By Kurt Jensen
Sophomore All-American outfielder Oli Keohohou came to bat first in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 3-3. After seeing three pitches, one bounced in the dirt before it ever reached home plate, Keohohou took the 2-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for the game winning solo home run.
“I knew when she hit it there wasn”t a prayer,” Amicone said about Keohohou”s home run. “She has fun and that”s what she lives for. When the game is on the line I”d put my money on her every time.”
Cold temperatures and a short snow storm couldn”t stop the BYU softball team from finally playing its first home games on Sat., March 16.
After a short delay due to the snow, the Cougars went on to win both games of the double header against the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds. BYU won the first game 4-3 and the second game 10-2 in five innings.
“It”s nice to be home, despite the weather,” said head coach Mary Kay Amicone. The games were five minutes from being cancelled, according to Amicone. But the snow stopped and the teams were able to play, which Amicone was happy about.
“I”m glad we got the games in because we needed to play,” Amicone said. Wed., March 13, the Cougars had their double header with UVSC cancelled because of weather.
The Cougars won the close first game thanks to Keohohou”s home run.
The second game wasn”t nearly as close, but the victory was impressive.
The Cougars scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, stretching the lead to eight and ending the game based on the eight run rule in softball. After five innings if a team gets an eight run lead the game is called.
“Our team isn”t a team you can open the door on because they”ll hurt you,” Amicone said.
Before the scoring outburst in the bottom of the fifth the Cougars faced a scare in the top of the same inning when the bases were loaded with two outs. The team was able to escape the inning with only one run scored against them and the bases left loaded.
“The first game was very challenging. I was really pleased with the aggressiveness they came out with in the second game,” Amicone said about her team”s play.
In the second game the Cougars were led by the hitting of their leadoff batter, senior center fielder Liz VanderLindon. She had two triples in the game, along with 3 RBIs and one run scored.
“The thing about your leadoff is it sets the tone for the rest of the game,” Amicone said about VanderLindon”s hitting.
Sophomore pitcher Ariel Capra got the victory in the first game and junior pitcher Cynthia Fallowfield got the win in the second game.
The Cougars next head to California for games against St. Mary”s and Stanford.
