PROVO — A ninth-inning Huntyr Ava grand slam lifted BYU softball to a 17-15 victory over Houston in game two of a doubleheader and the series finale at Gail Miller Field on Friday night.

Facing an 8-0 deficit after the top of the first inning, the Cougars (20-13, 4-8 Big 12) clawed back to tie and take the lead and then eventually force extras, paving the way for Ava to end the game in walk-off fashion.

BYU hit five total home runs in the contest, two solo shots and two three-run jacks to go along with Ava’s slam. With the win, the Cougars earned a doubleheader split with Houston to take the series, 2-1, picking up their first Big 12 series win in program history.

Houston jumped on BYU in the first inning, batting through the order as it scored eight runs on four hits and two errors.

BYU cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first with walks by Ailana Agbayani and Maddie Bejarano before a three-run homer from Violet Zavodnik to left field. It tacked on one more as a Keila Kamoku single scored Lily Owens, making in 8-4, Houston.

Houston added another run in the second on two singles to left, a wild pitch, walk to lead 9-4.

Zavodnik and Owens both singled in the bottom of the third, with Zavodnik scoring on a Houston throwing error after a line out for a 9-5 score.

BYU exploded for seven runs in the fourth to tie and take the lead, its first of the game. Hailey Morrow led off with a full-count home run to left center before BYU scored on four consecutive at-bats: a Huntyr Ava single, Owens double, Maddie Udall single and no doubter long bomb by Keila Kamoku, a three-run shot that made it 12-9, BYU.

Houston got two runs back in the top of the fifth inning with two singles, two ground outs and a double that cut the BYU lead to one, at 12-11.

Houston homered in the seventh to retake the lead, going in front 13-12, but Agbayani answered back with a two out solo shot to even things up at 13, sending the game into extras.

Both teams had their chances in the eighth, including a two-on no-out opportunity for BYU, but neither could scratch the winning run across.

Houston took control in the top of the ninth on three singles and a hit by pitch, gaining a 15-13 advantage.

BYU loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth after Taryn Lennon and Zavodnik walks, and a Tristen Turlington single. With Ava up to bat and a 2-0 count, the first baseman smacked a line drive over the left field wall, walking it off for BYU with a grand slam, its seventh of the season, sealing the extra inning victory and its first Big 12 series win.

BYU will remain at home to face Utah Tech in a midweek game on Tuesday at 5 p.m. before heading out to Orlando for a three-game series at UCF.

Former BYU runner places 37th at World Cross Country Championships

BYU senior distance runner Christian Allen placed fourth for Team USA at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday morning.

“I feel very blessed to be able to represent the United States on the world stage in such a big event like the World Cross Country Championships,” said Allen postrace. “All things considered, having come off the diagnosis of bilateral stress reactions in my femurs just nine weeks ago, I couldn’t be more grateful for God helping me get to this point. Overall, I’m happy with how I finished and proud of my teammates giving it all out there.”

Allen finished the course in 29:54.00 as the fourth American across the line and 37th overall. Team USA took seventh in the competition. The course required runners to navigate through hay bales and over two small bridges. The Cougar from West Jordan, Utah finished just behind his American teammate Ahmed Muhumed who crossed a second before and finished in 36th.

“Anytime you are representing your country in an international competition is a moment to be proud of,” said BYU director of track and field Ed Eyestone. “Christian qualified for the sixth and final spot on the team, so to finish in fourth is fantastic. He should be very proud. Anytime you put on a USA uniform, a sense of pride comes with that. He delivered and represented both the United States and BYU very well.”

In his final season with the Cougars, Allen most recently competed for BYU track and field in the 3000-meter at the 2023 BYU December Invitational. Without further collegiate cross country eligibility, Allen dove into the trail running circuit in 2023 and won the Speedgoat 50k at the 2023 Speedgoat Mountain Races presented by UTMB. He finished first overall on the Wasatch Mountains course with a time of 5:23.37.

The Cougar qualified for the World Cross Country Championships on Team USA on Jan. 20, after finishing sixth at the USATF Cross Country Championships in Richmond, Virginia. He notched the last spot with a time of 29:27.0.

Tidwell-Allphin gets second in high jump

Senior Cierra Tidwell Allphin placed second in the women’s high jump clearing 1.83-meters/6-0 Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.

“The conditions and competition were ideal for Cierra today,” said jumps and multis coach Tiffany Hogan. “She put together another meet with a six foot clearance and was incredibly close to clearing the next height. I am very pleased with how she competed today.”

Tidwell Allphin’s clearance marks the 13th competition of her collegiate career in which she has cleared at least six feet. She currently ranks No. 2 on BYU’s all-time outdoor record board with her 1.88m/6-2 clearance at the 2023 Mt. Sac Relays.

BYU men’s tennis loses to Baylor

Jack Barnett and Wally Thayne recorded ranked singles wins Saturday night at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts as BYU men’s tennis fell 4-2 to No. 27 Baylor on Senior Night.

Barnett’s dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over No. 50 Tadeas Paroulek marked the senior’s first career top-50 ranked win in dual match play. Wally Thayne’s three-set triumph over No. 74 Zsombor Velcz (5-7, 6-4, 6-4) gave the junior his third ranked win in Big 12 play, most recently defeating Texas’ No. 53-ranked duo on Thursday with teammate Zach Fuchs.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team today,” said assistant coach Jonathan Sanchez. “They competed to the best of their ability under some very difficult circumstances brought on by Baylor. Though we didn’t get the win today, we kept our composure and showed the highest level of professionalism.”

Cougar men’s golf comes in sixth

The BYU men’s golf team finished sixth at 8-over-par with rounds of 280-288-280-848 at The Goodwin after three days of play this week at TPC Harding Park in Palo Alto, Calif. Peter Kim and Keanu Akina finished in the top 25.

The Cougars will next play at The Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz, California, on April 15-17.

BYU men’s swimming concludes NCAA championships

BYU men’s swimming closed the 2023-24 season with three final events at the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Brad Prolo and Jordan Tiffany competed in the Cougars’ final individual events, while Tiffany returned with Diego Camacho Salgado, Joshua Reed and Luigi Riva in the 400 free relay.

BYU men’s swimming has now sent three individuals, each with three different entries, in three consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. Tiffany’s three in 2024 add to three from Prolo in 2023 and another trio of entries credited to Tanner Nelson in 2022.

Cougar women’s tennis sweeps homestand

No. 51 BYU women’s tennis defeated No. 54 TCU 4-3 Saturday afternoon for its second consecutive victory, completing a Big 12 two-match homestand sweep at the Outdoor Tennis Courts.

“What a great weekend for our team! It’s so fun to watch these women believe in themselves and continue to grow in every match we play,” said assistant coach Gabby Curtis. “For the doubles point, we learned from Thursday and came out today with an intentional focus on our plan. We executed well, and that was huge momentum for us going into singles. Singles play was a battle like we knew it would be, but the toughness our players have worked hard to develop made the difference today. I’m so proud of the grit I am seeing from every individual on this team and the belief that has come from persistence and discipline. This is fun! Go Cougs!”

The Cougars improved to 14-4 overall and 6-3 in Big 12 play with the win. BYU earned its fourth victory of the season over a ranked opponent and has now won two consecutive matches. The Cougars’ six conference victories in 2024 are tied for the most conference victories in a season under head coach Holly Hasler since she began leading the program in 2018. BYU still has four conference matches remaining this season.

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