BYU softball team headed to NCAA Super Regionals

PROVO — Start out with an accomplished program that has been building a winning tradition for a decade. Add in a few experienced players with fabulous numbers both in the field and at the plate. Then throw a freshman shortstop from Hollister, Calif., in the pot to top it off, and you have a trip to the NCAA Softball Super Regionals for the first time ever.

Yes, J.C. Clayton jumped at the chance to come to BYU, and the Cougars were thrilled to get her, even before she won Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year honors and went 8-for-10 at the plate against some tough pitching in their regionals competition in Texas. Her performance helped push the Cougars beyond that threshold that's held them back several times during the past several years.

"She's just hard-nosed. Pressure doesn't get to her. She's one of the coolest players I've ever been around," noted BYU coach Gordon Eakin of the freshman that's been making so much noise for the Cougars this season.

"You don't even know she's a freshman. She's just money," he added about the player, whose sacrifice fly at the end of the game against No. 7 Texas propelled BYU to a 9-8 victory and into the regional championship game against Conference USA champion East Carolina.

And Clayton really does seem to ooze confidence both out on the field and when talking about the game. Some awfully tough pitching down in Austin, Texas, didn't seem to phase her, and even her superb .800 batting average in the tournament wasn't high in her mind.

"I felt comfortable, really confident. I liked the pitching," she noted of the tough freshman pitcher for Texas, who helped lead the Longhorns to the No. 7 ranking in the country, and the East Carolina pitcher that only gave up one run (to the Cougars) in 14 games before BYU started knocking her around in the championship finale, which wound up being an 8-3 win by the Cougars.

It's all in a day's work for the unflappable freshman, who did admit that she had a tiny case of nerves when starting her first playoff game with BYU.

"I was a little nervous but mostly excited. Once we got past the first couple of innings, I was better," said the shortstop, who's hoping to continue her hot hitting against this weekend's opponent, the Arizona Wildcats, who is ranked No. 10 in the tournament but as high as No. 3 in some polls.

The 5-foot-5 freshman slap hitter's numbers have been staggering, especially as the season moved ahead. She currently tops the team with a .430 batting average and has a team-leading 77 hits this season. And her .477 on-base percentage places her only behind impressive slugger Angeline Quiocho for team honors.