Cougars nip Utes for 13th straight

PROVO — Athletes are renowned for being superstitious, but now BYU's softball team can cross off the No. 13 on their list of unlucky numerals as they notched their 13th straight win.

The Cougars (33-16, 10-2 Mountain West) broke their previous record of 12 straight wins after their 4-3 extra-inning victory over Utah (22-22-1, 2-10) on Saturday afternoon.

"I was a little leery before the game because it's hard to beat a team four times in a row," BYU coach Gordon Eakin said. "They (the Utes) had nothing to lose, and we had everything to lose."

Emi Snow's deep sacrifice fly to left brought Jennifer Whiteley home from third for the game-winner in the eighth. Whiteley started off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on Jodi Norton's double.

"Everyone did well," Snow said of the eighth inning. "Norton with that double and Jen started off the inning great."

Christie Zinanti (15-6) earned the win in relief for the Cougars, coming in for Christina Gwyn in the seventh. Gwyn kept the game in check as she retired 10 straight Ute batters while pitching six innings.

Karina Cannon (6-8) went the distance for Utah in the loss, notching six strikeouts and retiring 13 BYU batters in a row to stifle their bats in the middle innings.

Snow had two RBIs, and Norton hit 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead BYU's charge. Hailey Davenport went 3-for-4 in her at-bats, pacing the Utes on offense despite committing two errors on defense.

Snow and Whiteley combined early in the game to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Whiteley's bunt single put her on. Snow hit a hard grounder to third, and Davenport overthrew first to give Whiteley time to score as she hustled around the bases.

Utah broke through in the sixth when Diana Phillips lined a pitch to center to score Kristie Keller. Andrea Hoffman's RBI single to left scored the go-ahead run. Phillips was out at home on the play on a great throw by Whiteley.

BYU evened the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Norton's homer made it just over the left field wall.

"Lately we have been coming back, and it has been a huge confidence booster," Snow added.

Utah's Kara Foster cranked a homer in the top of the seventh to give Utah a 3-2 lead in the seventh.

The Cougars tied the game at three in their turn in the seventh with Daniela Snow's home run to lead off the inning.

Bad blood ensued with Tracee Hoch's at-bat, as words were exchanged and the coaches from both teams came on the field.

The situation calmed down and, later in the frame, Cannon got the strikeout with a runner on third to send the game into extra innings.