PROVO, Utah – BYU baseball opened a three-game home series with Saint Mary's on Thursday with a 11-8 loss at Miller Park.
With the win, the Gaels improve to 7-11 (2-2), while BYU falls to 7-13 (1-3) on the season.
Game Summary
- Cougars scored eight runs on 12 hits, while the Gaels tallied 11 runs on 15 hits
- SMC outscored BYU 5-1 in final two innings for the win
- Austin Deming had a season-high five RBI's
Player Highlights
- Ryan Sepede: 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B
- Luke Anderson: 3-4, 2 RBI
- Tate Gambill: 1-4, 2 Runs, 1 2B
- Austin Deming: 2-4, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2 2B
- Mason Olson: 6.2 IP, 8 hits, 8 SO
- Parker Goff: 2-3, 1 Run
SMC led off the top of the first inning with three walks to load the bases before a two-run single gave the Gaels a 2-0 lead.
With two outs and no runners aboard in the bottom of the second inning, the Gaels scored another run to extend their lead to 3-0.
The Cougars flipped momentum in the bottom of the third as Cooper Vest singled through the right side and Chad Call walked to put two on base. After a sacrifice bunt from Parker Goff advanced runners to second and third and Tate Gambill walked, Austin Deming doubled to right center. Ryan Sepede then doubled to score Deming to give the Cougars a 4-3 advantage.
After striking out the side in the fourth, BYU starter Mason Olson gave up his first home run of the season in the top of the fifth as SMC knotted the game at 4-4. Right fielder Ryan Sepede made a diving catch, then doubled off the run at first to closeout the inning.
Olson wrapped up his day with 6 2/3innings of work on a BYU season-high 118 total pitches. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the Gaels retook the lead with a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh for a 6-4 advantage.
The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the seventh, when BYU RBI leader Deming doubled to right center scoring Pratt to trim the deficit to 6-5. Back-to-back singles by Ryan Sepede and Luke Anderson scored Deming and evened the score at 6-6.
The Gaels broke the game open in the top of the eighth inning with four runs on four hits and two Cougar errors for a 10-6 advantage. The Cougars got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning on hits by Parker Goff, Tate Gambill and Anderson to close the gap to 10-8
SMC took advantage of another BYU error to add an insurance run in the top of the ninth to push the visitors lead to three runs. The Cougars were unable to rally in the bottom half of the inning as they fell 11-8 in the opening game of the series.
The two teams will return to action on Saturday for a double header, with the first game scheduled for 3 p.m. MDT with the second game following the conclusion of game one. Both games will be broadcast live on the BYUtv App as well as the BYU Radio App. Game one will also be broadcast on BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market.