OREM —Bret Lopez belted a two-run homer in the sixth inning to pave the way Tuesday night as BYU defeated Utah Valley University 6-4 at Brent Brown Ballpark.

The designated hitter’s home run, his first of the season, to left field scored fellow senior Kelton Caldwell in the sixth for a 6-3 lead. That homer extended his hitting streak to five games.

“Bret did the same thing here last year,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. ”He is one of those guys you expect to get a big hit. He is a calming influence and will get it done for you.”

The two teams sparred the first four innings, BYU taking a 2-0 lead in the first, with UVU tying it in the bottom of that frame.

The Cougars, now 17-25, took a 3-2 lead in the second, but the Wolverines (19-23) tied it in the bottom of that inning. BYU’s Dillon Robinson reinjured his ankle on the swing of his at bat that inning and is doubtful for the weekend.

Cougar freshman Brennon Lund led off the fifth with a triple past the diving right fielder and scored on a sacrifice fly by Eric Urry to retake the lead at 4-3.

James Lengal took over for eventual winning pitcher Hayden Rogers (2-2) on the mound and got two outs, but UVU ended up with runners on the corners. Then lefty Chris Howard replaced Lengal and walked his first batter to load the bases before striking out cleanup batter Mark Krueger on three straight pitches to end the inning.

Krueger did get aboard in the ninth with a two-out single as the Wolverines loaded the bases while reliever Brandon Kinser was working on his fifth save of the season. On full count, Kinser prevailed, striking out pinch-hitter Beau Kallas swinging.

“Quirky things happen here,” Littlewood said in reference to the rivalry games. “I don’t know what it is, it is never easy for either team and you just hope you get the last at bat of the game. To see live pitching was good, and it was good to get the win.”

The BYU victory before 4,122 fans avenged an 8-3 loss earlier this season to UVU in Provo.

The Cougars next play Thursday at 6 p.m. MDT, when they start a three-game series in a return to league play against Gonzaga.

Coming off a bitter-sweet bye week, BYU's baseball team readied for its next nine instate games starting this Tuesday night at Utah Valley University (19-22).

“We came off of a weekend where we played very well and could have ridden that momentum into the following week,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said as the Cougars took time off for final exams and a couple of practices as the sweet part of the deal. “We used last week to get rested, healed up and prepared to make a final push at a conference tournament berth.”

BYU, 16-25 overall and 7-11 in the West Coast Conference, will start senior co-captain Desmond Poulson (4-5, 4.73) in a pre-designated role as it rotates through its pitching corps Tuesday at 6 p.m.

“We have a huge game at Utah Valley and hopefully we can get a little redemption from our previous game. Eric Madsen (UVU coach) does a great job with his team and I know they will come out ready to play.”

After the non-conference game at UVU, the Cougars host league Gonzaga this week, then Santa Clara the following week before closing league action at Portland. In between the WCC games are two non-league games with Utah.

“We feel like we need to win seven or eight of our remaining nine league games in order to secure a playoff spot,” Littlewood said. “Right now that is in our grasp and we will come out and fight with everything we have no matter where we are in the standings. Gonzaga is a great team and it should be an exciting series with a lot on the line for both teams.”

Jeff Barker (3-5, 4.48) will start the series against Gonzaga, followed by Poulson returning to the mound on Friday. Both Thursday and Friday's games are at 6 p.m. On Saturday at 1 p.m., Kolton Mahoney (5-5, 4.30) takes the hill for the Cougars.

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