STOCKTON, California (February 25, 2017)—Outfielder  Chris Williams’ three-run homer was the difference in a 4-2 San Jose State victory over BYU baseball on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars, now 3-4, missed an opportunity to put their record above .500 for the first time as SJSU improved to 3-3 in a game played at San Joaquin Delta College because of rain in the Bay Area.

“We need to get to a point where we are tougher mentally as a group of guys,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “I feel like we've been more talented than every team we've played, yet we can't seem to pull away from teams. I believe all these tough games will help us in the long run, but this team is talented enough to be winning the close games.”

Alert base running by David Clawson led to BYU’s initial score in the fifth inning after a leadoff double to right-center field. Clawson stretched that shallow fly into a double, then scrambled home when Bronson Larsen’s sacrifice bunt resulted in an errant throw to third base.

Cougar second baseman Brennon Anderson hit a two-out home run in the eighth inning for a 2-0 lead. Teammate Brock Hale extended his current hitting streak to eight games with a single in the eighth, but was stranded after he stole second.

BYU starter Kendall Motes was in line to be the winning pitcher after throwing the first five innings effectively, but the Spartans scored four runs in the eighth off reliever Bo Burrup. Williams capped the SJSU rally with his one-out dinger, a category he led Delta College in before transferring to the Spartans.

“I was really encouraged by Kendall's start today,” Littlewood said.

After a couple days in Provo, the Cougars return to California for a three-game series at Cal State Bakersfield Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

On to the Pacific seaboard from the Atlantic piedmont, BYU’s baseball team hopes to reverse the tide in four games at San Jose, California this week.

The Cougars, 1-2 overall, begin on Thursday in a split doubleheader against Northern Colorado, 1-3,  on Thursday at  noon PST, followed by the 5 p.m. against host San Jose State, 0-2.

Single game rematches against the same teams are on Friday vs. UNC again at noon and on Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. SJSU. Thursday and Friday's games are at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton, California. Saturday's game is at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton.

Due to rain and field conditions the games have been moved from San Jose’s Municipal Stadium to turf fields in the area.  Game times and live streaming of those games depends on the venue.  Changes will be posted on www.byucougars.com.

Maverik Buffo (0-1, 7.20) will start for BYU in the opener, followed by Brady Corless  (1-0, 3.18) in Thursday’s nightcap.Connor Williams (1-1, 4.85 in 2016) is the Cougars’ probable starter for Friday Kendall Motes  (0-0, 9.00  in 2016) is scheduled to be on the mound on Saturday.

"We are looking forward to getting back on the West Coast after three tough games in Atlanta,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said.  “The guys played great last week and we look to build on the progress we made during the opening week of play.  Playing four games will give us an opportunity to get Connor Williams and Kendall Motes on the mound to see what they can do.”

BYU hopes to combine its anticipated hitting prowess with impressive pitching demonstrated in last week’s games at the Atlanta Challenge.  In the first two games at Georgia the Cougars out-hit their opponents with solid pitching.  In the 10-inning loss at Georgia State earlier this week, BYU’s hitting was shutdown, but pitching continued to rise to the occasion.

Sophomore Keaton Kringlen’s hitting streak ended at 13 games at GSU where the game could have finished in a tie due to travel restrictions.  Brock Hale’s four-game hitting streak leads BYU, followed by Kyle Dean, Nate Favero and Colton Shaver each with three-game hitting streaks.  Kringlen, Hale, Shaver and David Clawson each have knocked a home run this season.

Following this week’s four-game series, the Cougars return home for a couple days, then are back in California for a three-game series at Cal State Bakersfield next weekend.

For more detailed information, see multi-page PDF below