BYU softball lost to Washington 8-3 in its final game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday evening at Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California.
The Cougars (3-11) were able to close the gap early, making it a 3-2 game after the first inning and trailing by just one run after three innings. However, Washington scored four unanswered runs over the remainder of the contest.
Washington opened with three runs in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on one hit, three walks, three wild pitches, and a double steal attempt. BYU responded in the bottom half of the inning with solo home runs from Lily Owens and Ilove’a Brittingham. This forced an early pitching change for Washington.
In the second inning, Washington extended its lead to 4-2 using a walk, ground out, wild pitch, and single up the middle. BYU narrowed the deficit again in the third when Hailey Shuler doubled to center field and later scored following a walk by Maddie Udall-Woolley and a fielder’s choice from Tristen Turlington.
Washington added single runs in both the fifth and seventh innings as well as two more in the sixth. Their offense included a solo home run and a two-run shot during that stretch. The Huskies’ five-run advantage proved too much for BYU as their final ten batters were retired consecutively.
Hailey Shuler finished 2-for-3 with a double. Ilove’a Brittingham went 1-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Lily Owens was also 1-for-4 with a home run and one RBI.
BYU will travel back to California next week to compete in Cal State Fullerton’s Judi Garman Classic starting Thursday, February 26 against Cal State Fullerton at noon Pacific Time.
