PROVO -- Strong pitching solidified a 6-1 victory for the BYU softball team (39-17) over Utah Valley (17-34) Tuesday night at Miller Park.

Freshman pitcher Paige Affleck only gave up one hit in the five innings she pitched, and relief pitcher Christie Zinanti did not give up a hit in two innings pitched. Affleck claimed seven strike outs on the night, while Zinanti recorded three.

"Paige Affleck threw a great and consistent game," said BYU head coach Gordon Eakin. "I was also pleased with Christie Zinanti who came in to close and threw the ball well."

BYU also proved to be tough at the plate. The Cougars owned eight hits and six RBI, two of which were home runs. Kristin Delahoussaye, Monica Gonzoles and Daniela Snow all went 2-for-3 at bat.

The Cougars jumped out to an early lead over the Wolverines. Taking the stick, Snow hit a single to send Delahoussaye home.

In the bottom of the second, with two outs, Stephanie Platt-Hopkins blasted a two-run home run to left center. The homer was the seventh on the year for Platt-Hopkins. Earlier in the season when BYU faced Utah Valley, she claimed a grand slam. Later in the inning Gonzoles hit a RBI single. The Cougars topped the Wolverines 4-0 at the close of the second.

The only defensive hiccup for BYU came in the fifth inning. With the help of two walks and aggressive base running, Utah Valley scored claimed its only run of the game. With two outs and runners on first and third, Utah Valley's Lauren Augino advanced home when her teammate Megan Niemann successfully stole second base.

After going two innings without a hit, BYU stepped up again offensively in the fifth. Snow, the lead-off batter, hit a single. Quiocho followed and hit a RBI double deep to center field.

In the bottom of the sixth and with two outs against the Cougars, Delahoussaye hit a solo home run. That home run marked her third home run in three games and six on the season. The Cougars entered the seventh inning leading 6-1.

