Cougars complete series sweep of Tigers with 8-4 win

STOCKTON, Calif. – Two Cougars tallied three RBI to lead BYU softball to an 8-4 win at Pacific on Saturday to complete the series sweep.

"It was very important for us to sweep the series this weekend to keep our slim edge in conference play," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "As coaches, we are proud of the team for fighting and playing three solid games."

BYU (30-17, 7-2 West Coast Conference) scored at least one run in four of the seven innings played while holding Pacific (19-25, 2-10 WCC) scoreless until the sixth. The Cougars out-hit the Tigers 14 to six.

McKenna Bull led the team from the circle with six strikeouts and one walk after 5.1 innings pitched. From the plate, Ashley Thompson and Alexa Strid each had three RBI in the win, which is a career high for Strid. Lauren Bell went 3 for 5 with two runs scored.

The first two innings of the game were scoreless, each team getting one hit. Bull struck out two in the second inning to keep Pacific at bay.

In the top of the third, BYU loaded up the bases with Gordy Bravo’s single bunt and two walks. Strid singled to left center to bring in two runs, putting the Cougars on the board 2-0. With two outs, the bases were loaded again, but they were unable to score.

A fly ball from Thompson was blown by the wind to get her an RBI single, bringing in Lexi Tarrow for BYU’s third run, pushing the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth. The run forced a pitching change for Pacific. Back-to-back RBI singles from Strid and McKenzie St. Clair made it 5-0 over the Tigers.

With runners on first and second in the top of the fifth, Thompson singled down the right field line to score the two in front of her. Those runs extended the Cougars’ lead to 7-0.

Coco Tauali’i Bond went up to bat with two outs and runners on first and second in the top of the sixth. She singled to centerfield to bring in St. Clair for the eighth run in the game.

The Tigers avoided the shutout with a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to cut into the Cougars’ lead, 8-3. A single with the bases loaded brought in another run for Pacific, but Bond caught a pop fly to end the inning with BYU’s lead down to 8-4.

The game ended with a scoreless seventh inning that was capped off with a strikeout from Olivia Sanchez. BYU completed the series sweep with the 8-4 win.

BOX SCORE: BYU vs. Pacific Game 3

On Tuesday, the Cougars will travel across Utah to play Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah, at 3 p.m. MDT. The game will be broadcast on BYU Radio – Sirius XM 143.