PROVO, Utah — After two-straight wins at Gail Miller Field, BYU softball embarks on the first Big 12 road trip in program history, visiting Austin for a three-game series at No. 3 Texas.
The Cougars and Longhorns will play Thursday-Saturday, Mar. 14-16, with all three games streamed on the Longhorn Network.
*Friday’s matchup between BYU and Texas has been moved up from 5 p.m. CDT to 11:30 a.m. in an effort to avoid inclement weather in the Austin area. The Cougars’ Thursday and Saturday meetings with the Longhorns are still scheduled for 6 p.m. and noon CDT, respectively.
**Saturday's meeting between BYU and Texas has been moved up to Friday, Mar. 15 in an effort to avoid inclement weather forecasted in the Austin area on Saturday. The Cougars and Longhorns will now play a doubleheader on Friday. Game one is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CDT, with game two set to begin roughly 33 minutes following game one.
| BYU @ No. 3 Texas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Live Stream | Live Stats |
| Thursday, March 14 | 6 p.m. CDT | Longhorn Network | Stat Broadcast |
| Friday, March 15 | 11:30 a.m. CDT | Longhorn Network | Stat Broadcast |
| Friday, March 15 | Noon CDT | Longhorn Network | Stat Broadcast |
BYU hosted its first Big 12 home series last weekend, dropping the series to Texas Tech, but picking up a win in game three thanks to a go-ahead grand slam by Maddie Udall in the sixth inning.
The Cougars also earned a midweek win against cross-town rival Utah Valley. Trailing by as many as four runs, BYU saw itself down by one heading into the bottom of the seventh before Maddie Bejarano saved the day with a walk-off three-run homer on a 3-2 count with two outs.
Udall led the Cougars offensively during their series against the Red Raiders, hitting .500 with five RBI and nine total bases. BYU hit .342 as a team and scored 15 runs on the weekend, but struggled in the circle, surrendering 40 hits and 33 runs to Texas Tech.
Out-hitting UVU 12-8 during the in-state game on Monday evening, the Cougars benefitted from six walks and six Wolverine strikeouts. Chloe Temples gave BYU three innings of shutout ball in relief, while shortstop and 2023 WCC Defensive Player of the Year Ailana Agbayani pitched the final two innings, tallying two strikeouts and earning the win.
Agbayani pitched 31.2 innings for the Cougars last season, posting a 5-3 record with a 2.43 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 17 appearances. Monday’s victory was her first appearance in the circle this season.
Despite the 1-2 start to Big 12 play, BYU continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in three statistical categories. The Cougars are No. 6 in team batting average (.355), No. 7 in on-base percentage (.448) and No. 9 in scoring.
Individually, Bejarano maintains her spot as the country’s leader in sacrifice bunts per game. The left fielder lays down .59 per game with second baseman Keila Kamoku ranking ninth on a 0.32 average.
Bejarano is also No. 6 in on-base percentage, just ahead of center fielder Violet Zavodnik, whose .573 average has her at No. 11. Agbayani ranks seventh, scoring 1.36 runs per game.
First baseman Huntyr Ava sees her name twice in the top-15 as well, placing tenth in RBI per game, at 1.36, and No. 12 in total RBI, with 30.
BYU makes its fourth trip all-time to Austin this week, getting set to face the ranked Longhorns for the fourth time in as many meetings.
No. 3 Texas (21-3, 2-1 Big 12)
- BYU trails the all-time series, 2-7, having lost five-consecutive matchups between the two teams.
- The Cougars’ two wins against Texas have come in Austin, one in 2010 and another in 2016.
- BYU head coach Gordon Eakin is 2-7 against the Longhorns during his tenure.
Returning back to the state of Utah after their road trip to Austin, the Cougars will visit rival Utah in Sale Lake City for a Monday night matchup on Mar. 18 at 5 p.m. MDT.