PROVO, Utah—BYU softball came into this weekend’s series against Saint Mary’s needing to win one game to wrap up the West Coast Conference title. The Cougars didn’t need much time to do just that with a 14-2 win over the Gaels in the weekend’s opening game and then followed up with a 5-1 win in the nightcap.

“It was a great day,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “Our team was well prepared, confident and we came out and just had a great day all the way around.”

This year’s conference championship continues a four-year period of domination by BYU, which became the first team in NCAA history to win four straight conference championships from four separate conferences.  It is the team’s sixth consecutive conference championship overall. Cougar seniors have now won championships in the Mountain West Conference (2011), the Western Athletic Conference (2012) and the Pacific Coast Softball Conference (2013) in addition to this year’s WCC title.

“Our whole team has just been playing great,” Eakin said. “I’m tickled for our seniors, but I’m more tickled for our entire team. They all deserve this championship.”

BYU (32-21, 11-2 WCC), which entered this weekend’s matchup against Saint Mary’s (23-26, 8-6 WCC) on a 12-game win streak, got out to a quick start against the Gaels, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on a Katie Manuma home run to center field. Manuma finished the game with two hits in two plate appearances, four RBIs and two runs scored. The Cougars came right back in the bottom of the second, scoring two more runs after Saint Mary’s catcher Andrea Hazel’s throw to third skipped off the helmet of a diving Mercedes O’Connor and rolled into left field.

The Cougars’ bats came alive even more in a nine-run third inning that saw every player in BYU’s lineup reach base safely. It was the most runs BYU has scored in a single inning this season. The Cougars would go on to score 14 runs before the game was called in the middle of the fifth inning, which tied a season-high for runs scored in a game by BYU.

BYU’s defense was led by senior pitcher Tori Almond, who gave up only two runs through four innings to move to 9-6 on the season. Great diving plays by second baseman McKenzie St. Clair and left fielder O’Connor highlighted a stellar defensive effort by the Cougars, which sealed the game-one victory for BYU.

BYU’s defense continued its great play in game two of Friday’s doubleheader. After starting pitcher McKenna Bull allowed a lead-off base runner, BYU senior first baseman Jenna Goar perfectly fielded a sacrifice bunt, starting a 3-6-4 double play to end Saint Mary’s early scoring threat.

While the Cougar defense started off game two running smoothly, the offense was another story. Saint Mary’s starting pitcher Sarah Lira kept BYU off the board until the bottom of the third inning when Cougar center fielder Carly Duckworth hit a chopper through the left side of the infield with two outs to bring in the first run of the game.

That run was just the beginning for BYU as the Cougars opened things up in the bottom of the fourth. The Cougars four-run inning was highlighted by senior third baseman Ashlee Robinson’s solo home run over the left field wall to increase BYU’s lead to 2-0. Lacey Millett Hofstedt then scored from second base on Sydney Broderick’s single through the right side of the infield. Lauren Bell finished the scoring with the first home run of her career, a two-run shot, to put the Cougars ahead by a score of 5-0.

Saint Mary’s was able to put a run on the board in the top of the sixth inning, but it was too-little, too-late for the Gaels as the Cougars won 5-1.

In the game two win, Bull, a freshman, gave up only one run in a complete-game effort while tallying nine strikeouts. Bull’s nine strikeouts moved her into 10th place on BYU’s all-time career strikeout list.

The win also increased BYU’s current win-streak to 14 straight games.

BYU will go for a sweep of Saint Mary’s Saturday at 12 p.m. MDT. The game will be broadcast live on TheW.tv.

PROVO, Utah – BYU softball puts its 10-game winning streak on the line with a five-game home stand to finish the season.

Utah Valley will travel up University Parkway to play the Cougars in a doubleheader Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m. MDT at Gail Miller Field. Earlier this season, Tori Almond, McKenna Bull and Ashley Thompson combined for BYU’s 16th no-hitter in program history. They were one walk away in the final inning from finishing with a perfect game.

