CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — BYU softball hung with No. 11/14 Duke but ultimately dropped a 1-0 contest to close out Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic play at the Big League Dreams Complex on Saturday morning.
The Cougars (9-4, 0-0 Big 12) surrendered the game’s only run in the first inning before settling in. Both teams had four hits, while BYU left four runners on base to Duke’s five. The Cougars had runners on in five of the seven innings, including two in scoring position in the seventh, but were unable to bring any runners home.
Despite the loss, starting pitcher Kate Dahle tossed a career-high eight strikeouts, giving up just four hits on a career-high six innings pitched.
Player Highlights
- Bre Townsend: 2-3
- Kate Dahle (L, 1-2): 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K
Duke scored first after stacking a double to right center and single up the middle, taking a 1-0 lead after the opening inning. The Blue Devils did have two in scoring position later in the frame, but back-to-back swinging strikeouts from Dahle shut down the attack.
BYU had a runner on in both the second and third inning, but was unable to move them around. Dahle settled in, however, retiring the Duke side in order in two-straight frames.
The Cougars singled in the top of the fourth inning, but grounded into a double play, remaining scoreless. Dahle set down the Blue Devils in order once again, retiring 11 batters in a row.
BYU again singled in the fifth, but a strikeout looking and two groundouts left the runner stranded. Looking to threaten in its half of the frame, Duke walked and singled to get two on, but a line out kept the game at 1-0.
Bre Townsend and Ilove’a Brittingham both reached to open the seventh inning, moving into scoring position on a Lindy Milkowski sacrifice bunt. Consecutive strikeouts halted the Cougars comeback effort, and BYU fell, 1-0.
On Deck
BYU/The Cougars will head back to Northern California next week for a series of games, beginning at Sacramento State on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN+.