PROVO — Home runs were plentiful for BYU and Southern Utah as the two teams used eight blasts between the two to split a doubleheader 5-10 and 10-1 Tuesday at Miller Park. The Cougars are now 24-14 on the season.

SUU came from behind to take game one, defeating the Cougars 10-5, with seven runs coming in the sixth inning when the Thunderbirds hit four home runs off Brooke Boyce-Humbert. SUU had nine hits compared to BYU's seven and had just one error to three for the Cougars.

Corie Jensen (6-7) went the distance on the mound for the Thunderbirds and earned the win.

Marci Pratt went 3-4 with one home run and two RBI to lead Southern Utah and Rodeo Carli added one three-run homer. Ianeta Le'i led the Cougars with two RBI on 2-4 hitting.

Southern Utah struck first in game one, scoring two unearned runs in the first inning on a single by Amy Sauer. With one out, the Thunderbirds then loaded the bases when Cassie Cresswell reached on an error and the next two batters singled. Neiderhouser then grounded to Urincho who threw to Nix for the out at home. Sauer was the next batter and she knocked a single to right field to score the two runs.

BYU came alive in the second, scoring four runs on four hits, two walks and an error. With runners on first and second, Jodi Norton cleared the bases by sending one deep to right field for a triple. She was sent home by the next batter, Nix, who had a single that hit the left field line. After two walks and a fly out by Andrea Ramirez, Lei hit an infield single that score Nix.

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Southern Utah struck back in the third, scoring an unearned run off a hit by Pratt. Cresswell led off the inning with a single and then stole second. Pratt then singled to left center and Whiteley fumbled the ball, giving Cresswell time to reach home from third.

Both teams went without scoring in the fourth and fifth but Southern Utah caught fire in the sixth, scoring seven runs on four homeruns hit to the same spot in left field. The first was a three-run shot by Rodeo Carli off Boyce-Humbert, who replaced Daniella Urincho at the top of the fourth. After a ground out and a walk, the Thunderbirds hit back-to-back-to-back homers, including Pratt's three-run shot and solo dingers by Hall and Niederhouser.Le'i led off the seventh with a homer to center but Jensen retired three of the next four batters to end the inning and the game.

Boyce-Humber came back strong in the second game, going the distance while giving up only one run on three hits to silence SUU's hot bats.

"Brooke (Boyce-Humbert) gave us a great effort today," BYU coach Gordon Eakin said. "She came out and competed well. She came back in the second game and gave us a great effort." The Cougars will resume conference play Thursday April 13, when they hit the road for a doubleheader at New Mexico. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m. respectively.

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