Summary
After three scoreless innings, BYU (8-8) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run from outfielder McChesney. His centerfield bomb brought in Cougar shortstop Ryder Robinson from first and moved the Cougars ahead 2-0.
Cincinnati (15-5) answered with two hits in the top of the fifth, but a closing strikeout from Sumner ended the inning, keeping BYU’s advantage at 2-0.
A fly ball to deep right field in the top of the sixth allowed Cincinnati to get on the board with a runner from third tagging and scoring, shrinking the BYU lead, 2-1.
Ridge Erickson and Ryker Schow got on base to start the bottom of the seventh, with Erickson being hit by a pitch and Schow walking. Luke Anderson’s sacrifice bunt followed, moving the two runners to second and third. McNaughton then hit a home run to deep right field, stretching the score to 5-1 in favor of the Cougars.
The Bearcats had back-to-back singles to right field to open the eighth, but a strikeout and double play that followed ended the front half of the inning, with the Cougars surviving Cincinnati’s offensive threat.
A base hit and a pop-fly error in the ninth put two Bearcats on base and brought the tying run to the plate with one out. Despite the momentum, Ashton Johnson shut the door on a Cincinnati comeback with two strikeouts, securing BYU’s 5-2 victory.
Summer went 5.1 innings scattering just four hit and one run with six strikeouts for the win (1-1), while the Cougar bullpen of Reiser and Johnson went 3.2 innings allowing just one run.
Up Next
Game two of the three-game series is set for Friday at 3:00 p.m. MT and Miller Park in Provo, with Saturday’s contest scheduled for 1:00 p.m. MT. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and will also be available on BYUradio.org and on the BYU Radio app.
