits. As coaches we are very proud of this team and the conference championship we secured tonight."

BYU (29-23, 12-2) has won the WCC conference title every year since the league added softball in 2014. The championship also marks 11-straight conference titles for the Cougars, spanning over four different leagues. BYU also secured a bid to the NCAA Regionals for the 15th consecutive year with the two wins over Santa Clara (15-34, 7-7).

Game One

Game Highlights

• Erin Miklus hit her second double of the season to score three runs giving BYU a 3-1 lead.
• In the top of the fifth, Marissa Chavez smashed a ball over the left field fence for a three-run shot. 
• Autumn Moffat tallied her 12th win of the season, pitching a complete game with two runs and three strikeouts.

Player Highlights:

• Erin Miklus: 2-3, 1R, 2B, 3 RBI
• Lexi Tarrow: 2-3, 2R, 2B
• Marissa Chavez: 1-3, 2R, 3RBI, 1HR

Santa Clara started off the scoring, putting up a run in the bottom of the first to go up 1-0.

Miklus came up big for BYU in the top of the second. With the bases loaded, Miklus doubled down the left field line and cleared the bases to put the Cougars up 3-1.

The Broncos fought back as their leadoff hitter blasted a homer to left field in the top of the second to decrease BYU’s lead to 3-2.

In the top of the fourth again with bases loaded, Williams hit a sacrifice fly to center field as Tarrow slid into home to put BYU up 4-2. Libby Sugg then reached second base on an error by Santa Clara’s right fielder, sending Jensen and Miklus home, giving BYU a 6-2 lead.

The Cougars continued their scoring in the top fifth as Chavez homered with two on, making the score 9-2. The Bronco’s went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the seventh giving the Cougars a 9-2 win.

Game Two

Game Highlights:

• Emilee Erickson blasted a three-run homer to give BYU the lead in the top of the fourth
• In the sixth inning, Sugg and Erickson both homered to boost BYU's lead.

Player Highlights:

• Emilee Erickson: 2-3, 2R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
• Libby Sugg: 2-3, 1R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
• Arissa Paulson: W (14-10), 7.0 IP, 2ER, 3K

With two outs in the top of the fourth, Sugg singled to left field and Martha Epenesa subbed in as a pinch runner. Arissa Paulson followed, singling to second base before Erickson sent one over the fence to score three runs and give BYU a 3-0 edge.

In the top of the sixth, Sugg and Erickson both hit solo shots to left to put BYU up 5-0.

A late surge in the bottom of the seventh gave Santa Clara hope as they scored three runs. A ground out to third base ended the game and the Cougars took the win and the outright WCC championship crown.

BYU finishes its regular season Saturday, May 11, with their final game of the series against Santa Clara. The game will start at 11 a.m. PT at SCU Softball Field.