In-state matchup and WCC play coming up for No. 22/23 BYU this week

PROVO, Utah – West Coast Conference play begins this weekend at Loyola Marymount for No. 22/23 BYU softball after a quick trip to face Utah State on Wednesday.

BYU Game Notes

The reigning three-time WCC champion Cougars (23-10, 0-0 WCC) look to defend their title. They will travel to Logan, Utah on Wednesday to play Utah State (23-8, 6-3 Mountain West) before heading to Los Angeles for the three-game series at LMU (14-22, 0-0 WCC).

The matchup against the Aggies will be streamed live on theMtn.com. Live stats will be available for all games on the BYU softball schedule page.

BYU Storylines

• The Cougars are ranked for the sixth week of the season, extending the streak for the most a BYU softball team has been ranked in a single season. They moved up in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll at No. 22, the highest BYU has been ranked in 2017. In the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25, the Cougars are ranked for the first time this year, clocking in at No. 23. Additionally, thanks to the tough schedule before conference play, BYU is No. 21 in the NCAA in RPI.
• For the third time this season, BYU swept the WCC weekly awards with Caitlyn Larsen Aldlredge winning player of the week and McKenna Bull taking pitcher of the week. This is the first WCC Player of the Week nod of Alldredge’s career, while for Bull, this is the fifth WCC Pitcher of the Week honor of the year, third in a row. BYU also swept the weekly awards in week two when Rylee Jensen and Kerisa Viramontes won and in week four when Libby Sugg and Bull took the honors. Bull also won the Madness WCC Player of the Week award.
• Bull now holds the career records for innings pitched, complete games, shutouts, saves, strikeouts and wins. She surpassed Paige Affleck’s 91 career wins in the first game against Dartmouth. Additionally, she passed Affleck’s 803.1 career innings pitched against Oregon. At the plate, Ashley Thompson is moving up career lists herself, currently fifth in stolen bases (39) and third in walks (112).

Opponents Outlook

Utah State (23-8, 6-3 Mountain West) | Game Notes

• After going 16-4 to start 2017, this year’s Utah State team secured the best 20-game start in school history.
• The Aggies are ranked in the top 15 in the NCAA in batting average (0.334), slugging percentage (0.516), stolen bases per game (2.19) and triples per game (0.42).
• BYU leads the overall series 35-2 over Utah State. The Cougars are on a 15-game win streak against the Aggies, the last win coming in Provo last year, 4-1.
   

Loyola Marymount (14-22, 0-0 WCC)

• In 2017, LMU has an 8-15 record at home.
• The Lions split two games against the Cougars’ first opponent this week, the Aggies, earlier this season.
• The Cougars hold the 16-8 overall advantage over the Lions. However, LMU has won the series against BYU in the past two years, including a 2-1 series win in Provo last year.