CINCINNATI — BYU baseball split its Friday double header with Cincinnati, winning the first game, 7-5, before falling in the nightcap, 5-4, at UC Baseball Stadium.
“It’s tough to win doubleheaders and we had our chances,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “We have to throw more strikes early in the game. In game one, we battled and pitched out of some jams while our batters put some good swings on them. We just have to be a little better, one pitch better.”
BYU moves to 12-9 (2-3) on the year, while Cincinnati goes to 12-10 (1-4). The Cougars have now won or tied five of the six series on the year, including Fresno State (2-2), CSUN (2-1), Gonzaga (3-0) and Stetson (3-1), Cincinnati (1-1).
Game One
Home runs by Luke Anderson, Cooper Vest and Brock Watkins accounted for six of the Cougars’ seven runs as BYU took game one of the doubleheader, 7-5.
BYU Highlights
Bryker Hurdsman: 2-3, 2B, Run
Cooper Vest: 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, Run
Brock Watkins: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, Run
Luke Anderson: 1-4, RBI, HR, Run
Game One Summary
After three scoreless innings to open game one, BYU took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a one-out solo home run by Anderson.
Cincinnati struck for three runs off two hits and two walks in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, 3-1.
Back-to-back singles to open the sixth inning by Crew McChesney and Ryder Robinson, followed by a three-run blast over the right field wall by Vest gave BYU a 4-3 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, the Bearcats responded with a walk, stolen base and RBI single to tie the game at 4-4.
The Cougars retook the lead, 5-4, in the top of the seventh on an infield groundball by McChesney that scored Easton Jones, who had led off the inning with a triple off the right field wall. A two-run blast to right field by Watkins, with Bryker Hurdsman on second base, extended the BYU lead to 7-4.
The Bearcats scored a run in the ninth on two hits for a final score of 7-5.
Cougar reliever, Justis Reiser, who got the win (2-0), Cayson Bell and Stone Cushing combined for 4.1 innings to close out the game, surrendering two runs on just four hits, while striking out four. Cushing got the save, his second of the season.
Historical Note: With a save in game one of the doubleheader, Stone Cushing picked up the 12th of his career. He is now fourth all-time at BYU in career saves, trailing just Mason Marshall (2012, 15-17) and Ryan Hancock (1991-93), who are tied for second with 15. Career saves leader, Reid McLaughlin (2019-22), who holds the BYU record with 22.
Game Two
Despite another 3 RBI from Cooper Vest and a tying run in scoring position late, BYU fell in another close one, 5-4, in game two.
BYU Highlights
Cooper Vest: 3-3, HR, 3 RBI
Crew McChesney: 2-4, Run, RBI
Keoni Painter: 2-4, Run
Bryker Hurdsman: 1-4, 2B
Game Two Summary
BYU struck first in game two with a Vest three-run home run down the right field line for a 3-0 advantage. Back-to-back walks from McChesney and Robinson set up the Vest blast, his second three-run shot in as many games.
Cincinnati responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a walk and three hits to cut the Cougar lead to 3-2.
After a scoreless second inning, the Bearcats jumped on top with a single and a home run for a 4-3 advantage. Cincinnati picked up another run in the sixth on a single, combined with an infield error by the Cougars, to increase its lead to 5-3.
BYU responded with one run in the top of the seventh on back-to-back hits by Painter and Jones, followed by a single to center by McChesney to pull within a run at 5-4.
The Cougars got three runners aboard over the final two innings but were left stranded as the Bearcats squared the series with a 5-4 win in game two.
Cincinnati and BYU finalize its Big 12 three-game series on Saturday at 12 p.m. MDT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.