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BYU softball travels to play UNLV on Thursday, Apr. 14, and San Diego State on Friday and Saturday, Apr. 15-16, to begin Mountain West Conference play.
COUGAR QUICK HITS
— Junior right fielder Delaney Willard has hit five home runs in BYU’s last four games against Seattle, Loyola Marymount and a doubleheader vs. Southern Utah. Willard’s current four-game home run streak is the longest for a BYU player since Stephanie Hopkins hit one out in four straight in April 2008. Her five homers are the most in a four-game span since Angie Quiocho hit six out of the park also in April 2008.
— BYU senior catcher Jessica Fitu enters the weekend broke the BYU and Mountain West Conference record for most RBI in a career, passing current BYU assistant coach and former Cougar player Ianeta Le’i with her 212th RBI against Seattle on Saturday. Fitu’s sac fly scored JC Clayton in the first inning.
— BYU currently leads the MWC in walks, opposing batting average, hits allowed, earned runs allowed and extra-base hits allowed.
OPPONENTS SERIES NOTES
UNLV is 2-1 in conference play with a 20-14 record overall. UNLV boasts a number of power hitters throughout its roster, including six players with four or more home runs. Conversely, the Rebels have allowed 38 stolen bases this season while grabbing just 12 themselves.
Kylie Wagner leads the team with a .485 average and .939 slugging percentage, but it’s Ashli Holland who has ignited UNLV, racking up 73 total bases with 11 doubles and five home runs among 45 total hits. In the circle, Amanda Oliveto has thrown two no-hitters this sea- son and comes in with a 2.19 ERA and 17-6 record.
BYU next heads to San Diego State in a matchup against what has lately been the top two teams in the conference. SDSU has shown few signs of letdown this season, going 3-0 in the opening round of conference play and hosting a 27-14 record overall.
Typically a team with pitching strength, the Aztecs have solid bats this year, including Lorena Klopp’s 14 home runs. Seven SDSU players have more than 30 hits, including Justeen Maeva’s 41 hits and .363 average. Bailey Micetich has a 1.71 ERA and 14-7 record while last year’s MWC Pitcher of the Year, Samantha Beasley, is at a 3.46 ERA and 9-6 record.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK GOES TO HOUSE
Senior Kristin Delahoussaye earned the MWC Player of the Week after helping the Cougars go 4-0 last week. House's biggest game came against Utah State when the senior racked up 11 total bases (two home runs and a triple) on Mar. 29, tying for the fifth-most total bases in a game by a Cougar in program history and equaling the most in a game for BYU since Angie Quiocho had 12 off three home runs against UNLV on May 7, 2010.
ALL-TIME CONFERENCE WINS LEADER
Already the record holder in all BYU career pitching categories, senior Paige Affleck became the winningest pitcher in Mountain West Conference history on Mar. 19, winning the 74th game of her career over No. 9 California in the Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament championship game. Affleck has now won 79 games in her career.
TAKING MORE
BYU has 12 players with at least one stolen base so far this year, led by freshman Lacey Millett’s nine steals. Seven players have four or more. The Cougars have 47 stolen bases overall, already eighth-most in a season by a BYU team, and had a season-high four stolen bases against Florida State and Iona.
GOTTA SCORE
BYU is 15-0 when scoring at least six runs and 18-0 when leading after five innings. In addition, 11 of BYU’s 14 losses have come by three runs or less.