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UVU freshman Avery Sapp throws a pitch during the non-league game against BYU at Wolverine Field in Orem on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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UVU freshman Avery Sapp signals to her team during the non-league game against BYU at Wolverine Field in Orem on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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UVU junior Angelique Mann catches a fly ball during the non-league game against BYU at Wolverine Field in Orem on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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UVU players talk things over during the non-league game against BYU at Wolverine Field in Orem on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU sophomore Hailey Morrow slides safely into home base during the non-league game against BYU in Orem on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The UVU softball team hadn’t beaten neighbor BYU since 2021 and for the first two-and-a-half innings of Tuesday’s battle at Wolverine Field in Orem, it looked like the Cougar winning streak would continue.

BYU notched a pair of runs in the top of the first, a pair in the second and another in the third to build a 5-0 lead.

But after the UVU bats got hot in the bottom of the third and the Wolverines seized the lead, UVU turned to freshman pitcher Avery Sapp to close out the victory for the home team.

“After my past few outings, I’ve been working really hard in the bullpen,” Sapp said. “I made a promise to myself that if I did get put in the game that I was going to redeem myself and be better for my team. I’d been struggling and it was more of the mental side of it. I made it a goal to not talk down on myself that game.”

There were some tense moments when the Cougars put together a big seventh-inning rally by in the end, Sapp and the Wolverines got the job done as UVU secured the 12-10 victory.

“I have two former high school teammates on BYU, so it was fun to beat them,” Sapp said. “BYU didn’t recruit me but that wasn’t something I was thinking about. I just wanted to win because we were better.”

Wolverine head coach Cody Thomson said he was proud of how his team competed, particularly with how they strung together big hits to put up 10 runs in the third.

“To put up 10 runs, I don’t think most people realize how hard that it,” Thomson said. “They are throwing up, they’re throwing down, they’re throwing lots of changeups. To be able to make adjustments really fast is hard. And that’s a whole team right there. That’s a team doing it collectively and that’s how we’re winning ballgames.”

UVU got big games at the plate from Halle Morris, who had a three-run homer in the big third inning, and from Payge Armendariz, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

“Payge has been on fire for two weeks now,” Thomson said. “She’s just lighting it up. Every time she gets out, I’m surprised. That’s fun.”

As far as his pitching decision, Thompson explained that he decided to give the ball to Sapp and keep it in her hands because he needed her to see what she is capable of accomplishing.

“I need her to know that she can do it,” Thomson said. “I knew I was going to leave her out there for as long as I could. I need her to know that she’s great. She has good stuff. She just needs to believe.”

Sapp said she is having to adapt to the challenges but she is enjoying college softball.

“It’s a big commitment,” Sapp said. “It’s very different than high school. You have to be on top of your grades and classes aren’t that easy. Every single day you’ve got weights in the morning and practice afterwards. There are no breaks. You’re going all day with weights, practice and homework, repeat, repeat, repeat. It’s a big difference but it’s fun. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’m enjoying it a lot.”

UVU now heads on the road for a series at UT Arlington, while BYU is off to Oklahoma to face the top-ranked Sooners.

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