Big Win Over Purdue Precedes Loss to No. 5 ASU

FULLERTON, Calif. - Pitcher Tori Almond collected a career-high 10 strikeouts and Stacie Toney led a strong BYU hitting performance as the Cougar softball team earned a 14-1 victory over Purdue at the San Diego Classic on Thursday.

The Cougars scored in each of the game's five innings, including a seven-run third inning, in its biggest win of the year.

After allowing a leadoff single, Almond struck out the next five Purdue batters. The sophomore's 10 Ks surpassed her previous personal best of eight set last season and pushed her record to 3-2 on the year.

Every Cougar in the starting lineup scored at least one run while combining for nine hits. Toney went 2 for 3 with two RBI and a double and freshman Anna Hudson hit her first career home run on the first hit of her BYU career.

Three of the first four Cougar batters reached base to start a four-run first inning that began the momentum for BYU.

In the second inning, Hudson scored BYU's only lone run off an illegal pitch from the Boilermaker hurler, a mistake that would continue to plague Purdue into the following inning. In the third, Katie Manuma hit a single and Toney hit a double to begin the inning before Carly Duckworth reached on ball four that was also an illegal pitch, giving the runners an extra base and scoring Manuma.

After Duckworth scored from third on another illegal pitch, Jessica Dugas, Tiffany Messerschmidt and JC Clayton all drew walks to load the bases for Delaney Willard. The senior outfielder answered, knocking a fly ball to left field. The Purdue fielder tried to make a play, but the ball squeezed out of her glove and over the fence, bringing all four Cougars in to score.

Firmly in control, Hudson connected for her home run, a two-run shot in the fourth, for the final margin.

Game Two

In the late game on Thursday, BYU again hung with a top-ranked team, this time No. 5 Arizona State, but couldn't put runs on the board, losing 3-0.

Much like the Cougars' 3-0 loss to No. 1 Florida earlier this season, BYU played with Arizona State but couldn't get runs on the board. Starting pitcher Caroline Umphlett gave up two hits and three runs in 3.2 innings before junior Hannah Howell came in and gave up no runs or walk in the last 2.1 to hold the Sun Devils - the top hitting team in the nation - to a tie for its lowest run output of the season.

BYU had two chances to bring in runs, the first coming in the third inning. Messerschmidt hit a single that put Dugas at third after the third baseman had hit a single earlier in the inning, but a ground out ended the inning.

Dugas and Messerschmidt again reached in the sixth inning, this time on walks, to load the bases with Hudson on third and two outs. The result was the same as in the third inning, with all runners stranded to end the threat.

BYU plays a single game tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. PT against UC Davis.