BYU softball: Grand slam closes out win over CSU

PROVO — Amanda Vance-Kellum, hitting in the eighth spot, smashed a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday, giving the Cougars a 12-4 lead over Colorado State and ending the game an inning early due to the NCAA softball eight-run rule.

The Sandy product finished things off by sending one over the center field fence, bringing home Tiffany Messerschmidt, Jessica Purcell-Fitu and Delaney Willard in addition to herself and finishing off what was merely a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The now 34-10 Cougars, 7-2 in Mountain West Conference play, came into the game seeking revenge against the Rams after dropping a shocker in Fort Collins earlier this season. And they did everything they could to get that game back and keep up with their goal of not losing another conference game all season.

BYU hit for the cycle as a team, throwing a little bit of everything at CSU.

The Cougars picked up their first run in the second after Caschjen Davis-Atagi doubled to the fence in left and was singled home by Jessica Dugas, who picked up the RBI on a hopper to the middle of the infield.

The Cougars added another pair on a walk to J.C. Clayton that was followed up by a torpedo over the center field fence by Angeline Quiocho. For a long time it looked like that would be plenty. But the Cougars were happy they brought home three more in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Willard, a single by Dugas and a triple down the first base line by Kristin Delahoussaye, who picked up two RBIs before Andrea Ramirez was walked with the bases loaded, bringing home the Cougars' sixth run of the contest.

But all wasn't roses for the Cougars as the Rams got four back after loading the bases for Allison Majan, who hit the first grand slam of the game for CSU.

The Cougars still find themselves standing alone atop the MWC standings with San Diego State and UNLV looming just behind with the same number of losses (2) in the loss column.

The CSU game marked the first game of the Cougars' final MWC homestand of the season. They play 0-8 New Mexico in a pair on Friday and Saturday to finish off their conference games this season.

Games against their biggest rivals in the Aztecs and Rebels remain on the road with the final road contest coming at Utah. The Cougars have a few non-conference games interspersed and will see Utah Valley at Gail Miller Field on May 12 for their final regular season game.

e-mail: jolsen@desnews.com