Sugg leads BYU to 1-1 finish in doubleheader

LAS VEGAS – Freshman Libby Sugg’s two home runs on the day led BYU to a 7-2 win over Robert Morris after falling 10-6 to Colorado State in extras on Saturday in the final day of the DeMarini Classic.

“We played uninspired softball today, which is disappointing on the heels on two good days," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "We just went through the motions today."

BYU (7-3) finishes the DeMarini Classic with a 4-1 record against its opponents. McKenna Bull led the pitching effort with a total of 17 strikeouts and just four walks in the two games. Sugg led the offense with four RBI on the day, including two home runs.

Game One

Bull and Olivia Sanchez shared the pitching duties in the 10-6 loss to Colorado State (2-6). Bull threw nine strikeouts in five innings pitched. Libby Sugg led the team in RBI with two, while Madison Merrell had two hits in three at-bats.

Bull started the game strong for BYU, striking out the first three batters she faced. In the Cougars’ first at-bat, they scored one run off of an error by the Rams. The fielder dropped Ashley Thompson’s hit, allowing McKenzie St. Clair to score the first run of the game, putting BYU up 1-0.

In the top of the fourth, Colorado State got on board with three runs. BYU had two errors in that inning, allowing the lead to slip away.

Back-to-back home runs from Libby Sugg and Madison Merrell took back the 4-3 lead over Colorado State. Sugg drilled a two-run homer over the right-field fence and Merrell hit hers over the left-center fence in the very next at-bat.

The Rams tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth with a double to left center. Neither team was able to score again, sending the game into extra innings.

Right off the bat, Colorado State scored six runs in the top of the eighth as BYU struggled to get three outs. When the Cougars got up to bat, they were able to score two runs, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.

BOX SCORE: BYU vs. Colorado State

Game Two

Bull started from the circle again, throwing eight strikeouts and not allowing a single walk. Both Sugg and Thompson tallied a pair of RBI in the win with Sugg hitting the fifth home run of her career.

BYU struck first in the second game against Robert Morris (2-5). Thompson doubled to left field to bring in Merrell and St. Clair. Then, after stealing third, Thompson stole home to make it 3-0 in the first inning.

In the top of the fourth, a sacrifice bunt from Allie Hancock set up Coco Tauali’i Bond to get from first base all the way home to score the fourth run, after catching the Colonials out of sync. In the same inning, a single to right field from St. Clair brought in Hancock to push the Cougars’ lead to 5-0.

Robert Morris responded in the sixth inning with two runs, inching in on BYU’s 5-2 lead. However, in the top of the seventh, Sugg drilled a two-run home run over left center to bring in Lexi Tarrow, pushing the lead to 7-2. Tough pitching held off the Colonials to give the Cougars the win.

BOX SCORE: BYU vs. Robert Morris

Next weekend BYU will travel to Cathedral City, California, to face five teams in the Mary Nutter Classic. Live stats and live streaming will be available on the schedule page.