PROVO -- The BYU women's softball team swept a double-header against Dixie College Thursday night at Miller Field. The Cougar pitching staff held Dixie scoreless for two games. Final scores were 5-0 in game one and 6-0 in game two.
"Our pitchers did great today," head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Their balls were moving and they were hitting their spots, which is pretty tough to do in cold weather."
Niki Andersen, Cynthia Fallowfield, Brooke Boyce and Mandy Flint combined for 15 strikeouts during the two games.
"I think our pitchers did a great job today," catcher Arron Laynes said. "They had so many strikeouts."
Andersen, the game one starting pitcher attributed the pitching staff's success to intensity.
"All of our pitchers are really focused," Andersen said. "We all have a really tough work ethic."
Temperatures dropped as night fell upon Miller Field. It got so cold that catcher Lauren Watson's bat broke. She said there was a huge dent in her bat.
"Our pitchers did so great in the cold weather," Eakin said. "At times it felt like the temperature dropped to the mid-forties."
Watson's one-out double in the fifth inning of game one fueled a Cougar two-run scoring spree. Watson went 2 for 4, scoring two runs and driving in one RBI. Third baseman Ashlyn Russell drove in three runs in game one.
"Being the first batter in the lineup, Lauren (Watson) really gave us a spark at the plate," Eakin said. "Ashlyn (Russell) came right in and drove in the runs."
Anderson was the winning pitcher of game one, with four strikeouts, three hits and no runs.
Game two featured a second inning offensive explosion.
Left-fielder Brooke Cadiente started the inning with a single to right center field. With two runners on, shortstop Kate Walker drove Cadiente in on a single through the infield. With the bases loaded, Andersen ripped a double that bounced just inside the right foul line, roping in two runs for the Cougars.
The Cougars ended the second inning with a 6-0 advantage, which they would keep the rest of the game.
"When one person starts a rally, the whole rest of the team follows," Watson said.
The Cougars were happy to have two-time First-team All American Oli Keohohou back in the lineup. Keohohou was at the United States national team tryouts in southern California.
"It was good to have Oli back. We actually got to play as an entire team." Watson said.
Next up for the Cougars is a doubleheader against Salt Lake Community College at home on Oct. 8.