PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball remains home to open Big 12 conference play with a three-game series versus UCF, March 13-15 at Miller Park. Game one is set for Thursday, March 13 with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. MDT. Game two of the series is slated for Friday, March 14 at 3 p.m., with game three at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 15.
| UCF (13-3) at BYU (10-5) | Miller Park | Provo, UT | |||
| Date & Time (MDT) | Watch | Listen | Live Stats |
| Thursday, March 13 at 2 p.m. | ESPN+ | BYU Radio 107.9/BYU Radio App | Follow Here |
| Friday, March 14 at 3 p.m. | ESPN+ | BYU Radio 107.9/BYU Radio App | Follow Here |
| Saturday, March 15 at 1 p.m. | ESPN+ | BYU Radio 107.9/BYU Radio App | Follow Here |
BROADCAST PLANS. All three games of the BYU-UCF series will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and will also be available on the BYU Radio app and simulcast in the Utah County market on 107.9 FM.
SERIES SUCCESS. BYU (10-5, 0-0) is coming off a 3-1 series win over Stetson last week. After dropping game one of the series to the Hatters 6-5, BYU swept the rest of the series with scores of 10-2, 5-4 and 7-5.
Since splitting the opening series of the year at Fresno State (2-2), the Cougars have won three-straight series, including two on the road at CSUN (2-1) and Gonzaga (3-0), before winning the first home series over Stetson (3-1). BYU has now won eight of its last 10-games.
CONFERNECE LEADERS. As a team BYU is top four in the Big 12 in several statistical categories including, home runs (25), doubles (40), total bases (272) and slugging (.501). Defensively the Cougars are top four in assists (145) and runners caught stealing (6).
OFFENSIVE LEADERS. BYU first baseman Cooper Vest continues to lead the Cougars in several offensive categories and is among the top 10 in the Big 12 in total bases (2nd, 46), home runs (T-4th, 5) and RBI (6th, 19). The week two Big 12 Co-Player of the Week leads BYU in runs (18), doubles (8), triples (1), home runs (5), RBI (19) and total bases (46).
BYU outfielder Luke Anderson leads BYU in OBP (.484) and is second in hits (21), total bases (41), slugging (.661) and OBP (.465). He is also top 10 in the Big 12 in total bases (7th, 41) and RBI (T9th, 18). Leadoff hitter Crew McChesney leads the Cougars in OBP (.484) and is second in hits (21), doubles (7) and stolen bases (4). The center fielder is tied for 4th in the Big 12 in doubles and is perfect in the outfield with 28 putouts in as many chances.
Senior second baseman Brock Watkins was instrumental in leading BYU to a 3-1 series win over Stetson last week. In four games Watkins had seven hits in 14 at bats including a home run to hit .500. He also scored six runs, had four RBI and two walks. Walkins is tied for the BYU lead in home runs (5) and is third in batting average (.345), runs (13) and total bases. His five home runs are tied for 4th in the Big 12.
ON THE HILL. BYU’s weekend starters are 6-1 on the year and have combined for 57.0 innings in 12 starts. Game one starter Payton Gubler is 3-1 and tied for third in the conference in wins. The sophomore righty is holding opposing hitters to a .179 average, good for eighth in the Big 12. Gubler leads the BYU staff in innings pitched (24) and strike outs (19).
Game-two starter Jaden Harris is 1-0 with 15.2 innings and 10 strikeouts over four starts. He is holding opposing hitters to an average of .259. Series finale starter Garrison Sumner is 2-0 with wins over Gonzaga and Fresno State. He has 11 strikeouts in 17.1 innings and holding opposing hitters to an average of .235.
OUT OF THE PEN. The Cougars top three relievers have combined for 30.1 innings and have surrendered nine earned runs. Hayden Coon has appeared in four games, going 9.0 innings with 12 strikeouts, one earned run and one save. He is holding opposing batters to a .182 average. Left-hander Justis Reiser has pitched 11.1 innings in relief and is holding opponents to a .056 average, while striking out 13 with one save and a win. Brayden Marx has logged 10 innings over five games, holding hitters to a .257 average.
CLOSE THE DOOR. BYU preseason first-team All-American closer Stone Cushing has one save and a win in six appearances with three strikeouts in six innings. He currently has 11 career saves and is tied for fourth all-time at BYU with Jordan Muir (2006-09).
SERIES HISTORY. BYU did not face UCF and TCU in its first season in the league in 2024. As such, the Cougars’ and Knights’ meeting in Provo this weekend marks the first ever between the two baseball clubs. A week after Stetson's visit to Miller Park, UCF becomes just the second ever Floridian baseball team to play a game in Provo.
KNOW THE FOE. In his first season as UCF head coach, Rich Wallace led his team to a 37-21 record and 2024 NCAA Tournament berth. The Knights finished 14-15 and eighth in the Big 12 before defeating Alabama and Stetson in the Tallahassee Regional. UCF was eventually eliminated from 2024 postseason play by host Florida State.
The Knights hold a 12-3 record heading into their midweek matchup with Miami March 11. In its last three-game series, UCF rolled up a combined 43 runs in a sweep (17-1, 18-3, 8-0) of Monmouth March 7-9. Despite losses to Bryant (3-5), FAU (3-4) and South Florida (3-13), the Knights’ 2025 season is thus far highlighted by a 13-3 upset of No. 6 Florida in Orlando on March 4.
Picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 in 2025, UCF currently leads the league in nine offensive categories, including batting (.356), runs scored (147), hits (182), RBI (133) and on base percentage (.465). Infielder Edian Espinal enters the week batting a team-leading .553 while both he and outfielder Andrew Williamson power the Knight offense, slugging north of .760. Williamson also leads UCF with 22 RBI and five homers on the year.
Defensively, the Knights top the Big 12 in ERA (2.45) and runs allowed (46). The UCF pitching staff features Preseason All-Big 12 selections in Dom Stagliano and Dominic Castellano. A lefty reliever, Castellano holds a season ERA of 1.50 with 18 strikeouts in five appearances and an early 2-0 record. The Knights’ Wiley Hartley has three wins in four appearances with a 1.25 ERA and 19 strikeouts.
The UCF-BYU matchup features two of the top three teams in the league in total bases. With 273 total bases through 15 games, BYU ranks third in the Big 12 – just behind the Knights’ 281. The two offenses rank on opposite ends of the conference in doubles. BYU is tied for second in the Big 12 and 12th nationally with 40 doubles while UCF ranks last in the league with 25.