Four home runs propels BYU to win over UVU

Chad%20Call%20vs%20UVU%20G1%202023_0Chad%20Call%20vs%20UVU%20G1%202023_0

PROVO, Utah — BYU scored 15 runs on 13 hits, including four home runs, in a 15-7 win over Utah Valley on Tuesday at Miller Park.

With the victory, BYU improves to 7-12 on the season and extends its winning streak over UVU to 14-straight games. The loss drops the Wolverines to 12-10 on the year. 

Game Summary
  •  BYU scored at least one run in six of its eight at bats
  •  Cougars scored 15 runs on 13 hits, while the Wolverines tallied seven runs on 13 hits
  •  BYU bullpen held UVU scoreless over the final six innings

Player Highlights  
  •  Austin Deming: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 Runs, 2 2B
  •  Parker Goff: 2-3, 2 RBI, Run, HR
  •  Ryan Sepede: 1-4, 2 RBI, 2 Runs, HR
  •  Peyton Cole: 3.2 IP, 6 hits, 4 SO

UVU loaded the bases in the top of the first inning and scored the first run of the game on an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. However, BYU starting pitcher Cutter Clawson limited the damage by striking out the next three batters he faced to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the inning, BYU got on the board when Ryan Sepede hit a two-run blast over the left field wall to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead. 

Following a leadoff single to open the second inning, the Wolverines tied things up with an RBI single by Lucas Piper making it 2-2. Later in the at bat, UVU loaded the bases once again before a sacrifice fly brought home another run and a double to right-center plated two more for a 5-2 Wolverine advantage. 

BYU responded in the bottom of the second as freshman catcher Parker Goff hammered a two-run homer to left in his first at bat as a Cougar to cut the UVU lead to 5-4. Ozzie Pratt then made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to right to even the score at 5-5.

UVU center fielder Nate Bach hit a two-run home run in the third inning to give the Wolverines a two-run lead, but BYU got a run right back in the bottom of the third with a leadoff double and stolen base by Austin Deming that set up an RBI infield ground ball by Safea Mauai, cutting the deficit to 7-6. 

Deming gave the Cougars the lead for good with a two-run double off the right-field wall that scored Pratt and Tate Gambill for an 8-7 advantage.

BYU first baseman Jakob Wilk got into the home run act with a solo shot in the fifth to put the Cougars up 9-7 through five.

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the sixth, Jake Porter came on in relief, striking out two-straight batters and forcing a groundout for the final out to end the Wolverines threat. 

The Cougars broke the game wide open in the bottom of the eighth inning with six runs on five hits. The big inning included RBIs by Gambill, Mauai, Wilk and Cooper Vest.

The BYU bullpen of Peyton Cole, Carter Foss, Jake Porter, Ben Hansen and Boston Mabeus combined for six scoreless innings to close out the game. Cole (1-0) picked up the win.

BYU returns to WCC play this weekend in a three-game series with Saint Mary’s (6-11, 1-2) scheduled for March 23-25 at Miller Park.