Two Shuler homers lift Cougars over Wildcats in run-rule fashion, 12-3

PROVO, Utah — BYU softball took down Weber State in five innings, 12-3, on the back of a five-RBI Tuesday night by Hailey Shuler at Gail Miller Field. 

BOX SCORE

The Cougars (17-28, 6-12 Big 12) made an early statement with a six-run first inning and batted through the order, matching the most runs scored in an inning this season. BYU pushed its lead to nine because of a four-run fourth to set up for the run-rule opportunity on the Wildcats.

In the midst of the 12-run performance, Shuler had two homers, the second time she had multiple blasts in a contest, and a career-high five runs driven in. BYU out-hit Weber State 13-4 in the win. 

On the pitching side, Gianna Mares dealt her fifth complete game in the victory Tuesday night and totaled five strikeouts.  

Player Highlights

• Hailey Shuler: 3-3, 2 HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R
• Maddie Udall-Woolley: 2-4, RBI, R
• Lexie Bennett: 2-3, RBI, R
• Ilove’a Brittingham: 2-3, R
• Danica Acosta: 1-2, 2 RBI, BB, R
• Bre Townsend: 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB, R
• Tristen Turlington: 1-1, RBI, BB
• Gianna Mares (W, 8-10): CG, 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 BB, 5 K

The Cougars got off to a blazing start to the game. BYU batted around the lineup to score six in the inning, tying the most runs in a single frame this season to match a six-run second versus Houston on April 11th. After Danica Acosta and Lily Owens were rewarded back-to-back free passes to lead things off, Shuler slapped a two-RBI double to left center. Then, a Maddie Udall-Woolley single, Bre Townsend two-bagger and sacrifice flies by Tristen Turlington and Acosta produced four more runs to close the first. Udall-Woolley extended her hit streak to ten games on her base hit. 

The Wildcats jabbed back with two runs of their own the following frame off a bloop single and wild pitch, making BYU’s lead 6-2.

Shuler tallied her third RBI of the game in the bottom of the second thanks to a deep solo shot launched to center. After that, Lexie Bennett used her wheels to beat out an infield single to plate the Cougars’ eighth run in two innings, extended BYU's lead back to six runs. 

Weber State answered in the third with an infield RBI-single towards the five-hole, making it 8-3, Cougars.

After a scoreless third, BYU went ahead by nine in the fourth by way of an Acosta line drive base hit, which plated Miranda Mansfield, and Shuler’s second home run of the night. Shuler’s two-run blast scraped over the right center field wall to give her two multi-HR games this season. 

Even though the Wildcats threatened with bases loaded and no outs to begin the fifth, Mares was able to complete her outing in 112 pitches. The southpaw forced a swinging strikeout and an unassisted line out double play to Udall-Woolley at first to close the run-rule contest in favor of a 12-3 Cougar victory. 

On Deck
A three-game series against Utah will commence in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 23 at Dumke Family Softball Field. Live coverage will begin at 5 p.m. MT on ESPN+.