PUERTO VALLARTA, Mex. — BYU softball plated three runs in the second inning and held on to beat North Dakota State in game one of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, 3-2.

The Cougars (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the second inning that featured two singles, a double and a triple. They had at least one runner on in all but one inning and had chances to extend the lead, but it would ultimately hold up to keep them undefeated.

BYU opened up a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Lindy Milkowski led off with a single through the right side. Tristen Turlington roped a double into left center, scoring Milkowski’s pinch runner, Amiya Hernandez. Maddie Udall-Woolley then singled to score Turlington, and she would come home on an Aleia Agbayani triple for the three-run advantage.

The Cougars loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, but flew out on the first pitch of their next at-bat, squandering the opportunity.

North Dakota State got a run back in the fifth, stringing together a bloop single down the right field line, fielder’s choice, sacrifice bunt and groundout, making it 3-1, BYU.

The Cougars got at least one runner on in the fifth and sixth frames, but left them stranded, leaving eight on the base paths throughout the game.

NDSU threatened in the seventh, putting two runners aboard before a sacrifice bunt got them into scoring position. A sacrifice fly got the Bison with one, but after a walk, BYU induced a full-count comebacker to the pitcher to squeeze out the win.

On Deck

The Cougars will play game two of the PVCC on Thursday, Feb. 13 against Illinois State at 4 p.m. CST with streaming on FloCollege.