SALT LAKE -- Jessica Purcell forged the way for the BYU softball team with a grand slam and a three-run homer during Saturday’s 15-0 win over Utah.

The Cougars extended their current win streak to 10 games and they advanced to 29-14 overall and 5-0 in Mountain West Conference play.

“Getting 15 runs on 16 hits is pretty impressive but I’m more pleased that our defense has been unbelievable,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “We are playing solid defense, we are getting solid pitching and our offense has been unstoppable.”

Indeed the defense was solid for BYU, backing up Paige Affleck who earned her 14th win of the season (14-7 overall). She allowed only three hits and struck out four batters in five innings of play. The red-hot BYU offense matched its pitcher’s performance.

The Cougars took a 4-0 lead before an out was even recorded in the books. Purcell hit a three-run long ball deep over the left field wall, and another run scored on a mishandled sacrifice bunt. The Utes starting pitcher faced only seven BYU batters before being replaced.

Before the top of the first ended, BYU scored another run on Monica Gonzales’ bunt single, allowing starting pitcher Paige Affleck to take a field with a comfortable 5-0 lead.

After three innings the Cougars extended their lead, 8-0. Three singles loaded the bases before a leaping effort from Utah centerfielder Kara Foster kept Kristin Delahoussayes’ long hit to a single, rather than the grand slam it aimed to become. Tiffany Messerschmidt followed with a two-run single before the inning ended.

Consecutive walks began the fifth inning and a bunt single from Angeline Quiocho juiced the bases for Purcell, who launched a ball that soared over the left field wall for her second grand slam of the season.

Pinch-hitter Cydney Allen added to the lead with a softly hit fly ball that dropped out of the reach of the centerfielder to being in a run. Shaylyn Jenkins added two runs on a bases-loaded double up the left-center ally, giving BYU a 15-0 lead after five innings.

The Cougars look to keep their winning streak alive when they return home for a doubleheader on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Miller Park. Conference play will resume on Thursday when they host San Diego State at 7 p.m.

