CINCINNATI — BYU captured its first Big 12 baseball series of the year with a 4-2 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon at UC Baseball Stadium.
With the 2-1 series win over the Bearcats, BYU improved to 13-9 on the year and 3-3 in the Big 12, while Cincinnati dropped to 12-11 (1-5).
In what turned out to be a pitching duel, BYU starter Garrison Sumner (3-1) was impressive, going six innings with a career high nine strikeouts to hold Cincinnati to just one run for his third win of the year. Sumner, combined with relievers Ashton Johnson and Brayden Marx, scattered six hits and gave up just one earned run with 10 strikeouts to just one walk. Marx, who faced five Bearcats in 1.2 innings work, got the save—his first as a Cougar.
“We talked to our pitchers about pounding the strike zone and getting ahead in the count, and they did just that,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “Garrison filled the strike zone and kept them off guard all game. This is a resilient group, and they keep fighting. If they get down, they are not afraid and they play hard for each other. Eventually good things happen, like today.”
BYU Highlights
Brock Watkins: 3-4, 2B, RBI, Run
Parker Goff: 2-3, 2 RBI
Bryker Hurdsman: 1-4, RBI, Run
Garrison Sumner: 6 IP, 9 SO, Win
Game Summary
Cincinnati got on the board first with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead.
After four scoreless innings by both sides, BYU strung together four straight hits with two outs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-1 lead. With Ryder Robinson on first base and two down, Cooper Vest singled to centerfield to advance Robinson to third. Bryker Hurdsman then singled to right to tie the game and send Vest to second. After a Watkins double to left scored Vest and advanced Hurdsman to third, Parker Goff then singled to left scoring Watkins and Hurdsman for a three-run lead.
The Bearcats responded with a run in the bottom half of the seventh on a hit and two BYU errors to cut the Cougar lead to 4-2, but that was as close as Cincinnati would get as Johnson and Marx surrendered just one hit in the final three innings for the win.
BYU heads home to continue Big 12 play with a three-game series versus West Virginia at Miller Park, March 27-29. The games are schedule for 6:30 p.m. MDT on Thursday and Friday with the Saturday game scheduled Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MDT. All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.