OREM, Utah – BYU scored nine unanswered runs en route to a 9-2 victory over Utah Valley University in a non-conference midweek contest between the neighboring foes on Tuesday afternoon at Wolverine Field.
 
"I thought that we did a decent job of piecing some things together, especially early in the game, but ultimately we needed to take of some little stuff here and there to get us the win," head coach Nikki Palmer said. "BYU is a great program and we knew that they were going to come in here looking for some vengeance. We were ready for that, but we've just got to some little things a bit better."
 
In a game that featured 15 hits, seven double plays and seven errors, UVU (14-27) got on the board first with a pair of first-inning runs. With two on and one out, freshman Jaylen Watson drove home both runs with a sharply hit double that rolled all the way to the wall to give the Wolverines an early 2-0 advantage.
 
BYU (26-8), who recorded 12 hits on the afternoon, struck back with a run in the second and four more in the third to take a 5-2 lead of its own. The Cougars then tacked on two more in the fourth, as well as a pair of late insurance runs in the seventh thanks to a two-run home run from pitcher Ashley Thompson to put the game away.
 
Just three weeks after UVU shutout Brigham Young in Provo, Thompson nearly returned the favor for the Cougars, as she gave up just three hits en route to the complete-game victory. Thompson (3-1) struck out three but walked seven for BYU in the contest.
 
With seven runners reaching via walks and three more on hit by pitches, Utah Valley had a number of chances to score in the ballgame. UVU couldn't manage to capitalize however, as it stranded eight runners on the base paths thanks to four double plays by the Cougar defense.
 
"We've got to be smarter on the base paths, and I think that hurt us a little bit today," added Palmer. "It was a bit uncharacteristic of us and is an easy fix."
 
Four players recorded two hits apiece in the contest for BYU and Mercedes O'Connor led the way with a 2-for-4 outing with three RBIs and two runs scored. Thompson was next for the Cougars by going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two runs driven home.
 
Watson paced the Wolverines with two hits and two runs batted in.
 
The contest marked the second of three season meetings between the Wolverines and Cougars. With each team winning a game so far this year, the rubber match will take place in the regular-season finale on May 5 at Gail Miller Field in Provo.
 
UVU will continue its seven-game homestand this weekend as it will return to conference play to host Seattle U in a three-game series. The weekend set will begin Friday, April 10 at 2 p.m. at Wolverine Field.