PROVO, Utah —Right fielder Madison Merrell and shortstop Lauren Bell both drove in two runs as BYU softball topped Utah Valley 8-0 in five innings in the home opener at Gail Miller Field on Tuesday.
“It was a good win,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “ We pitched well, we defended well, and we hit well. It was a nice way to start off our home season.”
Merrell got things going for the Cougars (19-12) in the first with a two-run single, while Bell’s first home run of the season added two more in the second to help cruise past UVU (4-22).
“Lauren Bell got her first home run of the year,” Eakin added. “McKenna Bull threw a great game on a night where it was a little cold and hard to limber up. A lot of players stood out and played really well.”
Libby Sugg had two hits, including her 14th home run of the season, while Coco Tauali’i Bond also had two singles and scored two runs.
Pitcher McKenna Bull improved to 14-8 in the game, allowing two hits and striking out seven in the five-inning shutout.
In the bottom of the first, Gordy Bravo led off with a bloop single through the left side before advancing to third on a bunt by Bell and a Wolverine throwing error. Three batters later, Merrell cashed in with a two-RBI single to left field for the first runs of the game.
UVU threatened to score in the second with two runners on base who reached on a hit-by-pitch and a walk with two outs. Bull escaped the jam, getting the batter to ground out.
The Cougars added two more in the second inning with Bell’s two-out home run over the centerfield fence, scoring Bond who singled to lead off the frame.
In the third inning, the UVU batting lineup was retired in order before BYU tacked on another run to lead 5-0. Caitlyn Larsen reached with a base on balls and scored from third on a fielding error by the shortstop.
Bull got the first UVU batter to strike out looking in the fourth, but an error for BYU at first base put the second batter on base. The next Wolverine broke UVU into the hits column with a high chopper that stayed in front of home plate, putting runners on first and second. Bull struck out the next two to end the inning.
Sugg led off the bottom half of the frame with her 14th home run of the season—a solo shot to left center to put BYU up 6-0.
A leadoff single up the middle put the first UVU batter on base in the fifth inning, but Bond caught a liner on the third-base line before doubling off the runner at first. Bull ended the Wolverines’ turn at-bat with her seventh strikeout of the game.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bond singled down the left-field line to lead off and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She scored on the next batter as Allie Hancock reached on an error and advanced to second, bringing the score to 7-0 with no outs.
Another wild pitch put the game-winning run at third with Bravo up to bat. The senior centerfielder drove a pitch into center for the game-ending sacrifice fly as BYU reached the 8-0 run-rule mark.
The Cougars will be back in action against Texas for a three-game series in Austin starting on April 1. BYU returns home for a nonconference doubleheader against Southern Utah on April 5.