PROVO, Utah – BYU softball lost 11-2 against Utah in the Deseret First Duel on Wednesday at Gail Miller Field.

Player highlights:

• Rylee Jensen: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R
• Emilee Erickson: 2-3, 1 RBI
• Marissa Chavez: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 R,
• Libby Sugg: 2-3

BYU vs. Utah Box Score

Utah (16-32, 3-12 PAC 12) opened up the game with a solo home run to left field before adding a two-run blast over the center field fence to take a 3-0 lead over BYU (24-21, 8-1 WCC) in the top of the first. 

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Emilee Erickson singled to left field bringing Rylee Jensen in and advancing all runners. The Cougars failed to score another run and trailed the Utes 3-1 at the end of the inning.

In the bottom of the second, Jensen hit a ball down the first base line where the first baseman bobbled the ball allowing Brooke Vander Heide to cross home for BYU’s second run of the game bring the score to 3-2.

Utah added three more runs in the top of the third to extend its lead to 6-2. In the fourth frame, the Utes tacked on two more scores to make it 8-2. The Cougars gave up three more runs in the seventh for an 11-2 loss. 

BYU softball will return to conference play with a series against Saint Mary’s at Cottrell Field in Moraga, California. The Cougars will face the Gaels Friday, May 3, at 3 p.m. before the two will play a doubleheader on Saturday, May 4.

PROVO, Utah – Coming off a 4-0 week, the BYU softball team will host the annual Deseret First Duel against Utah on Wednesday before heading to Saint Mary’s for a conference series in Moraga, California. 

BYU concludes its 10-game homestand with a game against Utah. The last time the Utes traveled to Provo, the Cougars won 4-3. The game will begin at 6 p.m. MT and a live stream on BYUtv Digital. 

The Cougars will travel to Moraga, California, to play West Coast Conference foe, Saint Mary’s. The Gaels are coming off a sweep at Loyola Marymount. BYU will play on Friday, May 3 at 3 p.m. PT followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Mary 4 at 12 and 2 p.m. PT. 

Opponent Outlook

Utah | Wednesday, May 1 | 6 p.m. MDT | BYUtv Digital

• The Utes hold a 15-32 record with a 4-14 record in the Pac-12 Conference. 

• Last season in the annual Deseret First Duel, BYU beat Utah in Salt Lake City 5-2. 

• This will be the 54th meeting between the two teams with the Cougars tallying 34 wins to Utah’s 19.

•Head Coach Amy Hogue begins her 12th season as the Utes head coach with a 331-309-1 overall record.

Saint Mary’s | Friday, May 3 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, May 4 at 12 & 2 p.m. 

• The Toreros currently have a 15-34 record and are 3-12 in conference after falling to LMU last weekend, including a 15 inning contest.

• This will be the 24th meeting between the two teams with the Cougars holding the advantage at 22-1 after sweeping the Gaels last season. BYU’s only loss came in 2017 at Saint Mary’s with a 1-0 score.

• Sonja Garnett enters her 1st season as the Gaels head coach after four seasons at the Academy of Art.

BYU Storylines

DESERET FIRST DUEL. The Cougars are set to host Utah in the annual Deseret First Duel on Wednesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. MT.  This is the 12th year of the Deseret First Duel series with Utah already clinching the overall trophy for this year.

CLOSING IN ON BYU RECORDS. While many BYU players are making their way up the BYU record books, senior Libby Sugg is closing in on BYU’s all-time records. Currently No. 2 in both doubles with 46 and RBI at 206. Sugg is six doubles away from holding the BYU record. She is also No. 5 in homers (48) and total bases (401). Redshirt sophomore Arissa Paulson has also made a dent in the charts, currently holding the No. 8 spot in complete games (28) and shutouts (8).

RYLEE JENSEN. Rylee Jensen has proved to be invaluable asset for the Cougars this season. The junior is currently ranked No. 26 nationally in batting average (.426), No. 52 in slugging percentage (.757), No. 67 in total bases (103) and is No. 1 in the WCC in seven different categories. She currently leads the team in batting average, runs scored (37), hits (58), RBI (28), home runs (10), slugging percentage (.757), on base percentage (.480), total bases (103), walks (15) and stolen bases (5).

THRID WCC AWARD SWEEP.  Rylee Jensen and Arissa Paulson earned the West Coast Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week awards, respectively. This is the third time that BYU was swept the weekly awards. Jensen and Autumn Moffat received the award in week two while Libby Sugg and Paulson earned the award in week eight. BYU has now been awarded eleven times this season by the WCC.