No. 25 BYU blanks East Carolina, 1-0

The Pirates will play Iona in an elimination game on Friday at 6 p.m.

East Carolina and No. 25 BYU opened the 2010 Road to Oklahoma City with a well-played pitcher’s duel on Thursday evening in the Austin, TX regional.

Pirate pitcher Toni Paisley, who leads the nation with 21 shutouts, pitched well. However, a momentary loss of control in the fourth inning during which she hit consecutive batters, helped BYU push across the game’s only run and go on to a 1-0 win.

Neither team had a base runner until Cougars’ pitcher Paige Affleck plunked Priscilla Velasquez with one out in the top of the third.

The Pirates (42-17) produced the game’s first threat in the fourth when Marina Gusman-Brown singled with two outs, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Cougar catcher Purcell-Fitu. She would, however, be stranded there as Cristen Aona grounded out to third to end the scoring opportunity.

Paisley had retired the Cougars in order in the first three frames, but BYU got something going in the fourth when Kristin Delahoussaye led off with a single and J.C. Clayton followed with a bunt single. The Pirates’ junior hurler retired the next two batters—which included Angeline Quiocho. However, she would proceed to hit Davis-Atagi and Purcell-Fitu to force in what would prove to be the game’s winning run.

BYU (44-11) threatened in the fifth, but Paisley held the Pirates’deficit at 1-0 when she struck out Quiocho with runners on the corners.

Sumner started the Pirates’ best scoring chance in the sixth. The senior delivered a one out double to left center. Next, Christina Merrida walked to put two on with just one down. After Vanessa Moreno grounded out to first to advance the runners, it looked as though Marina Gusman-Brown had tied the game with a single. However, Merrida was called for runner’s interference and the scored remained, 1-0.

The Cougars threatened again in the sixth when Purcell-Fitu tripled to right field, but Paisley escaped when she got Willard to foul out left field.

The Pirates received a one out single from Sissy Jiminez in the seventh, but couldn’t move her to tie the game.

ECU was led at the plate by Marina Gusman-Brown’s 2-for-3 day.

J.C. Clayton went 2-for-3 for the Cougars.

BYU starter Paige Affleck allowed just four hits in her complete game shutout.

The Pirates will continue regional play on Friday when they face Iona in an elimination game at 6 p.m. BYU will meet host and No. 7 Texas in the winner’s bracket contest. The Longhorns defeated Iona, 6-0, in Thursday’s night cap.