PROVO -- In an emotional finish for everyone in attendance at Miller Park, the BYU softball team shared a bittersweet moment as it fell against Colorado State, 7-5, before the team was presented with the Mountain West Confere title trophy, and then said goodbye to its seniors one last time.
Monica Gonzales and Stephanie Hopkins were honored following the game.
Gonzales, who hails from Westlake Village, Calif. Has been a staple in the BYU outfield since her freshman season. She has left her mark on the Cougar program, ranking in the top-10 of several career statistical categories.
A San Diego native, Hopkins also contributed to the BYU outfield during her time at BYU. She took over the starting roll in right field in 2008, and is known by her signature sliding catch.
The pair of seniors are both enjoying successful seasons, as they helped guide the team to the 2009 MWC Championship.
“It’s been a tremendous four years with Monica and Stephanie,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “As bitter sweet as this moment is, we’re not done yet. We’re going to go to the NCAA Regional and cause some damage.”
The first inning started out well for the Cougars. Second Baseman Kristin Delahoussaye walked, followed by two perfectly placed bunts by Tiffany Messerschmidt and Angeline Quiocho. With three on, Jessica Purcell came up to bat and a Colorado State wild pitch allowed both Messerschmidt and Delahoussaye to score. Still at bat, Purcell smacked a ball into center field resulting in a base hit bringing Quiocho home.
Later in the end of the first, with the bases loaded with only one out, Hicks grounded out but brought in Ramirez which gave the Cougars four runs in the first.
In the top of the second the Rams drove in two runs and threatened to score with bases loaded, but BYU righthander Paige Affleck maintained control of the game and retired the side with the last two Rams popping out.
The second and third innings went by quietly for the Cougars with no runs and only one hit from Quiocho.
With two outs and a runner on first, Messerschmidt took full count and then blasted a long ball over the right fielder's head resulting in a triple and bringing Delahoussaye home.
After a Colorado State two-run homer in the top of the fifth, BYU righthander Christie Zinnanti stepped in for Affleck to finish the inning. Affleck would later return to the game.
The Rams managed to tie the game after an infield error which brought a runner in from second base bringing the score to 5-5.
In the top of the sixth with the bases loaded, Colorado State's Shannon Causgrove stroked the ball to center field, bringing in two runs and taking the lead 7-5. The Cougar offense was unable to answer in the bottom half of the frame.
Affleck received the loss at the hands of the Rams. She falls to 19-9 on the season, while the Cougars finish the regular season 39-16 and 12-2 in MWC play.
The Cougars will make their fifth-straight NCAA Regional appearance next week. The location will be announced on ESPNU at 8 p.m. MDT Sunday.
Box Score
The Automated ScoreBook
CSU at Brigham Young Univ.
May 09, 2009 at PROVO, Utah (Miller Park)
CSU 7 (26-25,7-8 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
STEM, Caitla ss.......... 4 0 0 1 0 2 3 1 0
KROGH, Jenna cf.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 1
THOMSEN, Chr 1b.......... 3 2 3 0 1 0 10 0 0
MAJAM, Allis lf/rf....... 4 2 3 2 0 0 1 0 3
SULLIVAN, Sa rf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PENLAND, Reb rf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
ALLEN, Ivory lf......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
CAUSGROVE, S c........... 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 0 0
ROBERTS, Lys pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MUNOZ, Ashle dp.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
STEPHENS, Am pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MASK, Robyn 3b........... 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 4 0
MACQUEEN, As 2b.......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 4 2
CHAPLIN, Dan p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
KLABOUGH, Ki p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 32 7 11 6 3 5 21 10 8
Brigham Young Univ. 5 (39-16,12-2 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE, Kristi 2b.. 3 2 1 0 1 0 4 2 0
MESSERSCHMIDT, Tiffa dp.. 4 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
QUIOCHO, Angeline cf..... 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 2
PURCELL, Jessica c....... 4 0 1 1 0 1 6 0 1
RAMIREZ, Andrea 1b....... 4 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 0
LOPEZ, Coreen 3b......... 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0
NIX-THOMAS, Whitney pr.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
HOPKINS, Stephanie rf.... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
HICKS, Krista ss......... 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 0
DAVIS, Caschjen ph...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
GONZALES, Monica lf...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2
AFFLECK, Paige p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ZINANTI, Christie p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 31 5 10 3 2 1 21 7 7
