Gail Miller Field
Gail Miller Field Provo UT 84601
PROVO, Utah -- BYU women's softball swept Southern Utah in its doubleheader on Tuesday at Gail Miller Field. The Cougars won 10-2 and 8-2 and extended the winning streak over the Thunderbirds to 32 straight games.
"We played well it was nice to see," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Obviously on the mound, McKenna Bull had a really good day. Offensively, Carly Duckworth was on fire, taking the extra base, base hit after base hit, smart plays. Carly had a really good day."
Highlights and Interviews here.
In the nightcap, Megan Arnold was 3-for-4 with two RBI and set a career high in hits, while Carly Duckworth also went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Duckworth tied her career high with her three hits.
BYU struck first in the second inning as Duckworth doubled, moved to third on an Arnold single and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars scored three more runs in the third inning. Bravo reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a single by Katie Manuma and scored on an errant throw by the shortstop. Arnold followed with a bloop single into center to score two more runs and make it 4-0. Sydney Broderick homered to left field with two outs in the fourth to make it 5-0.
Southern Utah's Madison Resley hit a two-out two-run homer in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-2.
BYU came right back for three insurance runs in the sixth inning. Manuma doubled in a run before she and Mercedes O'Connor came around to score on a single from Duckworth for an 8-2 lead.
McKenna Bull came in for a five-out save, allowing one hit and striking out two. Tori Almond started the game and earned the win with 5.1 innings pitched with six hits, five strikeouts, four walks and two earned runs.
In the opener, Broderick went 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Manuma drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double in the second inning.
The Cougars broke open the game in the second inning scoring six runs. McKenzie St. Clair walked, Duckworth doubled and St. Clair scored on a single from Coco Tauali'i. Duckworth scored on a sacrifice fly and Broderick scored on a single up the middle by Gordy Bravo to make it 4-1. The Thunderbirds walked the bases loaded before Katie Manuma cleared them with a three-run double to right for the 7-1 advantage.
The Cougars had opened the scoring in the first inning with a single and a stolen base from Broderick. Ashley Thompson drove in Broderick with a single to right for a 1-0 lead.
Southern Utah broke Bull's streak of 19 innings without allowing an earned run, when they pushed a run across on a groundout in the second inning. Bull finished the game with three hits, one walk and six strikeouts in five innings of work to earn the win.
BYU added three runs in the fifth to finish the game as Broderick singled in two runs before the Cougars loaded the bases once again. Ashlee Robinson scored on a wild pitch for the final 10-2 margin.
BYU returns to Gail Miller Field for its next game on Friday at 5 p.m. to take on Weber State. The game will be broadcast live on BYUtv.
PROVO, Utah – Freshman McKenna Bull leads BYU softball against in-state rival Southern Utah in a doubleheader Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m. MDT at Gail Miller Field.
BYU (19-21, 4-2 WCC)
After winning two of three contests against Santa Clara this past weekend, BYU is in a three-way tie for first place in the West Coast Conference standings with Saint Mary’s and Pacific. The Cougars currently hold the tiebreaker with a .475 winning percentage.
Bull stood out last week earning WCC Pitcher of the Week honors after going 3-0 and not allowing an earned run in her three appearances. She also finished the week with 15 strikeouts over 14.1 innings pitched. She is currently ranked No. 37 in the NCAA with 8.3 strikeouts per seven innings.
Sophomore Gordy Bravo led the team with a .444 batting average and three RBIs on the week. Freshman Sydney Broderick extended her hitting streak to a new career-high six games leading the Cougars with a .345 batting average on the season.
Southern Utah (14-19, 6-2 Big Sky)
Southern Utah swept Portland State in a three-game series in Cedar City, Utah, last week. Two of the three games ended in the fifth inning as the Thunderbirds took sole possession of first place in the Big Sky Conference.
Senior Madison Resley leads the team from the plate with a .391 batting average, four home runs and 24 RBI. Sophomore Kylee Wolf adds a .365 batting average with four home runs and 16 RBI. Senior Kadi Henderson is the team leader in RBI with 26 and home runs with five.
The Thunderbirds use four pitchers in the circle with senior Ariel Hart leading the way with 21 appearance. As a staff they hold a 5.22 ERA with 135 strikeouts.
BYU series record vs. SUU
Overall Series Record: 45-4
BYU Record in Provo: 20-2
BYU Record in Cedar City: 14-1
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 11-1
BYU Record under Gordon Eakin: 35-2
Longest BYU Win Streak: 30 (2006-Present)
Longest SUU Win Streak: 2 (2000-01)
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 20 (2010)
Largest SUU Margin of Victory: 5 (2006)
Most Runs Scored by BYU: 20 (2010)
Most Runs Scored by SUU: 11 (2003)