After defeating Louisville, 6-4, behind five RBIs from Libby Sugg to extend the team's season, BYU softball lost 2-0 to Nebraska in the NCAA Columbia Regional.
“I'm proud of the way our team fought today after a difficult night last night," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "I thought they came out and showed great character today. They played hard."
BYU finishes the 2016 campaign with a 36-20 record after making it to the NCAA regionals for the 12th-straight time.
McKenna Bull and Olivia Sanchez split the pitching duty, throwing five and three strikeouts, respectively. Sugg led the effort from the plate, hitting five RBIs on two hits in the first game, three of the RBIs coming from her 18th home run.
Game one
Sugg’s career-high five RBIs kept BYU’s postseason alive with a 6-4 win over Louisville in the Columbia Regional.
Gordy Bravo hit a single up the middle in the second pitch of the game to get things going for the Cougars. A sacrifice bunt from Lauren Bell advanced Bravo to second, and two walks loaded up the bases. Alexa Strid then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Bravo enough time to sprint home for the early 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals struck back in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer over the left field fence to go up 2-1 after one inning.
The top of the third saw Bell reaching on a single to right field. Ashley Thompson followed that up with a bunt spinning just in front of home plate to stay fair for another single. To take back the lead, Sugg hit a home run over left field to bring in three runs. BYU took the 4-2 advantage and forced a pitching change with no outs. The Cardinals’ pitcher, Maryssa Becker, struck out three to end the inning, leaving two stranded.
The Cougars went three up, three down in the top of the fifth. With two runners on for the Cardinals, Coco Tauali’i Bond made a tough defensive stop on a hit and gunned out the runner at first for the third out to end the fifth inning, holding Louisville to four-straight scoreless innings.
Coming off her great play on defense, Bond led off the sixth inning with a single popped right over third base to find the gap. Two-straight singles from Bravo and Bell loaded up the bases, then Thompson hit a fielder’s choice when the Cardinals’ defense threw out Bond at home plate, keeping the bases full. Sugg hit a single to the hole in left center to get Bravo and Bell home, extending the lead to 6-2.
Louisville responded in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer over left field to close in on the lead, 6-4, with two outs. Bull stopped the rally with her fourth strikeout of the game.
Despite a single from Caitlyn Larsen to start the seventh inning, BYU was unable to pad its lead, leaving Larsen stranded. However, the defense held strong to seal the 6-4 win, advancing to face Nebraska in another elimination game.
Game two
The Cougars got off to a rough start against the Huskers. The defense gave up two runs on four hits before getting the third out, going down 2-0 early on. Then the offense struggled, going three up, three down in the bottom of the first.
Sugg and Alexa Strid led off the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles. Emilee Erickson advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, just barely getting thrown out. However, Sugg and Strid were left stranded on third and second following two consecutive outs, keeping BYU scoreless.
In the top of the third, the Cougars retired the Cornhuskers in order behind two strikeouts from Olivia Sanchez. McKenzie St. Clair made it to third base in the bottom of the third after stealing second and sprinting to third after an overthrow. Bell put down a squeeze bunt to get St. Clair home, but the tag was made at home, preventing the run.
After hitless and scoreless innings in the third and fourth for both teams, Nebraska threatened to score in the top of the fifth. BYU held though with Sugg catching the third out popped up at home plate. The Cougars were then taken down in order, however, after all three batters flew out to the outfield.
BYU got three quick outs in the top of the seventh to get up to bat for the final rally. Despite their efforts, the Cougars fell short, falling 2-0 to the Huskers.