BYU batted around its order in the first inning, taking a 4-0 lead on singles by Danica Acosta, Hailey Morrow, Tavita, Ilove’a Brittingham, Maddie Udall-Woolley and Fabela.
After Utah Valley hit a two-out triple off the top of the fence in center field, starter Hailey Shuler induced her third ground out of the inning to keep the lead at four.
Remaining on the attack in the second, Acosta led off with a triple to right center and Lily Owens was hit by a pitch, but Acosta was caught on a double steal before a strikeout and fly out to the warning track left Owens at third.
UVU got on board in the bottom of the second with a walk, bloop single, passed ball and RBI groundout to make it 4-1.
The Wolverines got another run back in the third with a pair of base hits, cutting into the Cougar advantage at 4-2.
Fabela led off the fourth, hammering the second home run of her freshman season to left to put BYU in front, 5-2. The Cougars would load the bases later in the frame, but got caught at home trying to advance on a wild pitch.
Utah Valley plated one in the home half on a trio of singles and a walk, and it became a 5-3 game.
Tavita joined Fabela as the second freshman to homer in the contest, leading off the fifth with a solo shot of her own to left to extend BYU’s advantage back out to 6-3.
The Wolverines cut the lead down to one in the bottom of the inning with a walk and two-run homer that sandwiched a Cougar pitching change, and it was 6-5.
BYU loaded the bases in the sixth on three-straight walks and plated two on a Shuler sacrifice fly and Tavita single through the left side to lead 8-5.
UVU picked up a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Jada Villegas, who came on in relief, earned a ground out and swinging strikeout to close out the midweek win and notch her third save of the season.
On Deck
BYU will host its first Big 12 home series, welcoming Kansas to Gail Miller Field for a three-game set beginning on Thursday, Mar. 26, at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
