BYU softball set to compete in fall scrimmages through end of October
Fall ball is here and BYU softball is ready to get after it.
The Cougars announced their fall scrimmage schedule earlier this week with a full lineup of home games through the end of October. They host several in-state teams and welcome a few out of state teams to Provo as well, along with a couple blue and white scrimmages in mix as they prepare for their Big 12 debut this spring.
BYU will play a total of 13 games and compete against six regional opponents at home and finish off fall play with a doubleheader down at Utah Tech. Teams like Snow College, Salt Lake Community College and Idaho State are just a few of BYU’s visitors to host in this six week stretch.
There is some familiarity among the teams BYU will compete against this fall. The Cougars faced off against Utah Tech and Idaho State last season a total of six times, three each, and came away with the win in all six games.
BYU finished second in the WCC last season going 11-4 and finished 35-17 overall with an impressive 11-4 record at home. They competed in the National Invitational Softball Championship where they placed second after falling to Iowa 9-7 in the championship.
The Cougars are returning eight of nine All-WCC honorees from last season including their top four hitters and top pitcher.
Within those returners, is last year’s WCC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year in Huntyr Ava, Ailana Agbayani, and Hailey Morrow, respectively.
Ava led the way with 16 home runs on the year, notching a .358 batting averaging and bringing in a team high 50 RBI’s. Agbayani finished the year with the team high batting average of .337 on 59 hits and 39 runs. Morrow brought in 25 runs on 42 hits adding nine home runs and 39 RBI’s.
Other notable contributors last season were outfielders Maddie Bejarano and Violet Zavodnik. Both are seasoned upperclassmen that help do what it takes to be a great team.
Bejarano finished with 41 runs on .321 hitting and had a team high on base percentage of .451 including 14 doubles and four home runs.
Zavodnik not only does it on offense but defense as well. While hitting .267 on the year and pulling in nine home runs, she also maintained a perfect fielding percentage for the Cougars in the outfield.
This upcoming season marks year 22 for Head Coach Gordon Eakin. In his tenure he has a record of 800-372 (.683) and has led the Cougars to 16 consecutive conference titles and 17 straight NCAA appearances. It is nothing short of greatness in this softball program under Coach Eakin.
The Cougars also added four newcomers to their roster this offseason in transfers Lily Owens (Lehigh), Aleia Agbayani (Cal), Lyndsey Madrigal (SLCC), and Keila Kamoku (Ole Miss). Notably, BYU also welcomes four freshmen to this year’s squad as well in Kate Dahle, Abbey Gillespie, Olivia Laney, and Gianna Mares.
All of the home scrimmages this fall can be streamed live on BYU Softball’s Facebook page.
