Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Brigham Young Cougars took advantage of a Portland error in the top of the 10th inning to score three unearned runs and claim a 7-4 win over the Pilots in a West Coast Conference game played on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Just two of the seven runs scored by the Cougars were earned.
The win allows BYU to take the three-game series after the two teams split a double header on Friday. The Cougars improve to 9-9 overall (4-2 WCC) on the year, while Portland drops to 14-5 and to 1-2 in the WCC.
Tied at 3-3 in the top of the 10th, the Cougars were able to get their first two runners on board against UP closer Owen Jones. Then, on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Brock Whitney, Jones’ throw to first base sailed over the head of Brian Frattali and into the visitors’ bullpen down the right field line.
The high throw allowed both Austin Hall and Wes Guenther to score, while Whitney raced all the way to third base. Jones would fan the next batter before Jaycob Brugman brought home BYU’s final run with a sacrifice fly to center field to hand the Cougars the three-run cushion.
BYU closer Mason Marshall would then retire the Pilots in the 10th to record his third save of the season and second of the series.
Chris Howard (1-0), who faced just one batter in the top of the ninth, gets the win for Brigham Young, while Jones (0-1) is saddled with the loss.
Portland scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the second inning. With nobody on and two outs, Zack McCoy reached on a walk. Bo Cornish followed with a single to left field before McCoy easily scored on a BYU error.
But BYU responded with a four-run third inning, which was also fueled by a couple of Portland miscues. After a UP throwing error helped load the bases, Austin Hall smacked a two-run single to center to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead. Guenther then brought a run home courtesy a sacrifice fly, and the Cougars scored their fourth run on another error.
The Pilots quickly responded in the bottom half of the third when Turner Gill stepped up to the plate with Frattali on first. Gill launched the second pitch he saw high over the right-field fence for his third homer of the season, pulling Portland within a run.
Then in the fifth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, BYU pitcher Desmond Poulson allowed the tying run to score on a wild pitch. Poulson, however, would strike out the next batter to end the threat and preserve the tie.
Poulson was effective out of the bullpen after BYU starter Adam Miller struggled with his control. Poulson worked 6.1 innings, allowing just the one run on six hits. He did walk two, while striking out seven. Miller lasted just 2.0 innings.
Portland starter Chris Johnson tossed 7.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits. He had five strike outs and zero walks. Reliever Brandon Snyder allowed one hit and K’d one in 1.2 innings.
The Pilots, who were one of the nation’s top defensive teams entering the weekend, struggled in the field during the three-game series with BYU. Just three of the 11 runs scored by the Cougars were earned.
Both teams finished with nine hits on Saturday, while Frattali and Gill each had three hits for Portland.
The Pilots next host the Oregon State Beavers for a non-conference game at Joe Etzel Field on Tuesday. First pitch between the Pilots and 17th-ranked Beavers is set for 3 p.m.