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
CSU................. 020 021 2 - 7 11 0
Brigham Young Univ.. 400 100 0 - 5 10 3
-----------------------------------------
E - DELAHOUSSAYE; HICKS; ZINANTI. LOB - CSU 8; Cougars 7. 3B - MESSERSCHMID
2. HR - MAJAM, Allis. SH - MASK, Robyn.
CSU IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
CHAPLIN, Dan........ 0.1 4 4 4 1 0 5 6 20
KLABOUGH, Ki........ 6.2 6 1 1 1 1 26 27 80
Brigham Young Univ. IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
AFFLECK, Paige...... 6.1 11 6 6 3 5 29 33 135
ZINANTI, Christie... 0.2 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 11
Win - KLABOUGH, Ki (8-2). Loss - AFFLECK (19-9). Save - None.
WP - CHAPLIN, Dan. Pitches/strikes: CHAPLIN, Dan 20/11; KLABOUGH, Ki 80/56;
AFFLECK 135/83; ZINANTI 11/6.
Umpires - HP: Ray Miebos 1B: Steve McCown 3B: Brett Higgins
Start: 2:05 pm Time: 2:24 Attendance: 402
Weather: Sunny
ZINANTI faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Game: CS3
Play-by-Play
The Automated ScoreBook
CSU at Brigham Young Univ. - Play-by-Play
May 09, 2009 at PROVO, Utah (Miller Park)
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
CSU................. 020 021 2 - 7 11 0
Brigham Young Univ.. 400 100 0 - 5 10 3
-----------------------------------------
CSU starters: 23/ss STEM, Caitla; 2/cf KROGH, Jenna; 13/1b THOMSEN, Chr; 16/lf
MAJAM, Allis; 14/rf PENLAND, Reb; 5/c CAUSGROVE, S; 33/dp MUNOZ, Ashle; 3/3b
MASK, Robyn; 6/2b MACQUEEN, As; 12/p CHAPLIN, Dan;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 4/2b DELAHOUSSAYE; 20/dp MESSERSCHMID; 33/cf
QUIOCHO; 10/c PURCELL; 31/1b RAMIREZ; 7/3b LOPEZ; 5/rf HOPKINS; 22/ss HICKS;
24/lf GONZALES; 12/p AFFLECK;
CSU 1st - STEM, Caitla struck out swinging (1-2). KROGH, Jenna walked
(3-1). THOMSEN, Chr singled, bunt (0-0); KROGH, Jenna advanced to second.
MAJAM, Allis singled to left field (2-1); THOMSEN, Chr advanced to second;
KROGH, Jenna out at third lf to 3b. PENLAND, Reb singled up the middle (2-1);
MAJAM, Allis advanced to second; THOMSEN, Chr advanced to third, out at home ss
to 2b to c. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE walked (3-2). MESSERSCHMID
singled, bunt (0-0); DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. QUIOCHO singled, bunt
(0-1); MESSERSCHMID advanced to second; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to third. QUIOCHO
advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third; MESSERSCHMID advanced to
third on a wild pitch, scored; DELAHOUSSAYE scored on a wild pitch, scored.
PURCELL singled through the left side, RBI (1-0); QUIOCHO scored. RAMIREZ
reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); PURCELL out at second 2b to ss. LOPEZ
singled through the right side (2-0); RAMIREZ advanced to second. KLABOUGH, Ki
to p for CHAPLIN, Dan. HOPKINS walked (3-0); LOPEZ advanced to second; RAMIREZ
advanced to third. HICKS grounded out to 2b, RBI (0-1); HOPKINS advanced to
second; LOPEZ advanced to third; RAMIREZ scored. GONZALES grounded out to 3b
(3-1). 4 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
CSU 2nd - CAUSGROVE, S singled to right field (0-0). MUNOZ, Ashle fouled
out to 1b (2-1). MASK, Robyn singled through the left side (0-1); CAUSGROVE, S
advanced to second. MACQUEEN, As singled down the rf line, RBI (2-2); MASK,
Robyn advanced to third; CAUSGROVE, S scored. STEM, Caitla reached on an error
by 2b, RBI (2-2); MACQUEEN, As advanced to second; MASK, Robyn scored. KROGH,
Jenna flied out to lf (0-0). THOMSEN, Chr walked (3-2); STEM, Caitla advanced
to second; MACQUEEN, As advanced to third. MAJAM, Allis flied out to lf (0-0).
