Box Score

PROVO, Utah --- Caleb Whalen had a triple and three RBI’s, Kramer Scott belted a two-run homer and freshman starter Billy Sahlinger tossed 6.0 solid innings as the Portland Pilots opened a three-game West Coast Conference series with an 8-4 win over the Brigham Young Cougars at Larry H. Miller Field on Thursday night. Whalen had three hits total and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
 
The Pilots snap a three-game skid to improve to 13-20 overall and to 5-5 in the WCC. BYU’s four-game winning streak comes to an end as the Cougars are also 5-5 in the conference and 17-15 overall.
 
With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the third inning, Whalen knocked in his first run with a double down the left field line to give the Pilots the one-run advantage.
 
The lead would stretch to four runs after Portland scored two in the top of the fifth inning and another in the top of the sixth. Cody Lenahan drove in the first run in the fifth with one of his two doubles on the night, while an RBI single by Whalen made it a 4-1 ballgame in Portland’s favor. Nick Armenta then added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push the lead to 5-1.
 
After the Cougars pulled within two with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, Whalen drove his fifth triple of the season into right field, which scored Lenahan all the way from first base. Scott then followed with his second career home run and the Pilots held a comfortable 8-3 lead.
 
Portland reliever Jeremy Burright did allow a run in the ninth before sealing the win.
 
Sahlinger (2-2), who leads the WCC in fewest hits allowed, yielded just three hits to the Cougars to earn his second win of the year. He struck out three and surrendered just one run.
 
Three relievers, including Burright, followed Sahlinger on the mound.
 
BYU starter Adam Miller (2-6) allowed four Portland runs on six hits and four walks. Three relievers didn’t fare much better and James Lengal allowed all three runs in the ninth.
 
Whalen, who entered the game 14th in the nation in triples, is now just two triples shy of matching a program record for three-baggers in a season.
 
The Pilots finished with an 11-7 edge in hits and Michael Lucarelli gave Portland its first run of the game on a squeeze play in the top of the second inning. Jacob Hannemann had a pair of hits and three RBI’s for the Cougars.
 
The second game of this conference series is scheduled for 5 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday night and the game will be broadcast live nationally on BYUtv.