The Cougars will next face Colorado State in a double header on Thursday in Fort Collins, Colo. The games will start at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Box Score
                            The Automated ScoreBook
                       Utah Valley at Brigham Young Univ.
                May 06, 2008 at Provo, Utah (Gail Miller Field)
Utah Valley 1 (17-34)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WOODWORTH, Meghan cf.....  3  0  0  0   1  2  0  0   2
BRAMWELL, Alli p.........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   2
 NANCE, Natalie p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MCGRAW, Cherylyn 1b/dp...  3  0  0  0   0  1  9  0   0
STOCKS, Heidi dp.........  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
 KISNER, Megan pr/3b.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
ANDERSON, Jessica 3b.....  2  0  0  0   0  2  1  6   0
 BARTHOLOMEW, Natalie ph/  0  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   0
STEADMAN, Kylie lf/c.....  3  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   2
MANUEL, Shelly rf........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BOWCUTT, Abby pr/lf.....  2  0  0  0   0  1  3  0   0
ROSKELLEY, Sara c........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 AUGINO, Lauren rf.......  1  1  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
NIEMANN, Magan 2b........  1  0  0  0   1  0  1  2   0
 LINDGREN, Marisa ph.....  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
TELARROJA, Samantha ss/pr  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 23  1  1  0   5 10 18  9   6
Brigham Young Univ. 6 (39-17)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b..  3  3  2  1   1  0  1  5   0
GONZALES, Monica cf......  3  0  2  1   0  0  1  0   1
VANCE, Amanda dp/1b......  3  0  0  0   1  0  5  0   1
SNOW, Daniela 1b/dp......  3  0  2  1   0  0  4  0   2
 NIX, Whitney pr.........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b.....  3  0  1  1   0  0  1  3   1
PURCELL, Jessica ss......  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
DAVIS, Caschjen lf.......  2  1  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
WILLING, Emi c/rf........  2  0  0  0   0  0  5  1   0
HOPKINS, Stephanie rf....  2  1  1  2   0  1  0  0   0
 JENKINS, Shaylyn c......  1  0  0  0   0  0  3  1   0
AFFLECK, Paige p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ZINANTI, Christie p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 25  6  8  6   2  2 21 10   6
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Utah Valley......... 000 010 0 -  1  1  0
Brigham Young Univ.. 130 011 X -  6  8  3
-----------------------------------------
E - DELAHOUSSAYE; QUIOCHO; JENKINS. DP - BY 1. LOB - UVU 6; BY 6. 2B -
QUIOCHO. HR - DELAHOUSSAYE; HOPKINS. HBP - DAVIS; WILLING. SH - GONZALES. SB
- WOODWORTH; NIEMANN 2; DELAHOUSSAYE; GONZALES 2. CS - TELARROJA.
Utah Valley            IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
BRAMWELL, Alli......  5.2  8  6  6  2  2 24 29
NANCE, Natalie......  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
AFFLECK, Paige......  5.0  1  1  1  3  7 16 19
ZINANTI, Christie...  2.0  0  0  0  2  3  7  9
Win - AFFLECK (12-3).  Loss - BRAMWELL (13-15).  Save - None.
WP - BRAMWELL; AFFLECK 3. HBP - by BRAMWELL (DAVIS); by BRAMWELL (WILLING).
Umpires - HP: Ray Meibos  1B: Terry Balser  3B: Claire McBride
Start: 5:05   Time: 1:55   Attendance: 356
Game: UV3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Play-by-Play
                            The Automated ScoreBook
               Utah Valley at Brigham Young Univ. - Play-by-Play
                May 06, 2008 at Provo, Utah (Gail Miller Field)
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Utah Valley......... 000 010 0 -  1  1  0
Brigham Young Univ.. 130 011 X -  6  8  3
-----------------------------------------
Utah Valley starters: 4/cf WOODWORTH; 0/p BRAMWELL; 12/1b MCGRAW; 8/dp STOCKS;
15/3b ANDERSON; 18/lf STEADMAN; 11/rf MANUEL; 9/c ROSKELLEY; 1/2b NIEMANN; 7/ss
TELARROJA;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 4/2b DELAHOUSSAYE; 24/cf GONZALES; 6/dp VANCE;
22/1b SNOW; 33/3b QUIOCHO; 10/ss PURCELL; 9/lf DAVIS; 18/c WILLING; 5/rf
HOPKINS; 12/p AFFLECK;
Utah Valley 1st - WOODWORTH struck out looking. BRAMWELL grounded out to
3b. MCGRAW grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE singled to left center. GONZALES
grounded out to 3b, SAC; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. VANCE popped up to
1b. SNOW singled up the middle, RBI; DELAHOUSSAYE scored. QUIOCHO grounded out
to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley 2nd - STOCKS singled to right field. TELARROJA pinch ran for
STOCKS. STOCKS to dp for TELARROJA. TELARROJA out at second c to ss, caught
stealing. ANDERSON struck out swinging. STEADMAN grounded out to 2b. 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - STOCKS to dp for TELARROJA. TELARROJA to ss
for STOCKS. PURCELL fouled out to 1b. DAVIS hit by pitch. WILLING out at first
p to 3b to 1b; DAVIS advanced to second. HOPKINS homered to left center, 2 RBI;
DAVIS scored. DELAHOUSSAYE walked. DELAHOUSSAYE stole second. DELAHOUSSAYE
advanced to third on a wild pitch. GONZALES singled to shortstop, RBI;
DELAHOUSSAYE scored. GONZALES stole second. VANCE walked. SNOW reached on a
fielder's choice; VANCE advanced to second; GONZALES out at third 3b
unassisted. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah Valley 3rd - MANUEL reached on an error by 2b. BOWCUTT pinch ran
for MANUEL. BOWCUTT advanced to second on a wild pitch. ROSKELLEY struck out
swinging. NIEMANN grounded out to 2b; BOWCUTT advanced to third. WOODWORTH
walked. WOODWORTH stole second. BRAMWELL struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits,
1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - STEADMAN to c. BOWCUTT to lf. AUGINO to rf for
ROSKELLEY. QUIOCHO grounded out to 3b. PURCELL flied out to lf. DAVIS struck
out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley 4th - VANCE to 1b. SNOW to dp. MCGRAW grounded out to 1b
unassisted. STOCKS grounded out to 2b. ANDERSON struck out looking. 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - WILLING hit by pitch. HOPKINS struck out
looking. DELAHOUSSAYE reached on a fielder's choice; WILLING out at second 3b
to 2b. GONZALES grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley 5th - WILLING to rf. JENKINS to c for HOPKINS. STEADMAN
grounded out to 2b. BOWCUTT struck out swinging. AUGINO walked. AUGINO advanced
to second on a wild pitch. NIEMANN walked; AUGINO advanced to third on a wild
pitch. NIEMANN stole second; AUGINO scored on the throw. NIEMANN stole third.
WOODWORTH struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 1 run, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - VANCE grounded out to 3b. SNOW singled to left
field. NIX pinch ran for SNOW. QUIOCHO doubled to center field, RBI; NIX
scored. PURCELL grounded out to 3b; QUIOCHO advanced to third. DAVIS fouled out
to lf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley 6th - ZINANTI to p for AFFLECK. BRAMWELL out at first 3b to
2b. MCGRAW struck out swinging. STOCKS struck out swinging, reached first on a
throwing error by c. BARTHOLOMEW pinch hit for ANDERSON. KISNER pinch ran for
STOCKS. BARTHOLOMEW walked; KISNER advanced to second. STEADMAN struck out
looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - MCGRAW to dp. KISNER to 3b. BARTHOLOMEW to 1b.
WILLING flied out to lf. JENKINS lined out to 3b. DELAHOUSSAYE homered to left
field, RBI. GONZALES singled up the middle. NANCE to p for BRAMWELL. GONZALES
stole second. VANCE grounded out to 1b unassisted. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Utah Valley 7th - BOWCUTT reached on a fielding error by 3b. AUGINO
lined into double play 3b to 1b; BOWCUTT out on the play. LINDGREN pinch hit
for NIEMANN. LINDGREN walked. WOODWORTH flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.

PROVO -- The BYU women's softball team (38-17, 11-5) heads into the final week of regular season play looking to regain the Mountain West Conference lead.

BYU takes a conference break when the host Utah Valley on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The two teams have faced one another twice this season, and both times the Cougars have come out victorious.

Conference play resumes with a doubleheader in Fort Collins, Colo., against Colorado State on Thursday at 1:30. The Cougars swept the Rams two games played in Provo this year.

Friday and Saturday brings games against New Mexico, both beginning at 7 p.m. BYU opened its conference season with two games against New Mexico and split the games.

San Diego State leads the MWC standings with a 13-5 conference record. The Aztecs have two conference games remaining.

All the action for the last critical games of the season is available via livestats at www.byucougars.com.