FULLERTON, Calif. — BYU softball beat LMU after falling to No. 8/9 UCLA in a Judi Garman Classic Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Anderson Family Field.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Game 1: No. 8/9 UCLA 13 | BYU 8
Ilove’a Brittingham homered twice, but the Cougars (4-14, 0-0 Big 12) couldn’t keep up with the Bruins’ bats in the defeat.
Player Highlights
- Ilove’a Brittingham: 3-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI
- Danica Acosta: 3-4, 2B, RBI
- Lily Owens: 2-3, 2 R, 2B
BYU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first after a leadoff Lily Owens walk and Hailey Shuler sacrifice bunt, making way for a towering shot to left field by Ilove’a Brittingham. The Cougars followed that up with a Rita Tavita walk and Danica Acosta double to right, scoring Tavita after a replay review.
UCLA answered right back in the home half of the frame, taking the lead on two singles up the middle, a pair of walks and double off the right field wall, 4-3.
The Bruins added three more in the second, singling through both sides of the infield, homering and tripling to go ahead 7-3.
Tacking on another four in the fourth, UCLA homered twice before a pair of bases-loaded walks gave it a 12-3 lead.
The Cougars did some damage in the top of the fifth with singles from Owens and Shuler before a three-run home run by Brittingham, her second of the game, to make it 12-6, Bruins.
UCLA got one back in the sixth on an infield single, walk and double to center field for a 13-6 advantage.
BYU put two on to lead off the seventh in a Brittingham single and Tavita walk, scoring two on singles from both Bre Townsend and Tristen Turlington to bring the final score to 13-8, Bruins.
Game 2: BYU 5 | LMU 4
The Cougars (5-14, 0-0 Big 12) used a four-run fifth inning to take the lead, and hung on late in their win over the Lions, backed by a career-high seven strikeouts from pitcher Hailey Shuler in the circle.
Player Highlights
- Maddie Udall-Woolley: 3-3, 2 RBI
- Lily Owens: 2-4, HR, RBI
- Hailey Shuler (W, 2-2): CG, 7 IP, 3 ER, BB, 7 K
LMU scored first in the top of the first with two singles and a stolen base to take a 1-0 lead.
The Lions added two more in the fourth in a bunt single, stolen base and pair of singles to go in front 3-0.
BYU got on the board in the home half of the frame as Acosta reached on a bunt single, Maddie Udall-Woolley singled through the right side and Acosta scored on a wild pitch.
The Cougars took the lead in the fifth, sending eight batters to the plate. Owens led off with a homer off the scoreboard in left center, before Tavita, Hailey Morrow, Acosta and Udall-Woolley all reached before Acosta scored on a double steal attempt to give BYU a 5-3 lead.
LMU got one back in the top of the sixth with two singles and a stolen base, making it 5-4, Cougars.
After BYU put runners on in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t capitalize, the Lions did the same, getting two runners in scoring position. Shuler, who pitched a complete game, induced a ground out two pitches later to seal the victory for the Cougars.
On Deck
BYU will begin Big 12 play next week, visiting No. 14 Arizona in Tucson for a three-game series beginning on Thursday, Mar. 5 at 6 p.m. MST.