PROVO, Utah — BYU softball sustained a loss in game three against the Iowa State Cyclones, 9-6, on Saturday.
The Cougars were out-hit 9-8 and suffered two errors to Iowa State’s one. BYU pitched six strikeouts, opposed to the Cyclones’ two. Both teams earned two two-out RBIs, and BYU pitching forced Iowa State to leave six runners on base.
Player Highlights
- Rita Tavita: 1-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
- Hailey Shuler: 1-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
- Maddie Udall-Woolley: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
- Lily Owens: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R
The Cyclones struck first Saturday with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving them an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. BYU remained scoreless through the next two innings, and Iowa State increased its lead to 3-0 after a single to right field brought in two runners in the top of the third.
The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with Maddie Udall-Woolley hitting a solo home run to center field, shrinking their deficit to 3-1. Iowa State immediately returned to its three-run lead, however, with another center field sacrifice fly bringing in a runner from third and moving the score to 4-1 in the top of the fifth. They then increased to a four-run lead shortly after, scoring an unearned run following a groundout, 5-1.
A sacrifice fly from Lily Owens brought in Tristen Turlington in the bottom of the fifth, moving BYU closer to the Cyclones, 5-2.
Despite the Cougar score, Iowa State continued its offensive momentum, hitting a two-run home run in the top of the sixth. The Cougars answered in the back half of the inning, with Rita Tavita hitting a two-run home run of her own, setting the score at 7-4.
Iowa State would score two more runs in the top of the seventh, and BYU’s Hailey Shuler would hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame, but that would be all, giving the Cyclones Saturday’s matchup and the series, 9-6.
On Deck
BYU hosts Weber State on Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. MDT, with streaming available on ESPN+.