BYU softball team headed to Texas for NCAA tourney

PROVO — The BYU Cougars are heading to the NCAA Regionals in Austin, Texas. But the fact that the Cougars won the Mountain West Conference softball crown and is heading to the tournament is no longer news for BYU coach Gordon Eakin.

"Making the NCAA tournament and winning the conference championship is something we expect," said Eakin as his team is traveling to Texas to compete in its sixth straight NCAA regional tournament.

The team's goal right now is to compete in its first game against East Carolina on Thursday and come away with a victory.

"East Carolina is a scrappy team. They play from the first pitch to the last pitch, and they have a good rise ball pitcher. They will provide a good challenge," said Eakin.

What he's really hoping is that his team comes to play that evening, wins the game and has the chance to take on No. 7 Texas the next day for a chance to knock off the highly ranked hosts.

"Texas is a veteran team with an excellent freshman strikeout pitcher who moves the ball well. They have a good offense, and they're tough at home. They pose a real challenge if we first get by East Carolina," said Eakin.

Meanwhile, the Cougars are on a real roll at the moment, winning 13 of their last 14 games and finishing up the season at 43-10, their fifth consecutive 40-plus win season.

"We're a good enough team to overcome things, but as of the last month, we've been more consistent. We're peaking at the right time, and we're completely healthy," said Eakin, who did note that pitcher Christie Zinanti is still always in a day-to-day battle with a back and rib injury she's been suffering from all year. But if Zinanti feels fine on a game-day, then she helps the Cougars provide a strong one-two punch from the circle.

Paige Affleck will be leading the Cougars into the battle, and the junior has been pitching well all season long. She made the All-MWC team along with five teammates this season, which gave BYU more players on the all-conference team than any other squad.

But perhaps the most impressive offensive presence on the BYU team is Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Angeline Quicho, who leads the nation with 27 home runs, 84 RBIs and a 1.006 slugging percentage. She's hit a whopping .427 this season and gave the Cougars their seventh Player of the Year in the past eight seasons.