BEAUMONT, Texas – BYU baseball once again pulled through in extra innings, earning a 4-2 win in game one at Lamar on Thursday.
“This was a game that we just battled and grinded all night until a couple breaks in the 10th,” BYU baseball coach Mike Littlewood said.
Game Summary
- Senior Casey Jacobsen hit a sac fly to right field for the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th, the first of three runs for BYU in the inning
- The Cougars are now 2-0 this year in extras, having also won 4-3 in the season opener against Northwestern in 10 innings
- Senior Brian Hsu went a career-best 5-for-6, the first five-hit game by a Cougar since Kyle Dean had five hits at UVU on May 2, 2017
Player Highlights
- Brian Hsu: 5-6
- Jordan Wood: 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K
- Reid McLaughlin: W (2-0) 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
The Cougars (6-2), who also defeated Northwestern 4-3 in 10 innings in the season opener, scored three runs in the top of the 10th to defeat the Cardinals (4-5).
On the mound, senior Jordan Wood had another solid outing, allowing one run and collecting four strikeouts over 6.1 innings. Freshman Reid McLaughlin picked up his second win of the year, going 3.1 innings with no runs, one hit and three strikeouts while sophomore Drew Zimmerman earned the save.
“I couldn’t have scripted our pitching any better tonight,” Littlewood said. “Jordan gave us another great start, Reid was solid out of the pen and Zimm came in and got his first save.”
With the score knotted at 1-1, senior Keaton Kringlen drew a lead-off walk in the top of the 10th inning. Sophomore Mitch McIntyre used his speed to secure an infield single and move freshman Hobbs Nyberg, pinch running for Kringlen, over to third.
Nyberg scored the go-ahead run one batter later on a sacrifice fly by senior Casey Jacobsen to give BYU the 2-1 lead. Senior Noah Hill’s single put runners on the corners and freshman Carson Matthews’ ensuing grounder up the middle was enough to bring McIntyre home.
BYU rounded out the scoring after Matthews stole second base then came around on a single up the middle by freshman Danny Gelalich to make it 4-1.
Senior first baseman Brian Hsu also had a career-high five hits for BYU, becoming the first Cougar with five hits in a game since Kyle Dean in May 2017.
“Brian Hsu was outstanding tonight,” Littlewood said. “He was incredible on defense and hit five line drives.”
BYU and Lamar will play the second game of the series on Friday, March 1, with first pitch at 6 p.m. CT. The game can be seen live on the Lamar Athletics Facebook page and can be heard over the air on BYU Radio and ESPN 960.