Strong defense and hot hitting lifted BYU to an 8-0 victory over Utah in MWC softball action Friday at Gail Miller Field.

The Cougars had 11 hits. Pitcher Christina Gwyn-Trice gave up only two hits and didn't walk anyone until the top of the fifth, when she gave up her only base on balls of the night. Shortstop Jessica Purcell went 2-for-2 and had three RBI, while Daniela Snow also went 2-for-2.¬ 

The Cougars got on the board in the second inning with the help of aggressive base running and four hits. Purcell had an RBI single, then the Cougars successfully executed a double steal, with Purcell taking second while Angeline Quiocho, who had been on third, stole home.

The Cougars scored again in the third inning with Snow and Stephanie Platt-Hopkins both hitting RBI singles, making it a 4-0 game.¬ BYU added to that in the fourth, as Kristin Delahoussaye doubled to open the ininng, and scored on Amanda Vance's single. Emi Snow-Willing added an RBI single, and Purcell added a two-run single to give BYU the 8-0 lead.

Gwin-Trice then sealed the win with a scoreless top of the fifth.

The Cougars and Utes square off again today at 2 p.m. at Miller Park.¬ 

• BYU women's golf: At Albuquerque, N.M., the BYU women's golf team shot an impressive 4-over-par in the second round of the MWCChampionships to help the Cougars remain in second place behind the host New Mexico. BYU is at 603, while 22nd-ranked New Mexico is at 589.

Sophomore Daphne Vines led the Cougars in Round 2 with a 1-under-par 72 Vines is tied for fifth at 149 overall.

Natalia Jimenez is the top Cougar, shooting a 74 Friday to total 147, tied for second. Juli Erekson also shot a 74 and is in at 153. (tied for eighth). Ashely Childers shot a 77 and is in at 155, while Jade Bollinger shot a 78 and is at 156. UNLV is third at 614, followed by TCU at 626, Wyoming 638, Colorado State 646 and San Diego State 654.

• BYU rugby: At Albuquerque, N.M., BYU advanced in the USA Rugby Collegiate Playoffs with a 48-22 victory over Dartmouth.

BYU faces San Diego State, a 32-15 winner over Arkansas State, in a Pool D match today at 1:30 p.m. An on-line feed of the game is available at www.usarugby.org.

• UVSC baseball: At Greeley, Colo., Utah Valley mounted a big ninth-inning comeback to force extra innings, but Air Force prevailed, beating the Wolverines 8-7 in 10 innings.

The Wolverines (7-25-1) scored five runs in the ninth after trailing 7-2, but the Falcons (12-22) scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th.

Kai Hatch and Scott Croshaw reached on consecutive bunt singles in the ninth. After a fly-out to center by Adam Openshaw, Aaron Brady doubled to right-center to score Hatch. Kevin Arensde then reached on an infield single, driving in Croshaw and sending Brady to third.After Jake Rickenbach walked to load the bases, Cole Anderson doubled, scoring Brady and Arendse, but Rickenbach was cut down at the plate trying to score the tying run. Ryan Jones then delivered the game tying single on a blooper into center to score Anderson,sending the game into extra innings.

The big rally went for naught though as Daniel Walker and Chay Derbigny hit back-to-back doubles to give Air Force a walk-off win in the 10th.

Anderson and Jones had three hits each while Hatch, Openshaw and Arendse all had two hits. Anderson and Arendse both drove in two runs apiece.

One of Arendse's runs batted in came when he hit his first career home run in the second to give UVSC an early 1-0 lead.

The two teams meet again today at 10 a.m. The Wolverines will then fact Northern Colorado at 2 p.m.

• BYU football: The Football Writers Association of America has announced senior offensive linemen Ray Feinga and Dallas Reynolds have been named to the 2008 Outland Trophy Watch List. Feinga and Reynolds are two of 70 linemen from around the country who have been named to the list.

Feinga (6-foot-5, 331-pounds) and Reynolds (6-5, 332) helped anchor the offensive line last season, providing pass protection for the nation's 25th ranked offense. BYU ranked 14th nationally in passing offense, averaging 298.4 yards per game and led the MWC in scoring, first downs, fourth-down conversions and time of possession on their way to a second consecutive league championship.

"Ray and Dallas bring a great deal of experience and athleticism to our offensive line," position coach Mark Weber said. "These two could possibly be the best guard-tackle combination in college football this season."

Feinga is from West Valley City and Reynolds prepped at Timpview High in Provo. BYU boasts two previous Outland Trophy winners, including defensive lineman Jason Buck (1986) and offensive lineman Mohammed Elewonibi (1989).

The 2008 Outland Trophy announcement will be on Dec. 11 in Orlando, Fla.

Six Cougars also earned preseason All-America honors from NationalChamps.net. The list includes Feinga and Reynolds, along with quarterback Max Hall, defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen, right end Dennis Pitt and running back Harvey Unga.

Reynolds and Jorgensen have both been named to the on-line publication's All-America second team, while Feinga, Hall, Pitta and Unga have each selected as honorable mention All-Americans.

Only two other teams -- Florida and Missouri -- had more players selected to the All-America list. The website's owner, Todd Helmick, who is also a Heisman Trophy voter, also listed Hall as a top-20 Heisman Trophy candidate. This season represents the ninth year NationalChamps.net has released its preseason All-America list.