Courtesy BYU Photo

BYU softball defeated Utah Tech 4-3 at Gail Miller Field on Wednesday evening behind first baseman Huntyr Ava’s 2 RBI and a solo home run.

The Cougars (25-13, 4-2 WCC) registered seven hits on the day to the Trailblazers’ six while leaving a total of eight runners on base. Maddie Bejarano and Ailana Agbayani drove in a run each for the Cougars. Kaysen Korth went the distance for BYU on the hill, striking out four and allowing six hits, for her 13th win of the season.

After a 1-2-3 inning by Korth, the Cougars threatened early in the bottom of first, as they would load the bases with the help of Hailey Morrow’s single. A groundout to third, however, helped get the Trailblazers out of the inning.

The first hit of the game for Utah Tech came in the form of a double, followed by a single to take an early 1-0 lead on the Cougars. BYU responded with Alexis Gilio getting in scoring position, but a line out to short would strand the fourth runner of the game through the first two innings.

Following a home run by Utah Tech to take a 2-0 lead, Ava responded with her team-leading 10th homer of the year to cut into the Utah Tech lead at 2-1. BYU was able to get two more base runners on in the inning before a strikeout stranded another two to end the bottom half of the third inning.

After getting out of the top-half of the fourth inning with no runs allowed, the Cougar bats came alive, as they would string together three-straight hits and score three runs to take a 4-2 lead. Agbayani singled up the middle after a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, scoring pinch runner Lauren Flanders from second. Following the hit, Bejarano doubled to left center, scoring Agbayani. Ava’s big day continued, as her single scored Bejarano to give BYU the 4-2 lead through four innings.

After threatening again in the fifth, the Cougars were unable to add to their lead after getting three more baserunners on, stranding two to end the inning. In the sixth inning, the Trailblazers cut into the Cougar lead with a single through the left side to make it a 4-3 game.

Korth proved to be too much in the 7th inning, shutting down the Utah Tech offense to finish her 11th complete game of the year.

BYU will continue its nine game homestand as it gets set to face conference foe San Diego on Friday and Saturday, April 28-29. Friday’s doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. MDT, with Saturday’s first pitch coming at Noon. All three games will be streamed on the BYUtv app.

Mateo nabs third straight NCAA Regional berth

INDIANAPOLIS — BYU’s All-WCC golfer, Allysha Mae Mateo, was selected to compete at the NCAA San Antonio Regional on May 8-10, the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee announced Wednesday.

“Allysha Mae had one of the best seasons in our program’s history and she is very deserving of a chance to compete at the NCAA Regional,” said BYU head coach Carrie Roberts. “She was such a consistent player for us throughout the season and I’m glad she gets a chance to finish her career by competing for a regional title.”

The NCAA San Antonio Regional will be held at TPC San Antonio, the host of the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open. Greg Norman designed the par-72 track in conjunction with Sergio Garcia, which measures 6,624 yards and will provide a strong test to some of the nation’s top golfers in the 54-hole regional championship.

To advance to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club later in May, Mateo must finish as the low individual, not on an advancing team.

“I’m thrilled that Allysha gets to compete at an NCAA Regionals one last time,” said BYU assistant coach Lea Garner. “She had a great year and has all the skills and determination to post a low number and advance to the national championship.”

The fifth-year senior finished tied for 10th at last week’s WCC Championship to conclude a 2022-23 campaign in which she picked up her second collegiate win at the Miami Hurricane Invitational. Mateo also picked up 10 top-25 finishes, eight top 15s and four top 5s en route to earning her third-straight trip to an NCAA Regional.

The Hawai’i native finished runner-up at the USF Intercollegiate, third at the FAU Paradise Invitational, fifth at the Causeway Invitational, sixth at the San Diego State Classic, ninth at the Avenue Spring Break Classic, 10th at the Riverside Classic and WCC Championship and 11th at Juli Inkster Meadow Club Invitational.

Men’s tennis earns honors

The West Coast Conference has announced the men’s tennis 2023 All-Conference awards, with BYU’s Jack Barnett and Wally Thayne receiving recognition for their performance this year. Barnett and Thayne both received WCC Singles All-Conference honorable mention, while the duo was named together to the WCC Doubles All-Conference Second Team.

The awards mean BYU now has 34 All-Conference honors after 11 men’s tennis seasons in the West Coast Conference. Thayne is a repeat honoree after receiving the same singles award last season, while Barnett was Doubles First Team and Singles Second Team in 2021.