PROVO, Utah — BYU softball outhit the Utah Valley, 11-5 but fell short in the contest, 4-3 at Gail Miller Field on Tuesday night
The Cougars (11-26, 2-10 Big 12) held the Wolverines scoreless in the final four innings and nearly tied the game at four in the final inning but fell just short, stranding a runner on third, down by one.
Player Highlights
Utah Valley came out fast in the first inning with three hits and scored one run before leaving three on base to end the top of the inning. The Cougars responded by putting Lily Owens and Hailey Shuler in scoring position but a strikeout ended their opportunity to score.
In the second, the Cougars held the Wolverines without a hit. Maddie Udall-Wolley singled into center field before a double play ended the inning.
UVU then added to its lead, scoring three runs in the third inning to take a 4-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, Miranda Mansfield singled to right field before advancing to second, tagging up on a pop fly. Lexie Bennett then singled to right field, advancing to second on a bad throw by the Wolverines, sending Mansfield to third. Mansfield would escape a tag at the plate and score on an Owens sacrifice fly to get BYU on the board down 4-1.
The Cougars then held Utah Valley scoreless in the fourth, including a tag out at second on a steal attempt by the Wolverines to end the top of the inning.
BYU loaded the bases in its half of the frame on singles by Ilove'a Brittingham, Tristen Turlington and Udall-Woolley, but the Cougars grounded into a double play a pitch later, stranding all three to end the inning.
The Wolverines again threatened to score further with a runner in scoring position, but the Cougars were able to hold two UVU runners on base to open the fifth.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Owens singled to left field before an RBI double from Hailey Shuler sent Owens home, tightening the Wolverine lead to two with BYU behind 4-2.
After a scoreless sixth, the Cougars held the Wolverines again scoreless in the seventh inning to keep them without a run in four straight innings.
BYU followed that up with a single from Acosta before Owens nearly missed a home run to center field, with the ball ricocheting off the padding just past the Utah Valley center fielder's glove. The RBI triple to the warning track scored Acosta and put the Cougars within one, but a ground out and fly out stranded Owens at third, closing out the game.
On Deck
BYU continues its nine-game homestand with a three-game Big 12 series against Houston from April 9-11, beginning at 6:00 p.m. MT on ESPN+.