BYU softball outscores New Mexico 32-10 in series win
The Cougars lost to the Lobos in the first game of the series 8-3 but came back with a vengeance to outscore New Mexico in the final two games of the series with a combined score of 29-2 to take the weekend series.
Game one
New Mexico started with a 5-0 lead in the top of the second, but BYU answered with two runs in the bottom of the second.
The Lobos hit two home runs later in the game to score their final three runs.
BYU struggled in the game, leaving many players on base and committing six errors.
Game two
Starting pitcher Chloe Temples locked in on New Mexico, retiring six-straight Lobos early.
BYU scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second with a hit from Mallory Barber to bring Marissa Chavez home.
The Cougars went off in the next inning. With the bases loaded, Alyssa Podhurcak hit a fly to center, getting out but scoring Martha Epenesa.
A walk to first reloaded the bases to allow Macy Simmons to hit a grand slam, the first of her career and the Cougars’ second grand slam of the year.
New Mexico scored its only run in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Huntyr Ava had a base hit to run one batter in and Brooke Hill-Barrington crushed a three-run home run to improve BYU’s lead 12-1 heding into the fifth.
Carley Brown quickly retired all three New Mexico batters and the game ended with the mercy rule giving BYU the 12-1 win after five innings.
Game three
Epenesa started the final game of the series with a double play at first to get two players out.
BYU earned five runs at its first at-bat, with RBIs from Violet Zavodnik, HannahJo Peterson and Podhurcak.
It was a very quick three-and-out second inning for New Mexico before BYU headed back out to bat.
Ava smashed her 10th home run of the season driving in three runs in the second.
Peterson then hit a triple to drive in two more runs, putting the Cougars up 10-0.
New Mexico scored its only run in the top of the third.
Ava, Chavez and Emma Andrewjeski added RBIs and Peterson hit to score two runs and increase BYU’s lead to 15-1 at the bottom of the third.
The Cougars quickly retired three Lobo runners in the fourth and then turned around to score two with a single from Hill-Barrington.
BYU closed the fifth with three outs to win in mercy-rule fashion 17-1, winning the series 2-1.
The Cougars improve to 24-8 with the win and will take on the University of Utah on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
