BYU vs. Hawai`i Game 2 Box Score

HONOLULU (February 23, 2018)--A bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Brock Hale plated Mitch McIntyre in the 10th inning Friday for a 4-3 BYU victory over Hawai`i.

Sparring for six scoreless innings, the Cougars finally got on top and rode the arms of relievers Riley Gates, Jake Suddreth and Drew Zimmermann to hand the Rainbow Warriors their first loss of the season. Gates was the winning pitcher, but left the game in the 10th because of shoulder tightness, and Suddreth came in for the save.

“This was a very quality win for our program,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “It was a team effort and the guys battled for 10 straight innings. The difference from tonight and last night was execution and playing sound fundamental baseball. I was also proud of Jake Suddreth for coming out of the pen with a surprise appearance when Riley experienced some shoulder tenderness.”

Littlewood pulled the right punches throughout the contest, subbing defensive specialist Jarrett Perns for Keaton Kringlen in left field in the ninth. Perns made a game-saving catch for the third out. Then Jake Brown pinch-hit for Perns in the 10th and worked a walk on balls to load the bases.

“I was really proud of three of our freshmen that stepped up today: Ryan Brady and Drew Zimmerman on the mound, and Mitch McIntyre at the plate,” Littlewood said. “Jake Brown also put together a great pinch-hit at-bat for us tonight. Mitch, Brennon (Anderson), and (Daniel) Schneemann all executed on the night and that was really the difference.”

Earlier, in the fifth inning, Zimmerman took the mound with two runners aboard and one out. Brennon Anderson, Daniel Schneemann and Nate Favero combined for a double play to get BYU out of the jam.

The Rainbow Warriors had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, starting with a solo homer by Adam Fogel to the delight of most of the 2,804 fans.

BYU took a temporary 3-2 lead in the third inning. David Clawson scored the Cougars’ first run, set up by his lead-off single, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. McIntyre walked, followed by a one-run double by Anderson which caromed off the wall a couple feet inside the rightfield line at the corner. 

McIntyre scored after Clawson on a high, wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. Anderson scored the go-ahead run when Schneemann’s bunt forced the pitcher to go to first base. However, UH tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third.

The Cougars take their 4-2 record into a Saturday doubleheader at noon HST against Hawai’i, now 5-1. The first game of the twin bill will be broadcast live locally and streamed on ESPN Radio 960.

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.