LAWRENCE, Kan. — Four hitless innings from closer Ashton Johnson and timely hitting from the BYU offense combined to deliver a series-opening 7-5 win for the Cougars over Kansas on Thursday night at Hoglund Ballpark.
With the win, BYU bounces back above .500 at 24-23 and 8-17 in Big 12 play while the Jayhawks go to 37-14 (15-10). The Cougars have now won their sixth conference series opener in nine weeks this season.
BYU used a four-run third inning to lead 5-1 through the top of the fifth. KU responded with three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to square the game 5-5. Timely singles from Luke Anderson and Crew McChesney along with a Keoni Painter sacrifice bunt helped BYU retake a 7-5 lead in the eighth.
“We found a way to win tonight with some big hits early and manufactured those two late,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “We just have to keep playing good baseball like this and we’ll be in position for something good at the end of the season.”
Johnson took command of the mound in the bottom of the sixth and went on to retire 11 of 13 batters faced on his way to four hitless innings and his third win of the season.
“Ashton walked on in the fall, didn’t have a guaranteed spot on the team but he just kept pitching,” Pratt said. “He’s done so much for us this year.”
Justis Reiser started the game on the hill for the Cougars and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Together, the BYU pitching staff allowed just four Jayhawk hits, their fewest since April 11 at TCU.
KU’s four hits resulted in five runs with an error and eight stranded. The Cougars’ seven runs came on nine hits with an error and just five left aboard.
BYU Highlights
- Ryder Robinson: 1-4, 3 RBI
- Bryker Hurdsman: 2-3, R, 2B
- Brock Watkins: 1-3, HR
- Crew McChesney: 1-3, R, RBI
- Tate Gambill: 1-3, 2 R
- Parker Goff: 1-3, 2 R
Game Summary
BYU got on the board first with a four-run top of the third on four hits and an error. Watkins warmed up the bats for the Cougars with a leadoff solo shot, his 10th homer of the season. After a McChesney walk, Goff singled down the leftfield line and McChesney took third on a KU throwing error.
Gambill was hit by pitch to load the bases, and BYU made the most of it with RBIs on each of its next two at bats. Robinson scored McChesney and Goff on a single to right while Anderson capped the inning with an RBI-groundout to bring in Gambill for the 4-0 lead.
The Cougars dug their way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third but not before the Jayhawks had plated their first run to come within three.
BYU built its lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth on a run without a hit. Goff earned a walk to leadoff the inning, took second on a wild pitch and third on a Gambill groundout. Robinson plated Goff on a sacrifice fly to put the Cougars back up by four.
KU climbed back to the tie the game, 5-5, with four straight runs on a three-RBI homer in the bottom of the fifth and sacrifice fly in the sixth.
BYU answered and retook the lead with a run each in the top of the seventh and eighth innings.
Gambill extended his team-long 16-game hitting streak with a one-out single to right in the top of the seventh. Anderson then dropped a flare into shallow right-center, singling and sending Gambill to third with two outs. Gambill put the Cougars up 6-5 as he capitalized on a Jayhawk wild pitch and slid into home.
Hurdsman was hit to lead off the eighth and scampered into scoring position moments later with a Painter sacrifice bunt. The bunt proved critical as Hurdsman was able to score from second and put BYU up 7-5 on a two-out RBI single from McChesney.
Johnson shut the door on the Jayhawks with a fourth hitless inning in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the 7-5 Cougar win.
Up Next
BYU and KU meet in game two on Friday at 6 p.m. CDT with live coverage on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.