The sun had barely begun to dip behind the Wasatch Mountains when the BYU Cougars sealed their most emphatic rivalry win in recent memory. A 6-inning, mercy-rule victory over the University of Utah Utes wasn’t just another notch in the win column—it was a statement. The Cougars, who entered the rivalry series with a chip on their shoulder and fire in their bats, completed a sweep that left fans on both sides stunned and the scoreboard glowing with authority: BYU 9, Utah 1.
From the very first pitch at Gail Miller Field in Provo, there was a crackle in the air—part anticipation, part payback. The Cougars had dropped three of their last five rivalry games, and head coach Gordon Eakin made it clear to his team that this year, things would be different.
It started with junior pitcher Hallie Jacobs, who was untouchable through five innings. With a lethal mix of rise balls and off-speed pitches, Jacobs struck out seven Utes and allowed just two hits. Her command on the mound echoed through the Utah dugout with every missed swing.
But the real fireworks came from the bat of senior slugger Ava Pritchard. In the bottom of the third, with two on and two out, Pritchard launched a towering shot over left-center that cleared the scoreboard—an emphatic three-run homer that opened the floodgates. She rounded the bases with the swagger of someone who had waited years for this moment, greeted at home plate by a roaring dugout and chants of “Cougar Strong.”
Utah never recovered. BYU’s offense continued its assault in the fourth and fifth innings with back-to-back RBI doubles from freshmen Mia Santiago and Talia Reed, both of whom seemed undaunted by the magnitude of the rivalry. The Cougars ran the bases aggressively, capitalized on Utah’s defensive miscues, and outplayed their rivals in every facet of the game.
The mercy-rule was triggered in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore Elena Malek slapped a sharp single into right field to bring in the ninth run, ending the game early and igniting a wave of cheers from the Cougar faithful. Fireworks cracked overhead as the team poured out of the dugout to celebrate.
For BYU, this was more than just a win—it was a reclaiming of dominance in a heated rivalry. It was a showcase of grit, chemistry, and resilience, a program on the rise, and a team unified in purpose. And for Utah? It was a sobering reminder that in rivalry games, emotion fuels performance—and the Cougars had plenty to burn.
As the team huddled at home plate under a sky slowly turning crimson, one could almost hear the echo of a new battle cry: The Cougs are back—and they came to finish what they started.
