PROVO — BYU's softball squad picked up its second doubleheader sweep of the week Thursday night, topping Colorado State 10-6 and 10-3.
The two victories extended the Cougars' win streak to seven games, moving them to 27-16 on the year and 6-2 in conference play.
"We played well in every aspect of the game," said Cougar coach Gordon Eakin. "Our bats stayed alive and hot. We executed well. We're staying consistent with handling the pitch that we're given , and it's paying off."
Starters Christie Zinanti and Christina Gwyn picked up the complete-game victories for the Cougars, each struggling at first before settling in to end the game. In the first game, the two teams combined for seven home runs, with BYU knocking out four. An explosive fourth inning was the difference for the Cougars as they picked up seven runs on six hits in the inning. Emi Snow started things off with a solo home run as the inning's leadoff batter.
Angeline Quiocho and Monica Gonzales drove in runs on a double and a single, respectively, before Jodi Norton polished off the stanza with a two-run shot over the wall for an 8-3 lead and Norton's career-best and conference-leading 16th home run of the year.
In the fifth, the Rams scored three more courtesy of Allison Majam's second long ball of the game, cutting the deficit to 8-6. The Cougars iced the game in the bottom of the sixth, however, as catcher Cortney Nix-Clark sent a shot over the center field wall, good for two runs and the final 10-6 margin.
The Rams came out with bats swinging in the nightcap, knocking out nine hits over the first three innings and opening up a 3-1 lead off RBI singles by Majam and Ashley Munoz in addition to a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. For the rest of the game, however, Gwyn found her changeup and shut out the Rams.
Norton homered again in the first, and the Cougars took the lead for good in the fourth inning. Snow was again the catalyst, opening the third with a two-RBI triple to the left-center wall, driving Nix-Clark and Norton across the plate to tie the game 3-3. Andrea Ramirez then brought Snow home on a sacrifice fly to give BYU a 4-3 lead. In the fourth, Quiocho tallied her second homer of the evening, a solo shot that was the Cougars' sixth long ball of the night, providing a fitting celebration for the birthday she celebrated Thursday.
"Once someone's hot, everyone just feeds off of it," Quiocho said. "For birthdays, this one's probably my best one so far."
The Cougars would notch two more runs in the inning to widen their lead at 7-3. Three insurance runs in the sixth sealed it.