OREM, Utah — Easton Jones drove in each of the Cougars’ four runs as BYU baseball defeated Utah Valley 4-2 at UCCU Ballpark on Tuesday night.
After two scoreless innings, Jones put BYU up 3-0 with a three-run homer that scored Ryker Schow and Luke Anderson. Jones tacked on another RBI with a triple in the top of the fifth that scored Schow and extended the BYU lead to 4-1.
“It’s good to see us playing like this,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “Easton has really stepped up and helped us on offense, and tonight we had great pitching to get out of a few jams. It was great to be in a battle and come out on top.”
Candon Dahle (3-2) got the start and the win for the Cougars with three strikeouts and no runs allowed in 2.2 innings pitched.
Cougar closer Stone Cushing took to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and earned his Big 12-leading ninth save of the season. After two Wolverine batters reached base, Cushing and the Cougars ended the threat with a flyout to right field that Cooper Vest turned into a double play following a diving catch.
With save number nine on the season, Cushing is now tied for eighth nationally. The junior from Salem, Utah also moves into a tie with Mason Marshall (2012) and Ryan Hancock (1992) for third all-time at BYU in single season saves. Cushing’s nine-career saves are good for a tie for fifth in program history.
BYU’s four runs came on four hits with five left on base. The Wolverines’ two runs followed six hits with eight left on base.
Player Highlights
- Easton Jones: 2-4, Run, 3B, HR, 4 RBI
- Ryker Schow: 2 Runs
- Cooper Vest: 1-4, 2B
- Brock Watkins: 1-4, 2B
BYU held Utah Valley scoreless through the first three innings with a pair of key defensive plays in the bottom of the first and second innings. Anderson went vertical to snag a lineout at second in the first. Crew McChesney then hauled in a hard-hit ball along the centerfield wall with a leaping grab in the second.
The Cougar offense got rolling in the top of the third with consecutive walks to put Schow and Anderson aboard. Schow and Anderson moved up on a sacrifice bunt from McChesney and scored moments later with Jones’ three-run bomb.
Utah Valley got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Cougar lead to 3-1.
BYU added an insurance run in the top of the fifth that once again began with Schow reaching base to start the inning. Schow reached on an error to the Wolverine second baseman, then advanced to second before coming home on a Jones triple to left center.
A Utah Valley run in the bottom of the fifth cut BYU’s advantage to 4-2. The teams went scoreless down the stretch but the Wolverines appeared to threaten in the bottom of the ninth with a two aboard.
Cushing’s final pitch of the night forced a flyout to right where Vest reeled in the ball with a diving catch for the out. He then fired to Collin Reuter for the game-sealing double play at first.