BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — BYU baseball opened the 2026 season with a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Western Kentucky in game one of a scheduled Friday doubleheader at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Cougar lefty Ashton Johnson (1-0) came out of the bullpen in the fourth inning and tossed a six-inning gem, scattering five hits and surrendering just one run for the win. The senior from Eagle Mountain, Utah, faced 26 Hilltoppers with two strikeouts in the victory.
SUMMARY
BYU (1-0) got on the board first in second inning on a leadoff home run by centerfielder Crew McChesney for a 1-0 advantage. WKU (0-1) responded with a run of its own in the top half of the inning on a leadoff walk and a one-out double to even the score at 1-1.
Following three and a half scoreless innings, the Hilltoppers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a leadoff double and a one-out single.
Down 2-1 in the top of the ninth, Luke Anderson led off with a single through the left side. Matt Hansen then singled to rightfield to advance Anderson to second. A sacrifice bunt by McChesney, combined with a first base throwing error loaded the bases with no outs. One out later Easton Jones was hit by a pitch, scoring Anderson to tie the game at 2-2. A Keoni Painter sacrifice fly to deep centerfield gave BYU a 3-2 lead, scoring Ryker Schow who had been inserted into the game to pinch run for Hansen.
Johnson then recorded three outs over the four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth for the win.
BYU scored three runs on four hits with one error, while WKU plated two runs on seven hits with five stolen bases and two errors.
HIGHTLIGHTS
• Johnson: 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 run
• McChesney: 1-3, RBI, HR, Sac Bunt
• Hurdsman: 1-5, 2B
• Sumner: 3 innings, 2 hits, 1 run