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Apr 11 | 06:00 PM
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Gail Miller Field
Gail Miller Field Provo UT 84601
mperry
| Posted: 11 Apr 2014 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
PROVO, Utah – A strong defensive effort led by the pitching of McKenna Bull and Tori Almond paved the way for the 3-2 BYU win against Santa Clara in West Coast Conference action, Friday at Gail Miller Field.
"It was a tight game," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "It was a hard-fought conference game and fortunately we were able to execute early in the game by moving runners and then late in the game by moving runners. I think that was the key to our win."
The freshman Bull allowed six hits and while striking out seven in five and a third innings of action for the Cougars (18-20, 3-1 WCC). She is now five strikeouts away from setting a new record among freshman pitchers. The senior Almond came in for the final five outs of the game to record the save.
Five players notched doubles while senior Carly Duckworth added a triple for BYU’s six hits. The Broncos (5-24, 1-3 WCC) had eight hits but left five runners on base. Friday's win is only the third this season for the Cougars when being outhit by their opponent.
Bull began the game on pace to set the freshman pitcher mark for strikeouts. After giving up a one-out hit in the first inning, she finished off the side with two strikeouts getting one looking and one swinging.
BYU’s Sydney Broderick led off in the first with a double over the center fielder’s head. She eventually scored on Bravo’s sacrifice fly to center field, putting the Cougars up 1-0.
The BYU defense clamped down on the opponent’s offense in the second inning. With one player on first and no outs, Santa Clara’s Kelly Scribner hit up the middle before it was cut off as shortstop Lauren Bell scooped up the ball, tagged second and delivered the ball in time to Katie Manuma at first to turn the double play. Bull added another strikeout to finish off the side.
Freshman Mercedes O’Connor reached base on a single down the left line in the bottom of the second. Duckworth followed with the opposite-field triple into the corner of right field, driving in the RBI for the 2-0 BYU lead.
Following another strikeout by Bull to start the fourth, Santa Clara’s Breezy Bernard reached first on a two-out bloop single to shallow center. She then scored on Scribner’s single through the right side and a Cougar error in right field, cutting the lead to 2-1 in favor of the Cougars. Bull got the team out of the jam with another strikeout.
In the top of the sixth, the Broncos’ Stephanie Fisher hit a one-out double to left-center field. The Cougars then made a pitching change to senior righthander Almond. Gordy Bravo made the play to first for the second and third outs.
Bravo then opened up the bottom half of the sixth reaching base on a slap single up the middle. BYU brought in Lacey Millett Hofstedt to pinch run. After Ashley Thompson’s sacrifice bunt to advance Hofstedt to second, Manuma railed a double that bounced off the fence in left center field to drive in Hofstedt for the RBI and the 3-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh Santa Clara clawed back as Scribner led off, belting the first pitch over the left field fence, cutting the lead to 3-2. The following batter Chiara Biagini singled and the Broncos laid down the sacrifice bunt advancing the tying run to second.
With one out and the runner in scoring position, Almond struck out the batter for the second out before the final batter popped out to first base, sealing the BYU conference win.
The series continues between the Cougars and Broncos Saturday at noon MDT and 2 p.m.
shamosj
| Posted: 10 Apr 2014 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
PROVO, Utah – BYU softball hosts Santa Clara in its first ever West Coast Conference series Friday and Saturday.
BYU (17-20, 2-1 WCC)
BYU has gained momentum since returning to their home field winning seven of its last nine contests including three games away from Provo. After losing several close games early in the season, BYU has won five of the six of games decided by two runs or fewer during that stretch.
The Cougars opened this week with a combined no-hitter by Tori Almond, McKenna Bull and Ashley Thompson against UVU on Tuesday. BYU has only had one other no-hitter when using three different pitchers when Daniela Urincho Snow, Christie Zinanti and Christina Gwyn Trice tossed a no-hitter against UVU on April 10, 2007.
Sydney Broderick earned her second consecutive WCC Player of the Week award after her second walk-off hit this year with a bunt single against Utah State and a go-ahead three-run home run to give BYU the lead going into the bottom of the seventh at San Diego.
Bull passed up Christie Zinanti for second on the freshman strikeout rankings at BYU against San Diego on Saturday. She needs 12 strikeouts to pass up Paige Affleck for first among BYU freshman pitchers.
Santa Clara (5-22, 1-2 WCC)
Santa Clara opened up conference play at Pacific getting a 2-0 win in the first game on Friday before losing 8-6 and 7-3 on Saturday. The Broncos have a 5-22 record, but have only been run-ruled five times this season.
Senior outfielder Stephanie Fisher leads the team with a .333 batting average to go along with one home run and 13 RBI. Freshman second baseman Gennamarie Bonilla leads Santa Clara with 20 RBI and three home runs with a .299 batting average.
Sophomore RHP Ciara Gonzales is ace in the circle for the Broncos leading the team with a 3.42 ERA and a 2-8 record. Junior Brianna Rios and senior Jessica Turner have also seen significant time in the circle combining for a 4.92 ERA, 48 strikeouts and a 3-13 record.
BYU Series Record Vs. Santa Clara
Overall Series Record: 8-1
BYU Record in Provo: 0-0
BYU Record in Santa Clara: 5-1
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 3-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 6-0
Longest BYU Win Streak: 8 (2000-Present)
Longest Santa Clara Win Streak: 1 (2000)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 12 (2002)
Largest Santa Clara Margin of Victory: 1 (2000)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 12 (2002)
Most Runs Scored by Santa Clara: 5 (2007)
The three-game series will begin Friday at 6 p.m. MDT with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon MDT. All three games will be broadcast live by BYUtv.
