Summary
After neither team scored in the opening inning, BYU got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning. Right fielder Bryker Hurdsman led off the inning with a double to left center and scored one out later on a double by Tu’alau Wolfgramm for a 1-0 advantage.
Texas Tech responded in the top of the third with five runs on six hits, including a two-run home run for a 5-1 lead.
The Cougars fought back with three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Red Raider lead to 5-4. With one out, Luke Anderson smoked a ground ball down the third base line and beat out the throw for an infield single. Ezra McNaughton then moved Anderson to second on a single to left center. A double by Ryder Robinson scored Anderson and moved McNaughton to third. Jones then tripled off the top of the left-center wall, scoring both runners.
A three-up, three-down top of the fourth by BYU lefty reliever Justis Reiser kept the score at 5-4. BYU then took the lead in the bottom half of the inning on three hits including a home run. Erickson hit a one-out, solo shot into the BYU bullpen to tie the game. With two outs, Anderson doubled to left-center and scored on a towering 404-foot home run to right by McNaughton for a 7-5 advantage through four innings.
TTU cut the BYU lead to 7-6 in the top of the fifth inning on a one-out walk, followed by a run-scoring double. Jones got the run back in the bottom half of the inning with a 420-foot leadoff homer for an 8-6 advantage.
The Red Raiders tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth on three singles and a wild pitch, but the Cougars exploded with seven runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead, 15-8.
With one out Anderson, McNaughton and Robinson all singled to post the first run of the inning. Jones then walked to load the bases and Hurdsman singled to right field scoring McNaughton and Robinson. With two outs, Keoni Painter, who had entered the game in the fourth for an injured Wolgramm, tripled off the right center wall bringing home Jones and Hurdsman. Erickson then homered for the second time in the game for a 15-8 lead.
BYU relief pitcher Austin Park held TTU scoreless in the seventh, setting up the bottom of the inning for the Cougar offense. Andersen let off the inning with a walk and a Robinson triple to deep center field brought him home. Jones then hit a 390-foot home run to right field for his second walk-off bomb of the year.
Austin Park threw 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball while striking out three for the win, his second of the season.
Up Next
No. 9 seed BYU will take on No. 8 seed Baylor on Wednesday, May 20 at 4:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. MDT). The Bears and the Cougars finished the regular season with an identical conference record of 14-16. BU was 28-26 overall while BYU was 28-27.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. It will also be available on the BYU Radio app, BYUradio.org, SiriusXM 143 and 107.9 FM in Utah County with Greg Wrubell providing play-by-play.
