BYU swept the series against SCU this weekend at the Gail Miller Field with 4-3 and 15-4 wins in the doubleheader on Friday and a 9-1 win on Saturday.
“It’s always nice to win,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “I thought we got complacent in the first game. But in the second game, they came out firing and played really well.”
During the doubleheader on Friday night pitcher McKenna Bull broke her own record for single season strikeouts.
Libby Sugg and Ashley Thompson both played exceptionally well with home runs in each game of the doubleheader.
BYU’s seniors Gordy Bravo and Coco Tauali’i Bond were honored for their BYU softball careers at the game on Saturday.
“They have both been 4 years starters and have provided great leadership for our team,” said Eakin.
Game 1
The Cougars started off the first game strong with back-to-back home runs by Sugg and Alexa Strid.
BYU successfully held off the Broncos until the fourth inning, but Santa Clara tied up the game with three runs at the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, Thompson brought BYU back up by one with her twelfth home run of the season.
Bull broke her own record for single-season strikeouts with 257. She now has 719 for her career, more than any other Cougar in program history.
Although the Broncos got two hits during the seventh inning, they were not able to successfully pull ahead of the Cougars and BYU led the series with a 4-3 win.
Game 2
The Cougars dominated the Broncos in the second series game 15-4.
Sugg started out strong with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the first, giving BYU a 3-1 lead.
During the third and fourth innings, BYU came out firing. They scored five runs in each inning. including a three-run homer by Thompson.
Despite their efforts, the Broncos were not able to get any runs during the fifth inning and BYU won in a mercy-rule shortened game 15-4.
Game 3
BYU swept the series Saturday against SCU thanks to three RBI from Bond and two from Madison Merrell.
Thompson got a stand-up triple in the first inning of the game and through a diversion by Sugg between first and second base, Thompson was able to touch home plate giving BYU a 1-0 lead.
Erickson singled to score Thompson in the third inning, bringing the score up to 3-0.
With Bravo on base in the fourth inning, Bell hit a ball to centerfield, bringing Bravo home. Thompson recorded an RBI and both Madison Merrell and Bond added two each, giving BYU a 9-0 lead.
Although the Broncos scored a home run at the start of the fifth inning, BYU won another mercy-rule game 9-1.
The Cougars will travel to Logan, Utah, on Tuesday for a game at 5 p.m. against Utah State. They will finish up their WCC series games next weekend against San Diego.
