PROVO, Utah — BYU softball fell short to Kansas in its game one of its conference opener at home, 6-4, on Thursday night.
The Cougars (10-21, 1-6 Big 12) found themselves down 6-0 going into the fifth. One run was tacked on in the fifth and sixth, with two more in the seventh before their hopes were squandered. BYU tallied eight hits in their four-run effort to the Jayhawks’ nine hits on the evening.
Player Highlights
- Lily Owens: 2-3, 2 2B, RBI, R
- Hailey Shuler: 1-4, RBI
- Bre Townsend: 1-3, RBI
- Hailey Morrow: 1-4, 2B, R
- Rita Tavita: 1-4, 2B
The top of the second frame saw Kansas plate four runners. Three came on a bases-clearing hit and error, while the fourth resulted from an RBI-single up the middle.
With two outs in the third and a runner on first, the Cougars attempted to claw back with an opposite-field double by Danica Acosta. Both runners were left on second and third, however, and the deficit remained at four.
After both squads went scoreless over the next two innings, the Jayhawks put up two runs in the fifth off a homer and and BYU error, making it 6-0.
In the bottom half of the frame, BYU tacked on its first run of the game. Kaiya Fabela and Miranda Mansfield drew back-to-back walks to start it off. Two outs later, prior to Acosta geting tagged out in a pickle between first and second, pinch runner Tristen Turlington touched home to make it 6-1, Kansas.
Hailey Morrow came up in the sixth with two down and hit a double to deep center. After a Jayhawk error, Bre Townsend drove in Morrow with a single to left center to cut the gap to 6-2.
In the seventh inning, Owens slapped her second double of the night to score Acosta, who singled. BYU added another with Shuler plating Owens on a single to right, but the damage would end there, with a ground out and a strikeout putting an end to the contest at 6-4, Kansas.
On Deck
The Cougars will stay at Gail Miller Field for game two of the three-game series against the Jayhawks on Friday at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN+.