LA JOLLA, Calif. — A Lindy Milkowski home run and 3-RBI night by Ilove’a Brittingham fueled BYU softball to a 8-0 victory over UCSD at Triton Softball Field on Thursday night.
After a scoreless opening three innings, the Cougars (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) plated one in the fourth, three in the fifth and four in the sixth en route to their season-opening run-rule victory.
Player Highlights
BYU loaded the bases in the first inning on a trio of walks, but left them loaded after a fielder’s choice-force out, and strikeout looking. The Cougars had another runner in scoring position in the top of the second inning, but were unable to convert.
UCSD advanced a runner to third base in its half of the third, but a Kaysen Korth induced groundout kept things scoreless through three.
Milkowski opened up the scoring in the fourth, sending a two-out solo homer past the center field fence for a 1-0 BYU lead.
The Tritons threatened, moving a leadoff runner to third for the second-consecutive inning, but a strikeout by Korth kept the Cougars in front, 1-0.
Breaking things open in the fourth, Hailey Morrow singled through the left side and her pinch runner, Danica Acosta, stole second. After a Lily Owens walk, Brittingham hammered a triple down the right field line, scoring both runners. She would come home a few pitches later on a wild pitch, stretching the Cougar advantage to 4-0.
BYU doubled its lead to 8-0 in the sixth, stringing together a Maddie Udall-Woolley walk, Bre Townsend double to left center, Jaelynn Lambert slap single, Hailey Morrow double to center, Lily Owens groundout and Brittingham single through the right side.
Jada Villegas, who came on late in the fourth inning, retired the UCSD side in order in the bottom of the sixth inning, including two strikeouts, to close out the game via run-rule, 8-0.
On Deck
The Cougars will continue La Jolla Invitational play with a pair of games on Friday, Feb. 7, facing Winthrop at 1:30 p.m. PST and San Diego again at 7 p.m.