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Feb 28 | 02:00 PM
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Cashman Field
850 Las Vegas Blvd N. Las Vegas NV 89101
Ralph R. Zobell
| Posted: 28 Feb 2015 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
LAS VEGAS—A pair of first-inning home runs on Saturday ignited Oklahoma to a 7-1 defeat over BYU baseball.
The Sooners (9-5) got another pair of homers in the eighth inning, but it was the pitching of lefty Adam Choplick (1-1) that was most effective against the Cougars (2-10).
“Chopick was just too good today,” BYU Coach Mike Littlewood said. “He was effectively wild at 90-92, and did a nice job working out of jams inning after inning. Once in a while you have to tip your hat to the other guys and this was one of those days.
“It seemed as if every inning we threatened them Chopick induced a double play ground ball and got himself out of the inning.
“Maverik (Buffo) left a couple fastballs up in the zone in the first inning and they made him pay, although it was nice to see him make an adjustment and settle in and throw well for the next few innings.”
The Cougars got hits in the second and fourth innings, but grounded into double plays of 4-6-3 and 3-6-1, respectively, before scoring their only run in the sixth frame.
Court Iorg led off with a walk in the sixth and scored on a passed ball after the Sooners got their third double play of the game, leading 4-1. BYU picked up singles the next three innings, but got snuffed out on a fourth double play of the game in the eighth. Colton Shaver singled in the seventh and ninth to extend his hitting streak to eight games, going 2-for-4 along with teammate Brennon Lund.
“It will be nice to get Tanner (Chauncey) back in the lineup next week, and finally play at home,” said Littlewood, whose team opens the home season in a four-game series on Thursday against Hartford in Provo at Larry H. Miller Field.
“It's been a grueling three weeks as we've played the one of the toughest schedules in the country, but we are a better, more seasoned team and that will carry us in the long run.”
Ralph R. Zobell
| Posted: 24 Feb 2015 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
Las Vegas is the new site for the BYU-Oklahoma series which was originally scheduled to be hosted this week in Norman by the Sooners.
Due to inclement weather and field conditions in the midwest and at Norman, Okla., the four-game series was moved this week to Las Vegas and Cashman Field, home of the 51's pro baseball team.
Kolton Mahoney (0-1, 4.91) is scheduled to start Thursday's game, starting at 1 p.m., for BYU, followed by teammates Jeff Barker (1-1, 4.09) and Brandon Kinser (0-0, 0.93) in Friday's doubleheader at 1 p.m., and Maverik Buffo (0-0, 3.86) for Saturday's game at 11 a.m., all PDT.
"Our schedule doesn't get any easier as we enter the third week of the season," BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. "Oklahoma has a lot of big, strong, athletic guys that don't get cheated at the plate. Our pitchers need to do a great job of using both sides of the plate and work ahead."
The Cougars (1-7) and Sooners (6-4) were both in the Phoenix area for games last week where BYU won its first game of the season, 8-3, against Nebraska in a four-game series. Cougar freshman Colton Shaver has a four-game hitting streak and belted the only homer of the season last Saturday.
"Offensively we need to do a better job with runners in scoring position, as well as being tougher with two strikes," Littlewood said.
"This weekend will give a couple young guys an opportunity to get some playing time as Tanner (Chauncey) is out with a hamstring injury and Brian Hsu will stay home due to illness. Look for Paxton Larson to start at second base and freshman Grant Hodges to get some time behind the plate."
Following the Oklahoma games, BYU opens its home season next week starting a four-game series against Hartford in Provo.
For more detailed information, see multi-page PDF below
