BYU softball secured an 8-5 victory over Utah Valley at Wolverine Field on March 24, with freshmen Kaiya Fabela and Rita Tavita each hitting solo home runs. The Cougars, now holding a record of 10-20 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play, took an early lead by scoring four runs in the first inning and maintained their advantage throughout the game.
The matchup was marked by strong offensive performances from several players. Tavita went three-for-four at the plate with a home run and three runs batted in, while Fabela contributed two hits including her second home run of the season and drove in two runs. Danica Acosta added two hits, Ilove’a Brittingham had one hit with an RBI, and Maddie Udall-Woolley also recorded a hit and an RBI.
Pitcher Hailey Shuler earned her fourth win of the season after pitching four innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs. Jada Villegas closed out the game for BYU to collect her third save of the year after pitching three innings with two strikeouts.
BYU’s offense started strong as they batted around their order in the first inning. Despite attempts by Utah Valley to close the gap—including a two-run homer that brought them within one run—the Cougars extended their lead through timely hitting in later innings. In addition to homers from Fabela in the fourth inning and Tavita in the fifth, BYU loaded the bases multiple times to add insurance runs late.
Looking ahead, BYU will host its first Big 12 Conference home series against Kansas at Gail Miller Field starting Thursday evening.
