PORTLAND, Oregon — A three-run fifth inning—combined with an outstanding pitching performance by starter Jack Sterner—gave BYU a 6-2 win over Portland in the opening game of West Coast Conference play at Joe Etzel Field on Thursday.
“Jack really did a real nice job tonight,” said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood. “He kept his pitch count down and their hitters off base. I thought Portland pitched it well tonight, we just got timely hits.”
Sophomore righthander Sterner scattered six hits over six innings and surrendered no earned runs to pick up the BYU victory. Sterner is 1-1 on the year and has 21 strikeouts over 25.2 innings.
The Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on a Mitch McIntyre triple to right center that scored Brock Watkins, who had a bunt single to open the inning.
BYU (10-5, 1-0) got three more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0. The big hit of the inning came on an Andrew Pintar double with one out. The Cougar second baseman hit a 1-2 pitch into the left center gap to drive in McIntyre and Hayden Leatham who had reached on a single and a hit by pitch. Ryan Sepede then drove-in Pintar with a single to left center.
Portland (12-5, 0-1) picked up an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning on a hit and a couple of Cougar errors to cut the lead to 4-1.
BYU tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the eighth to extend the lead to 6-2. Ryan Sepede led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on an Ozzie Pratt single through the left side. After a Collin Reuter sacrifice bunt moved Pratt to second and pinch runner Dawsen Hall to third, Deming singled through the left side to score Hall. Pratt then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Brock Watkins to give BYU a 6-1 advantage.
Portland got one run in the bottom of the ninth off a solo shot by Sam Brown to finish the scoring at 6-2.
Notables
• Andrew Pintar: 1-4, 1R, 2RBI, 2B
• Ryan Sepede: 1-3, 1R, 1RBI
• Mitch McIntyre: 2-3, 1R, 1RBI
• Jack Sterner: 6 innings, 5K, Win
• Cy Nielson: 2 innings, 3K
The Cougars are back in action on Friday, March 18 at 2:00 p.m. PDT in game two of the three game series with the Pilots. The game will be streamed live on the WCC Network and broadcast on the BYU Radio Network —107.9 FM, BYUCougars.com and the BYU Cougars app.