PROVO, Utah — BYU softball makes its first-ever trip to Ames to face Iowa State in a three-game series this week.
The Cougars (21-9, 5-4 Big 12) have faced the Cyclones nine times previously, including three-game sets in Provo last season and in 2022, but never in Iowa. The two teams were set to play in Ames in 2023, but the games were snowed out.
| BYU @ Iowa State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Date | Time | Stream | Live Stats |
| Game 1 | Thursday, April 3 | 4 p.m. CDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| Game 2 | Friday, April 4 | 4 p.m. CDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| Game 3 | Saturday, April 5 | Noon CDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
BYU dropped its midweek to cross-town foe Utah Valley on Tuesday night, 6-4. The Cougars got down 6-0 before plating four in the fifth, fueled by homers from Lily Owens and Hailey Morrow, but could not complete the comeback.
Leaving nine on base to UVU's three, BYU was also out-hit by the Wolverines and had two errors in the contest.
The top three in the Cougars' lineup: Owens, Ilove'a Brittingham and Morrow combined to go 5-for-10 with three RBI.
Gianna Mares, seeing just her second action of the season, took the loss, surrendering five hits and four runs in 2.2 innings of work. Kaysen Korth pitched the other 4.1 innings for BYU, giving up just two runs, one earned, while striking out three.
The Cougars dropped their Big 12 series to then-No. 11/9 Arizona last week, but salvaged the three-game set with a 9-4 game three win over the Wildcats on Saturday.
BYU was led offensively by Morrow (.500), Keila Kamoku (.429), Brittingham (.400), Jaelynn Lambert (.333) and Maddie Udall-Woolley (.333) in the series. The Cougars' top three combined for 10 of BYU's 15 RBI and three home runs. Brittingham tallied five RBI on Saturday alone.
Kaysen Korth spent 11 innings in the circle for the Cougars, going 1-1 with a complete game and nine strikeouts against Arizona. Jada Villegas tossed five innings in the series with the Wildcats while Kate Dahle pitched two and Alyssa Aguilar saw one.
Heading back into Big 12 play, Iowa State sits in third in the conference standings while BYU is fifth in the league.
Iowa State (16-15, 6-3 Big 12)
- BYU leads the all-time series, 8-1. This is the first time the two teams will meet in Ames.
- The Cougars have swept the past two series, including last season's three-game set in Provo, their first Big 12 sweep in program history. BYU won the trio of games by scores of 5-1, 9-7 (9) and 8-5.
On Deck
The Cougars will return home to begin an eight-game homestand, starting with a midweek against Utah Tech on Tuesday, April 8 at 5 p.m. MDT on ESPN+.