Temples shines as BYU softball stuns Oklahoma State in Huge 12 Event opener

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — BYU softball was having fun with its first-ever journey to Oklahoma Metropolis for the Huge 12 softball event a lot that the Cougars figured they could as effectively keep.

Lily Owens went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for BYU, and Ailana Agbayani drove in three RBIs because the Cougars pounded out seven runs on seven hits en path to a 7-2 upset win over No. 2/3 Oklahoma State in a Huge 12 Event quarterfinal Thursday at Devon Park in Oklahoma Metropolis.

Starter Chloe Temples did the remaining.

The 5-foot-7 Stetson switch held the Cowgirls scoreless by means of 5 innings within the Cougars’ first Huge 12 Event look, fanning 4 batters early whereas spinning a three-hitter.

The senior southpaw scattered seven hits over seven innings, ending with six strikeouts to earn her tenth win of the season (10-6). Temples did not enable a single stroll, and compelled 11 pop-ups for simple outs with three groundball outs in BYU’s third win over a ranked opponent on the 12 months.

In different phrases, she put the ball in play after which “battled,” head coach Gordon Eakin mentioned.

“She competed and she or he fought in opposition to an excellent crew,” he informed the ESPN+ broadcast crew after the sport. “I am so pleased with the entire crew. We had our struggles within the season with accidents, however we’re again … and that is evident in the best way we got here out as we speak.”

A bubble crew for an at-large NCAA Event berth by most metrics getting into Thursday, Owens struck first as BYU (31-22) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings, and Agbayani stretched the result in 5-0 with a two-run single within the prime of the fourth.

Abbey Gillespie and pinch runner Taryn Lennon every scored a pair of unearned runs throughout a two-run sixth.

Ranked No. 3 within the NFC coaches ballot and No. 2 within the ESPN.com/USA Softball ballot, Oklahoma State snapped the shutout when Caroline Wang doubled to the hole in right-center, scoring Tallen Edwards from second within the backside of the sixth.

Rosie Davis singled to proper for one more rating within the inning, however Temples delivered an off-speed pitch on full depend for her sixth strikeout of the day to maintain the Cowgirls at bay and carry BYU into the convention semifinals.

“The subsequent spherical is tomorrow, proper? I will fear about that tonight,” Eakin deadpanned on the published. “However we now have to compete the identical method we competed as we speak. Numerous groups could be intimidated by the opponent you play. However I can say our ladies compete regardless of who they play.

“We’ll get pleasure from this crew in opposition to a cultured crew. Oklahoma State is so good.”

The Cougars will face the winner of No. 4 and second-seeded Oklahoma and seventh-seeded Kansas in Friday’s Huge 12 semifinals. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. MDT on ESPN+.