PROVO, Utah — BYU softball's Hailey Shuler hit a career-high two home runs as the it dropped game one of a three-game series against Iowa State at Gail Miller Field on Thursday afternoon.
The two teams combined for 28 hits, with each claiming 14 apiece. The Cougars ended Thursday’s meeting with no errors, while the Cyclones sustained two.
Player Highlights
- Hailey Shuler: 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
- Bre Townsend: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
- Lexie Bennett: 3-4, 2 R
- Lily Owens: 2-4, 1 RBI, 2 R
- Danica Acosta: 1-4, 2 R
- Tristen Turlington: 1-2, 1 R, 2 BB
After securing two outs to start the first inning, Iowa State responded with a home run to left field, leaving the Cougars with an early 1-0 deficit.
BYU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. After loading the bases, a sacrifice fly from Ilove'a Brittingham to deep center field brought in Danica Acosta. On the following play, a right field single from Rita Tavita sent Lily Owens home from second, putting the Cougars on top 2-1 headed into the second.
The early shootout continued, with the Cyclones homering again to right field and tying things up at two. A sacrifice fly to left field then brought in an Iowa State runner from third, moving the Cyclones back ahead 3-2. A center field single extended the Cougars’ deficit to 4-2 before a double play on a catch and throw to first from lefty Jada Villegas ended the front end of the inning.
After a scoreless second, BYU got back on the board with a center field homer from Hailey Shuler in the third, shrinking the Cyclones’ advantage to 4-3.
Iowa State extended its lead again in the fourth, hitting a center field single and bringing in a run. A double and sacrifice fly followed, bringing in three more runs and putting the Cyclones ahead 8-3. A second double then brought the lead to 9-3.
A sacrifice fly from Owens got the Cougars on the board in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Tristen Turlington from third. Shuler brought BYU closer in her next at-bat, hitting a three-run home run to left field and bringing the Cougars to just a two-score deficit at 9-7. Her home run marked a career-high two home runs in a game.
Despite BYU’s offensive surge, Iowa State’s momentum continued into the fifth, with a double bringing in two runners. A two-run homer followed, moving the Cyclones ahead 13-7.
BYU’s Bre Townsend opened the bottom of the fifth with a left field homer. The Cougars loaded the bases and following a fielding error, scored two more runs, moving the score to 13-10 headed into the sixth.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Iowa State hit a center field home run, increasing its lead. BYU remained scoreless for the remainder of the game, cementing the game one loss at 14-10.
On Deck
BYU returns to Gail Miller Field for the second matchup of the series against the Iowa State Cyclones on Friday, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. MT on ESPN+.