PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Brigham Young Cougars evened the three-game West Coast Conference series with a 6-2 win over the Portland Pilots on Friday night at Joe Etzel Field. The Pilots won the opener on Thursday night, setting up the rubber match on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Pilots (12-20, 5-9 WCC) scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning to take an early lead. A pair of singles by Matt Kelly and Chad Stevens gave Portland two runners on with no outs, and a fly-out from Beau Brundage sent Kelly to third. Daniel Lopez then picked up the RBI with a sacrifice fly that made it 1-0.
 
The score remained 1-0 until the third inning when BYU's (18-14, 7-7 WCC) Brian Hsu and Brock Hale each drove in a run, with a single and a double, respectively.
 
Now trailing, the Pilots immediately responded in the home half of the frame with the tying run. The run came after the first two Portland batters were retired, and Brundage kept the inning alive with a walk. Lopez then a single through the left side of the infield to get Brundage to third, and a few pitches later the sophomore outfielder trotted home on a wild pitch, leveling the score 2-2.
 
In the fifth inning, the Cougars scored the go-ahead run, giving the visitors a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Hsu again notched the RBI, this time with a double.
 
The Pilots did threaten in the bottom of the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with only one out, but reliever Blake Inouye came into the game and promptly fanned two to end the threat, preserving their 3-2 lead.
 
BYU added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth.
 
BYU starter Hayden Rogers (5-2) gets the win after tossing 5.1 innings. He allowed two runs on nine hits and two walks. Inouye worked 2.2 scoreless and hitless innings, and Drew Zimmerman pitched the bottom of the ninth, yielding a lead-off double to Mike Hicks.
 
Eli Morse (2-5) started on the hill for the Pilots, going 6.1 innings. The freshman righty surrendered three runs on seven hits, while striking out five. Cameron Richman tossed an inning-and-two-thirds out of the bullpen, and Nick Shur pitched the ninth.
 
Both teams finished with 10 hits, but the Cougars took advantage of 10 walks issued on the night. Kelly and Ryan Hoogerwerf both had two hits for the Pilots, as eight different players claimed at least one hit.
 
First pitch for tomorrow's finale is scheduled for 12 p.m.