BYU softball squad happy to be home

PROVO — The BYU softball team is glad to finally be home.

After the Cougars' customary 27-game road trip over 44 days, they're finally scheduled to play at Gail Miller Field in Provo in a doubleheader against Utah State today. Game times are 3 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.

After several successful seasons to back them up, the No. 25-ranked Cougars are continuing to improve year to year and come home with a 20-7 record out on the road against some of the toughest competition out there. They have played eight teams against teams in the NCAA Top 20, including No. 1 Washington and No. 2 Arizona, and they've played well against some and defeated some others along the way, leading to a ranking in the top 25.

Earlier this season, the Cougars came away with a 4-2 victory over No. 9 Stanford, which might be the most impressive win of any MWC team over a ranked opponent ever. Paige Affleck pitched the Cougars past the Cardinal and currently has a 14-5 record this season, well on her way to another 20 victories, and carries a current ERA of 2.39. She was named MWC pitcher of the week last week for her victory over Stanford and two other wins.

She's not the only BYU athlete that has garnered MWC honors, as Angeline Quiocho has been named MWC Player of the Week twice. She leads the team with a .463 batting average, 37 hits, 11 doubles and nine home runs.

Andrea Ramirez leads the team with 30 RBIs and holds onto an impressive .981 fielding percentage. Six BYU players are currently hitting over .300 for the season, including Quiocho, freshman J.C. Clayton, Ramirez, freshman Alexandra Hudson, Jessica Purcell-Fitu and Kristin Delahoussaye. Freshman pitcher Hannah Howell has also been playing well for the Cougars so far this season.

The Cougars are currently riding a four-game win streak and hope to just keep extending it, as their only losses this year have come to ranked opponents.

And now, they're finally home to face the Aggies in a doubleheader before heading south to St. George for yet another tournament this weekend. They'll then arrive back in the friendly confines of Miller Field for three more games next week.

e-mail: jolsen@desnews.com