BYU softball lost 3-2 to rival Utah in the second game of the Salt Lake City NCAA Regional.
The Cougars stranded 11 runners on base in the defeat.
Alexa Strid started the scoring for BYU in the second, with an RBI single that scored Ashley Thompson.
Utah matched the run in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double.
BYU loaded the bases in the third, but Thompson hit a line drive directly to first base for an unassisted double play to end the threat.
The Cougars converted their own double play in the bottom half of the third to keep things tied at one.
In the top of the fifth, BYU loaded the bases once again for Thompson. This time, she hit an RBI single to make it 2-1 BYU.
The Cougars entered the seventh inning needing just three outs to finish off the region hosts.
But the Utes tied the game at two after Heather Bowen hit an RBI double, scoring Bridget Castro, who opened Utah’s half of the inning with a single.
Bowen advanced to third on a fielder’s choice out at first, and pinch hitter Hailey Hillburn hit her home on a walk-off RBI single.
BYU will face the winner of the Mississippi State versus Fordham game in an elimination game at 6 p.m. MDT tonight. The winner of that game will play Utah tomorrow at 2:30 p.m MDT.
