LAS VEGAS — BYU defeated UNLV 5-2 on Tuesday evening in a nonconference midweek game at Earl E. Wilson Baseball Stadium. Nine Cougar pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, the second-highest total of the season.
BYU (24-23, 12-12) scored five runs on nine hits and had at least one runner on base in eight of its nine at bats. Meanwhile, UNLV (26-21, 7-11) had nine hits while stranding 13 runners.
“I thought our pitchers did a great job,” said BYU head baseball coach Trent Pratt. “We threw a bunch of guys tonight that haven’t pitched a lot recently, and I was proud of the way they were ready when they came in to pitch.”
Highlights
Ryder Robinson: 3-4, Run, 2B
Bryker Hurdsman: 1-3, 2 RBI, Run
Crew McChesney: 1-4, RBI
Luke Sterner: 2 IP, Run, 6 Ks
Summary
BYU got on the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the second inning. Tu’alau Wolfgramm led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a ground ball by Keoni Painter. Wolfgramm then stole third and scored on a passed ball for 1-0 advantage.
UNLV responded in the bottom half of the second with a leadoff home run to tie the game at 1-1.
After four scoreless innings by both clubs, BYU regained the lead with four runs in the top of the seventh. Ezra McNaughton walked to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a double to left field by Ryder Robinson. After an Easton Jones walk loaded the bases, Bryker Hurdsman singled to left scoring McNaughton and Robinson. A passed ball moved Jones and Hurdsman up a base, where Crew McChesney drove Jones home with a single to right field. One batter later, Hurdsman scored on a passed ball for a 5-1 lead.
UNLV picked up another run in the bottom of the eighth on three singles and a wild pitch, but senior Luke Sterner struck out three Rebels to get out of the inning and preserve a 5-2 BYU advantage.
Junior right-hander Dan Brousseau (3-0) pitched a perfect sixth inning, facing three batters with two strikeouts for the win, while freshman Tyler Ball faced the minimum three batters in the ninth for the first save of his BYU career.
Up Next
BYU heads to Lubbock, Texas, for the final Big 12 regular-season road trip of the year against Texas Tech, May 7-9, at Rip Griffin Park. All three games of the BYU-TT series will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and on the BYU Radio app, BYUradio.org, SiriusXM 143 and 107.9 FM in Utah County.