PROVO, Utah – Daniel Schneemann’s two-run single during BYU baseball’s five-run eighth proved Friday’s game-winner in an 8-5 result against San Francisco at Larry H. Miller Field and put the Cougars back in first place of the West Coast Conference.
"It was a total team effort tonight," BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. "Our lineup is relentless, and our mindset is that we can win every game. I love the mentality of this team."
The Cougars (24-14, 13-4 West Coast Conference) trailed 5-3 heading into the eighth inning before rallying for five runs to take game two of their three-game set against San Francisco (22-22, 7-13). It followed BYU’s 19-6 win against the Dons on Thursday.
A pair of hits gave the Dons a 1-0 lead in the first inning. A wild pitch in the second inning brought another run across for the visitors.
Colton Shaver, who leads BYU in batting average and home runs in league play, launched a two-run bomb over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the second to even the score at 2-2. It was Shaver’s seventh homer in WCC action and ninth overall.
The Cougars went up 3-2 in the third inning via RBI-leader Keaton Kringlen’s single that scored Schneemann from second base.
A pair of singles and a walk led to two runs for San Francisco in the fourth inning, as the Dons regained the lead, 4-3.
Kendall Motes was brought on to replace BYU starter Brady Corless in the fifth inning. Corless allowed four earned runs on nine hits in four innings.
Reliever Bo Burrup (2-2), who went on to earn the win, entered the game in the seventh inning. San Francisco scored once in the frame but a couple of standout defensive plays limited the damage. Schneemann, the shortstop, made a diving play up the middle and fired to first base for the first out. Catcher David Clawson shut down an attempted steal of third for the second out.
The Cougars’ eighth-inning spree featured four singles, two walks and a Don error. Schneemann’s single up the middle plated two and gave BYU a 7-5 lead. Tanner Chauncey then singled to provide an 8-5 cushion heading into the ninth.
Riley Gates struck out the final two batters of the game and notched his second save of the season by setting San Francisco down in order.
Saturday's series finale will be at 1 p.m. MDT.