Utes Drop Tough Game to Cougars, 5-4

Friday, May 2

Salt Lake City, Utah

4:00 PM

University of Utah

BYU

5/2/2008 12:00 AM | Softball

May 2, 2008

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah softball team dropped a heartbreaker to BYU, 5-4, on Friday, May 2, at Ute Field in Salt Lake City.

Tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Utah's (26-22, 9-6 MWC) Kara Foster hit a two-run home run to give the Utes a 4-2 lead. Devina Quintero was also on base after a walk.

However, BYU (38-16, 11-4 MWC) rallied in the top of the seventh for a pair of home runs of their own, including a two-run shot from Daniella Snow, to take a 5-4 lead.

Utah rallied in the bottom of the seventh, with Meghan Crouse leading off the inning with a single to right field. She moved over on a ground out and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Quintero ended the game with a hard-hit ball that went directly to BYU right fielder Whitney Nix.

Utah's Ashley Smuda pitched out of several jams in the early innings. In the first inning, Amanda Vance reached base with a single and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. When Snow singled to left center, Vance was sent home but an accurate throw from Diana Phillips had her out at the plate. The Cougars also loaded the bases in the second inning before Smuda forced Caschjen Davis into a ground out to end the inning.

BYU scored the first run of the game in the fourth inning following a Utah throwing error. Davis reached base on the throwing error, while Angeline Quiocho scored on the play.

The Utes came back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Phillips led off the inning with a double down the left field line that barely stayed fair before Sharee Fonoti and Devina Quintero had back-to-back singles, with Quintero scoring Phillips. Angie Boardman also had an RBI single in the inning, scoring Quintero's pinch runner, Kelly Matthews.

The Cougars tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the sixth, with Davis hitting an RBI single to score Snow.

The Utes scattered six hits throughout the game. Foster was 1-for-3 with two RBI on the day.

Snow led BYU with a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI and two runs scored. Paige Affleck, who entered the game in the fourth inning, goes to 11-2 with the win. Christina Thrise started the game and gets her second save of the year.

BYU continues to hold the lead in the Deseret First Dual, 31-27.

BYU and Utah continue their series on Friday, May 3, at Ute Field beginning at 1:00 pm.