Senior Maggie Balint was dealing — as she does — on the mound for the Aztecs (11-6), striking out seven batters in five innings, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk. Her efforts wouldn’t be enough to stop Brigham Young University (10-4), as the Scarlet and Black fell 2-1 in eight innings.
Balint and freshman DeeDee Hernandez and BYU senior Autumn Moffat-Korth — who pitched into the seventh inning — were pitching eye-to-eye, giving up one run each in the first seven innings. Both runs would come in the fifth inning.
Naturally, the away team would strike first. BYU senior Marrisa Chaves’ single was quickly followed by an RBI single from junior Alyssa Podhurcak, giving the Cougars the 1-0 lead. The Aztecs came up to bat in the bottom half of the inning, and tied things up with a fielder’s-choice by senior Nicole Siess drove home sophomore Makena Brocki who tripled the at bat prior.
Balint would be taken out after the fifth inning with the game tied at one and Hernandez heading to the mound for the Scarlet and Black. She would pitch 2.2 scoreless frames before sophomore Violet Zavodnik pounced on the first pitch she saw and launched it for a two-out, go-ahead, solo home run in the eighth inning. The Aztecs would have no answer in the bottom half, ending the game with BYU on top 2-1.
Hernandez would be responsible for the loss, despite pitching a solid three innings where she struck out three batters and allowed just the one run on four hits. Moffat-Korth would pitch six frames, striking out five Aztecs while allowing one run on five runs and five hits.
The win was rewarded to junior Chloe Temples, who pitched two perfect innings while striking out two. Moffat-Korth gave the Aztecs opportunities to score, but the Scarlet and Black failed to capitalize. They’ll look to take advantage of the opportunities given to them as they take on Cal at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3.
