SALT LAKE CITY -- In the first week of fall exhibition play, the BYU softball team dominated the Utah Fall Classic, hosted by the University of Utah, scoring an impressive 40 runs in three games Friday and Saturday.
"I'm really happy with how our team competed this weekend," head softball coach Gordon Eakin said. "We just really did a good job and I was pleased."
The weekend had many impressive plays, but was highlighted by the performance of freshman Krystal Chamberlain's three triples and unstoppable hitting in her first college tournament, sophomore Ashlyn Russell's four home runs and solid pitching from all three pitchers -- Niki Andersen, Brooke Boyce and Ariel Capra.
On Friday, BYU freshman Krystle Chamberlain led BYU with the 22-3 victory over Utah State.
The Cougars got out to an early start with a triple from Chamberlain down the left field line followed by another triple from senior Belinda Osborn to the left center gap. BYU scored five runs before the Aggies got their first out in the first inning. The team's explosive offense earned them nine runs to end the first inning.
After the amazing offense in the first inning, the Cougars got off to a shaky start defensively making two errors and giving up two runs.
The rocky defensive play in the first inning didn't rattle BYU as Chamberlain answered back with her second triple in her first two college at-bats to start the team off in the second inning.
In the third-inning, sophomore power-hitter Ashlyn Russell hit a three-run homer and in the same inning freshman Jodi Norton hit a solo home run in her first college debut.
BYU only gave up one more run in the five-inning game that was called on the mercy rule.
On Saturday, BYU faced off with Southern Utah (12-3) first before facing the rival Utes (6-5).
The home team thunderbirds took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Russell hit a solo home run to tie the game in the top of the second inning. In the same inning, sophomore Paige Paramore and senior Kate Walker both singled and Chamberlain hit her third triple of the weekend to score them both (3-1).
In the top of the third inning, BYU junior Lauren Watson led off with a home run and teammate Ianeta Le`i doubled. Paramore then hit a two-run homer answered by another solo home run from junior Debbie Dodds (7-1). Southern Utah was scoreless and in the fourth Chamberlain led off with a base on balls and Watson drove her in with a double to make the score 8-3. Russell followed with her second homer of the game bringing in Watson and Chamberlain to put the score at 10-3.
The T-birds didn't score the remainder of the game and BYU added two additional runs in the top of the sixth to finish the game with a 12-3 win.
Playing Utah in the second game Saturday, Chamberlain started things off again as she singled and was hit in off an RBI double from Le`i to give the Cougars the 1-0 lead after the first inning.
Utah scored two runs in the second (1-2), but BYU answered back to tie the game at 2-2 with another single from Chamberlain that hit in teammate Paramore.
At the top of the fourth, Utah scored two and went on top with the 4-2 lead, but BYU's offense was too much for the Utes to handle as BYU answered back with three runs. Andersen led off with a home run. With two outs Chamberlain and Osborn singled and were hit in off a double from Watson, as BYU took the 5-4 lead after the fourth inning.
The Cougar defense held Utah scoreless in the top of the fifth and BYU added another home run from Russell, who recorded her third home run of the day (fourth of the tournament) making the score 6-4.
Utah scored one run in the top of the seventh and the score ended at 6-5.
The Cougars three-game sweep and impressive play will set the stage going into the rest of the fall schedule.
"We scored 40 runs in 3 games after only 5 days of practice, which is pretty impressive," Eakin said.
Having in only five days of practice, the team will continue to improve and fine-tune the defense.
The Cougars will host Salt Lake Community College at Miller Park on Sept. 24, 2003 at 3 p.m.