2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - DELAHOUSSAYE grounded out to p (3-2).
MESSERSCHMID grounded out to ss (0-0). QUIOCHO singled up the middle (1-2).
PURCELL flied out to ss (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
CSU 3rd - PENLAND, Reb lined out to 2b (1-2). CAUSGROVE, S popped up to
3b (2-2). MUNOZ, Ashle grounded out to ss (1-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - RAMIREZ popped up to 2b (0-0). LOPEZ grounded
out to 3b (0-2). HOPKINS grounded out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
CSU 4th - MASK, Robyn struck out swinging (2-2). MACQUEEN, As flied out
to 2b (3-2). STEM, Caitla struck out looking (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - HICKS flied out to lf (0-2). GONZALES flied
out to cf (0-0). DELAHOUSSAYE singled up the middle (0-1). MESSERSCHMID tripled
to right field, RBI (2-2); DELAHOUSSAYE scored. QUIOCHO popped up to ss (2-0).
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
CSU 5th - KROGH, Jenna grounded out to ss (2-2). THOMSEN, Chr singled to
center field (3-1). MAJAM, Allis homered to right field, 2 RBI (2-1); THOMSEN,
Chr scored. ZINANTI to p for AFFLECK. PENLAND, Reb flied out to lf (2-0).
CAUSGROVE, S grounded out to 2b (1-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - MAJAM, Allis to rf. ALLEN, Ivory to lf for
PENLAND, Reb. PURCELL struck out swinging (0-2). RAMIREZ singled to left field
(0-1). LOPEZ singled up the middle (1-0); RAMIREZ advanced to second.
NIX-THOMAS pinch ran for LOPEZ. HOPKINS flied out to cf (1-2). DAVIS pinch hit
for HICKS. DAVIS reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); NIX-THOMAS advanced to
second; RAMIREZ out at third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
CSU 6th - LOPEZ to 3b for NIX-THOMAS. HICKS to ss for DAVIS. MUNOZ,
Ashle reached on a throwing error by p, bunt (2-1). AFFLECK to p for ZINANTI.
STEPHENS, Am pinch ran for MUNOZ, Ashle. MASK, Robyn out at first 1b to 2b, SAC
(2-0); STEPHENS, Am advanced to second. MACQUEEN, As reached on a fielding
error by ss (3-2); STEPHENS, Am scored, unearned. STEM, Caitla flied out to cf
(0-0). KROGH, Jenna popped up to ss (2-2). 1 run, 0 hits, 2 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - GONZALES grounded out to 2b (0-0).
DELAHOUSSAYE grounded out to 2b (3-2). MESSERSCHMID tripled down the lf line
(0-1). QUIOCHO fouled out to 1b (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
CSU 7th - THOMSEN, Chr singled up the middle (0-0). MAJAM, Allis singled
to left field (1-2); THOMSEN, Chr advanced to second. ALLEN, Ivory walked
(3-2); MAJAM, Allis advanced to second; THOMSEN, Chr advanced to third.
CAUSGROVE, S singled up the middle, 2 RBI (1-0); ALLEN, Ivory advanced to
third; MAJAM, Allis scored; THOMSEN, Chr scored. MUNOZ, Ashle to dp for
STEPHENS, Am. ROBERTS, Lys pinch ran for CAUSGROVE, S. MUNOZ, Ashle popped up
to 2b (1-1). MASK, Robyn struck out looking (0-2). MACQUEEN, As struck out
looking (0-2). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - SULLIVAN, Sa to rf for MAJAM, Allis.
CAUSGROVE, S to c for ROBERTS, Lys. PURCELL grounded out to 3b (0-0). RAMIREZ
flied out to cf. LOPEZ flied out to cf (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.