BYU vs. Hawai`i Game One Box Score

HONOLULU (February 22, 2018)—A nail-biter turned in favor of undefeated Hawai`i as it edged out BYU baseball 3-2 on Thursday evening.

The Rainbow Warriors, 5-0, broke the game open with runners on first and second in the eighth inning. A bobbled attempt at third base caused Nate Favero to hurry a wild throw past first as UH plated the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.

The Cougars, now 3-2, took the initial lead when designated hitter Jake Brown drew a two-out walk in the second inning. Brown took advantage of David Clawson belting the first pitch down the baseline to the right field corner to score the first run of the game.

Brown fouled five consecutive pitches on a 1-2 count before drilling an RBI double to left field in the third frame to plate Favero who singled on the previous play for a 2-0 lead.

The Rainbow Warriors had stranded runners the first four innings, including three in scoring position, in the first, third and sixth innings.

“Jordan (Wood) gave us another nice start and gave us a chance to win,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said of his starting pitcher. “As a team we need to learn how to lock down leads and finish games. We gave away way too many at-bats tonight. Offensively we just weren't ready to play, and execution in the ninth inning was horrendous.”

Brock Hale made a sliding catch in right field in the fifth inning to hold the UH runner who had previously doubled. Then the Rainbow Warriors ended up tying the game at two-all.

The Cougars missed a couple scoring opportunities later in the game. Mitch McIntyre, who has hit safely in all five games, was stranded at third in the fifth frame after advancing there on Daniel Schneemann’s two-out single.

In the ninth inning, the UH relief pitcher dropped a high pop fly by pinch-hitter Mackay Jacobsen for the first of two consecutive Rainbow Warrior errors. Pinch-runner Cam Richins subbed for Jacobsen and advanced to third on McIntyre’s fly-out, but the game ended with BYU runners on the corners after consecutive strikeouts.

The second of the four-game series will be played at 6:35 HST on Friday and will be broadcast live by ESPN 960 AM locally and streamed on the Internet by its station along with BYU Radio Sirius XM 143.

For the first time this season BYU baseball games will be heard on via its own radio broadcasts in non-league games this week at Hawai`i.

The Cougars, 3-1, have a four-game series starting Thursday at Hawai`i, 3-0.

BYU’s pitching rotation for BYU will be the same order as the season-opening series at CSUN.  Jordan Wood (0-0, 1.50) will start at  6:35 p.m.  HST (three hours difference from MST) on Thursday. On Friday at 6:35 p.m.  HST,  Ryan Brady (0-0, 9.00) will start for the Cougars. Hayden Rogers (1-0, 3.68)  will be on the mound in game one on Saturday at noon HST and Kenny Saenz (0-0, 15.00) will start in the nightcap.

Friday’s game and the first contest on Saturday will be broadcast live with 27-year veteran announcer Brent Norton calling the action.  Friday’s game will be carried live on both ESPN 960 AM and streamed online by BYU Radio  and on Sirius XM 143.  Saturday’s first game will only be broadcast by ESPN 960 AM and available on its audio stream.

The Rainbow Warriors were picked to finish seventh in the Big West Conference preseason poll. UH lead the series against BYU, 42-31-2.  The two schools last met in baseball in 2002.

Hawai’i and the Cougars share CSUN and Loyola Marymount as common opponents this season. BYU won the series last week at CSUN, while the Rainbow Warriors swept the Air Force Academy in three games, with a fourth contest rained out last Sunday.

Following the series at Hawai`i, the Cougars have a three –game series at Auburn in Alabama next week. BYU’s home season starts on March 8 against Nebraska-Omaha.