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Box Score
Brigham Young Univ. at Utah
Apr 11, 2009 at SALT LAKE CITY (Ute Field)
Brigham Young Univ. 15 (29-14,5-0 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DELAHOUSSAYE, Kristi 2b..  2  2  1  1   2  0  0  3   0
 ALLEN, Cydney ph........  1  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
MESSERSCHMIDT, Tiffa dp..  1  2  1  2   3  0  0  0   0
 JENKINS, Shaylyn ph/dp..  1  0  1  2   0  0  0  0   0
QUIOCHO, Angeline cf.....  3  2  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 NIX-THOMAS, Whitney ph/c  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   2
PURCELL, Jessica c.......  4  2  3  7   0  0  5  1   2
RAMIREZ, Andrea 1b.......  2  2  1  0   1  0  9  0   2
LOPEZ, Coreen 3b.........  4  1  2  0   0  0  0  1   0
 DUGAS, Jessica pr.......  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HOPKINS, Stephanie rf....  2  1  2  0   1  0  0  0   0
 VANCE, Amanda ph........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HICKS, Krista ss.........  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  1   0
 WILLARD, Delaney ph.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
GONZALES, Monica lf......  3  1  2  1   0  0  0  0   2
 DAVIS, Caschjen ph/lf...  0  1  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
AFFLECK, Paige p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 27 15 16 14   8  0 15  8   9
Utah 0 (16-23,0-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
OLSON, Brooke dp.........  2  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
CLEMENTS, Hannah lf......  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
HEMINGWAY, Staci 1b......  2  0  0  0   0  1  7  0   0
BOARDMAN, Angie rf.......  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
HOLM, Whitney 3b.........  2  0  0  0   0  1  2  2   0
FOSTER, Kara cf..........  2  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
PALAUNI, Tia 2b..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 JENSEN, Jasey 2b........  2  0  1  0   0  0  1  1   0
HOFFMAN, Andrea c........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   1
FONOTI, Sharee ss........  2  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   1
PALMER, Lindsey p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 COOK, Joni p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 PARKER, Brittany p......  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 18  0  3  0   0  4 15  7   3
Score by Innings               R  H  E
--------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 503 07 - 15 16  0
Utah................ 000 00 -  0  3  1
--------------------------------------
E - PALAUNI. LOB - Cougars 9; Utes 3. 2B - JENKINS(1); LOPEZ(13). HR -
PURCELL 2. HBP - RAMIREZ. SH - QUIOCHO(4); HICKS 2(5).
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
AFFLECK, Paige......  5.0  3  0  0  0  4 18 18
Utah                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
PALMER, Lindsey.....  0.1  2  5  3  3  0  3  7
COOK, Joni..........  2.2  7  3  3  1  0 12 15
PARKER, Brittany....  2.0  7  7  7  4  0 12 17
Win - AFFLECK (14-7).  Loss - PALMER (3-4).  Save - None.
HBP - by PARKER (RAMIREZ).
Umpires - HP: Willie Newman  1B: Dani Carson  3B: Brett Higgins
Start: 1 p.m.   Time: 1:39   Attendance: 348
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Game: UT2
Play-by-Play
                            The Automated ScoreBook
                   Brigham Young Univ. at Utah - Play-by-Play
                   Apr 11, 2009 at SALT LAKE CITY (Ute Field)
Score by Innings               R  H  E
--------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 503 07 - 15 16  0
Utah................ 000 00 -  0  3  1
--------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 4/2b DELAHOUSSAYE; 20/dp MESSERSCHMID; 33/cf
QUIOCHO; 10/c PURCELL; 31/1b RAMIREZ; 7/3b LOPEZ; 5/rf HOPKINS; 22/ss HICKS;
24/lf GONZALES; 12/p AFFLECK;
Utah starters: 7/dp OLSON; 5/lf CLEMENTS; 19/1b HEMINGWAY; 16/rf BOARDMAN;
33/3b HOLM; 12/cf FOSTER; 18/2b PALAUNI; 13/c HOFFMAN; 1/ss FONOTI; 10/p
PALMER;
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - DELAHOUSSAYE walked. MESSERSCHMID walked;
DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. QUIOCHO reached on an error by 2b, SAC;
MESSERSCHMID advanced to third; DELAHOUSSAYE scored. PURCELL homered to left
field, 3 RBI; QUIOCHO scored, unearned; MESSERSCHMID scored. RAMIREZ singled to
left field. LOPEZ popped up to ss. HOPKINS walked; RAMIREZ advanced to second.
COOK to p for PALMER. HICKS out at first p to 2b, SAC; HOPKINS advanced to
second; RAMIREZ advanced to third. GONZALES singled, bunt, out at second c to
cf, RBI; HOPKINS advanced to third; RAMIREZ scored, unearned. 5 runs, 3
hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Utah 1st - OLSON singled to left center. CLEMENTS grounded out to 2b;
OLSON advanced to second. HEMINGWAY grounded out to p; OLSON advanced to third.
BOARDMAN grounded out to c. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - JENSEN to 2b for PALAUNI. DELAHOUSSAYE flied
out to cf. MESSERSCHMID walked. QUIOCHO fouled out to 3b. PURCELL singled to
shortstop; MESSERSCHMID advanced to second. RAMIREZ grounded out to p. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah 2nd - HOLM struck out swinging. FOSTER grounded out to p. JENSEN
singled to right field. HOFFMAN struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - LOPEZ singled down the lf line. HOPKINS
singled up the middle; LOPEZ advanced to second. DUGAS pinch ran for LOPEZ.
HICKS grounded out to 1b unassisted, SAC; HOPKINS advanced to second; DUGAS
advanced to third. GONZALES singled, bunt. DELAHOUSSAYE singled to center
field, RBI; GONZALES advanced to second; HOPKINS advanced to third; DUGAS
scored. MESSERSCHMID singled to left center, 2 RBI; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to
second; GONZALES scored; HOPKINS scored. QUIOCHO grounded out to 1b unassisted;
MESSERSCHMID advanced to second; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to third. PURCELL
grounded out to ss. 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah 3rd - LOPEZ to 3b for DUGAS. FONOTI grounded out to ss. OLSON
popped up to c, bunt. CLEMENTS struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - PARKER to p for COOK. RAMIREZ hit by pitch.
LOPEZ reached on a fielder's choice; RAMIREZ out at second 3b to 2b. HOPKINS
singled through the left side; LOPEZ advanced to second. HICKS singled; HOPKINS
advanced to second; LOPEZ out at second ss unassisted, interference. GONZALES
lined out to 3b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah 4th - HEMINGWAY struck out looking. BOARDMAN grounded out to 1b
unassisted. HOLM grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - DELAHOUSSAYE walked. MESSERSCHMID walked;
DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second. QUIOCHO singled, bunt; MESSERSCHMID advanced
to second; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to third. PURCELL homered to left field, 4
RBI; QUIOCHO scored; MESSERSCHMID scored; DELAHOUSSAYE scored. RAMIREZ walked.
LOPEZ doubled down the lf line; RAMIREZ advanced to third. VANCE pinch hit for
HOPKINS. VANCE grounded out to 3b. WILLARD pinch hit for HICKS. WILLARD
grounded out to 1b unassisted. DAVIS pinch hit for GONZALES. DAVIS walked.
ALLEN pinch hit for DELAHOUSSAYE. ALLEN singled to center field, RBI; DAVIS
advanced to second; LOPEZ; RAMIREZ scored. JENKINS pinch hit for MESSERSCHMID.
JENKINS doubled to left center, 2 RBI; ALLEN advanced to third; DAVIS scored;
LOPEZ scored. NIX-THOMAS pinch hit for QUIOCHO. NIX-THOMAS grounded out to 2b.
7 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah 5th - DELAHOUSSAYE to 2b for ALLEN. JENKINS to dp. NIX-THOMAS to
cf. HICKS to ss for VANCE. HOPKINS to rf for WILLARD. DAVIS to lf. FOSTER
grounded out to 2b. JENSEN flied out to cf. PARKER to p for HOFFMAN. /  for
PARKER. PARKER singled to right field. FONOTI grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

PROVO -- Indications of poor weather conditions forced the BYU softball team to reschedule its game against Utah Valley for Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Orem, Utah.

The Cougars will take their 26-14 record to the cross-town matchup. BYU has won 19 of its 20 games against the Wolverines. Utah Valley is 14-18 this season.

Following the single game contest, BYU will continue Mountain West Conference play. The Cougars will head north to face in-state rival Utah on Friday and Saturday. The games will be the first of a three-game Deseret First Duel softball series.

Last season the Cougars took the individual sport trophy as the two teams split four games and the run deferential swung in the favor of BYU.

The Cougars look to maintain their perfect MWC record while in Salt Lake. Utah is 0-2 in conference play and 13-21 overall.

Livestats are available at www.byucougars.com