Walk-Off, Blowout Wins for Cougars

SANTEE, Calif. - Again using late-game heroics, this time from sophomore Carly Duckworth, the BYU softball team pulled out a 2-1 win over Long Beach State at the San Diego Classic on Saturday before cruising by Charlotte 9-0 in five innings.

With the game tied at 1-1 against LBSU, Duckworth came in to pinch hit with one out and sent a pitch to left field, scoring pinch runner Ashlee Brawley from third to end the game and give BYU the victory.

Brawley, who ran for sophomore Madisen Robb who drew a walk to begin the bottom of the seventh, advanced to second and then third on back-to-back sacrifice bunts before scoring the final run.

"We're winning ugly," said BYU coach Gordon Eakin. "We're winning despite not playing with any passion until we have to."

Hannah Howell went the distance for her sixth win of the year for the Cougars.

Game Two

The BYU hitting game finally joined with the Cougars' great pitching weekend to defeat Charlotte in the first-ever matchup between the two teams.

Tori Almond picked up her second win of the weekend in a one-hit performance, giving up just two walks in five innings to go with seven strikeouts.

After an RBI single by Delaney Willard for a 1-0 lead in the first, BYU pulled away in the second with four runs. Brawley and Toney hit back-to-back singles that scored a run apiece, followed by a single by Jessica Dugas up the middle to score the two hitters.

We finished the tournament playing the way we're capable of playing," Eakin said. "We just had to find ways to hang in until tonight when it all came together."

Carly Duckworth hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, one of two hits to go with two runs and a walk for the sophomore. Toney and Willard also had two hits apiece while Dugas tied a career high with three RBI.

Pending weather conditions, BYU will play Utah in the Cougars' only game of the week on Wednesday, Mar. 7, in Salt Lake City in the Deseret First Duel.