BYU’s run in the NCAA softball tournament came to an end Friday night at the Stillwater (Okla.) Regional as the Cougars fell 6-4 to Tulsa in an elimination game.
BYU (30-26) had advanced earlier in the day with a 6-3 win over No. 22-ranked Arkansas, but could score only four runs on 12 hits against Tulsa. The Cougars stranded 10 baserunners in the season-ending loss, including four in the final two innings.
Tulsa will meet host Oklahoma State on Saturday needing to beat the Cowgirls twice to advance to a Super Regional. OSU downed BYU 3-1 on Thursday night.
Erin Miklus drove in two runs and was 2 for 3 at the plate for BYU against the Golden Hurricane, while Taylei Williams and Arissa Paulson also had multiple singles.
Paulson took the loss, dropping her season record to 15-12.
In Friday’s first game, Rylee Jensen hit two solo home runs and Autumn Moffat threw a five-hitter for the Cougars. Moffat got the surprise start and struck out two in a complete-game performance to improve to 13-11 on the season.
The Cougars jumped out to a 5-0 lead, then watched as No. 7 hitter Haydi Bugarin belted a three-run homer in the top of the fifth for the Razorbacks.
Paulson got BYU started with a two-run single in the first inning. Jensen homered to left center in the third, and the Cougars scored two unearned runs in that frame to take the 5-0 lead.
The Razorbacks committed three errors after committing five in a first-round loss to Tulsa.
For BYU, Miklus and Paulson collected two hits apiece and Lex Tarrow and Emilee Erickson drove in runs.