Saint Mary’s will come to town on Friday to begin a three-game series to decide the eventual West Coast Conference Champion. BYU clinched the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship last year with a doubleheader sweep over Saint Mary’s at home. The Cougars will look to do the same this year, needing to take only one game from the Gaels to clinch the championship, while the Gaels need a sweep to win the title.

The two teams will meet Friday in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. MDT before wrapping up the series on Saturday at noon.

BYU (28-21, 9-2 WCC)
BYU capped off an undefeated week on the road with a 9-6 comeback victory over Pacific on Saturday. The Cougars put up six home runs in the three game-series with Pacific to put them in prime position to win the conference.

McKenzie St. Clair led the team at the plate with a .600 batting average to go along with five runs, three RBI, two doubles, five walks and a .733 on-base percentage. With the game tied with Pacific in the top of the sixth Saturday, St. Clair hit a two-out double and scored on a bloop single to left field to give BYU the 7-6 lead. She added a two-RBI two-out infield single that was lost in the sun in the top of the seventh to give the Cougars a little more breathing room and finish 3-for-4 on the day.

BYU also received two home runs in the series from both Katie Manuma and Ashley Thompson. Mercedes O’Connor and Gordy Bravo each had one home run. Almond allowed only one earned run to the Tigers on her way to being named the WCC Pitcher of the Week. She totaled six strikeouts in the series over 8.1 innings pitched.

Utah Valley (14-38, 5-9 WAC)
Utah Valley has struggled in conference play and it has lost four straight. They dropped an 8-0 five-inning contest to No. 1 Oregon before taking the Ducks to the wire in a 5-4 loss on Tuesday.

The Wolverines are dangerous on the base paths ranking No. 53 in the nation in stolen bases per game, but No. 235 in team batting average with a .243. They are led at the plate by freshman Hailey Kofler with a .288 average, nine doubles and six home runs. Freshman Brianna Gatlin is the top RBI hitter on the team with 26 to go with her team-high 13 doubles.

Senior Josi Summers is the Wolverines' top pitcher with a 7-17 record, 106 strikeouts and a 4.38 ERA. Freshman Bailey Moore has started nine games for the Wolverines and has made 30 appearances. She has a 2-12 record with 62 strikeouts and a 5.47 ERA.

BYU SERIES RECORD VS. UVU
Overall Series Record: 28-3
BYU Record in Provo: 13-0
BYU Record in Orem: 13-3
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 2-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 28-3
Longest BYU Win Streak: 18 (2007-13)
Longest UVU Win Streak: 2 (2013)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 20 (2008)
Largest UVU Margin of Victory: 2 (2006,13)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 22 (2008)
Most Runs Scored by Utah Valley: 6 (2013)

Saint Mary’s (22-23, 8-4 WCC)
The Gaels have been strong in WCC play sweeping Santa Clara two weeks ago to put them in a position to win the conference. Last week they dropped a 2-1 contest to Stanford and will face UC Davis on Wednesday before travelling to Provo.

Sophomore catcher Andrea Hazel is the Gaels' top hitter with a .346 average and team-highs of six home runs and 25 RBI. She is second on the team with nine doubles and a triple.

Sophomore RHP Lujane Mussadi is the primary starter for Saint Mary’s. She has a 13-12 record to go with a 2.12 ERA and 56 strikeouts. Junior RHP Sarah Lira adds a 7-7 record with a 2.21 ERA and 24 strikeouts. Freshman Katie Moss has been seeing more time in the circle for the Gaels lately. She has a 2-4 record, a 2.91 ERA and 57 strikeouts. Moss was named as the WCC Pitcher of the Week last week.

BYU Series Record Vs. St. Mary’s
Overall Series Record: 8-0
BYU Record in Provo: 4-0
BYU Record in Moraga: 0-0
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 4-0
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 6-0
Longest BYU Win Streak: 8 (2001-Present)
Longest St. Mary’s Win Streak: None
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 9 (2003)
Largest St. Mary’s Margin of Victory: None
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 14 (2013)
Most Runs Scored by St. Mary’s: 6 (twice, 2013)