PROVO, Utah – Keaton Kringlen’s two-run homer and Jordan Wood’s excellent outing helped BYU baseball to a 9-1 win over San Diego Thursday night at Larry H. Miller Field.

"Tonight felt like Cougar baseball," BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. "Wood did a great job and we had quality at-bats. We played great defense with a couple double-plays and didn't make mistakes."

In addition to Kringlen’s first dinger this season, Brock Hale and David Clawson had three hits apiece as Wood (3-4) threw eight innings and allowed just one run on three hits, with six strikeouts.

The Cougars got back to .500 in the league (8-8 West Coast Conference, 19-17 overall) while the Toreros fell to 18-24, 7-12 (WCC).

The BYU bats produced a first-inning run, with Brennon Anderson scoring from second on Hale’s single up the middle. Anderson reached with a single through the 5.5 hole and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

In the third, the Toreros drilled a triple and a double to tie the game at 1-1. Kringlen erased the tie with a two-run bomb on a first-pitch curveball in the bottom half. His shot cleared the left-center fence and plated Hale, who singled.

Nate Favero and Clawson drove in a run each in the fifth to extend BYU’s lead to 5-1. Favero lined a single through the left side to plate Kringlen and Clawson brought him around with a triple down the right field line.

Hale’s third single up the middle scored Daniel Schneemann in the sixth to give the Cougars a 6-1 lead. Kringlen bunted runners to second and third, and a throwing error from the San Diego first baseman allowed Brian Hsu to hustle home. Kyle Dean added to the damage with a double into the left field corner to score two more, and BYU led 9-1.

Blake Inouye closed the game on the mound for the Cougars, firing one scoreless inning.

BYU plays Friday (6 p.m., Harry Potter Night) and Saturday to finish the series against San Diego.

BYU vs. Utah, San Diego Game Notes

Parity is reflected for BYU baseball this week as it returns to league play following Tuesday’s rubber match when it hosts Utah.

The Cougars, 18-16 overall and 7-8 in the West Coast Conference, are three-and-one-half games out of first place with 12 league games remaining. How BYU emerges from hosting four games this week could jump start a bid to get one of four spots in the league tournament next month.

Utah, now 9-28, is also looking for a rebound, having won two of its last 10 games since evening the series against BYU, 4-3, earlier this month in Salt Lake City. The run differential is tied at 10 apiece in the Deseret Duel baseball standings, with a fourth game scheduled May 8 in Salt Lake City. BYU beat Utah 7-6 in 10 innings last month in Provo.

BYU starting pitcher is Bo Burrup (2-1, 6.84) for Tuesday’s 6 p.m. MDT game in Provo which will be televised live locally over KBYU-TV (channel 11).

The University of San Diego, 18-22 overall and 7-11 in the WCC, is looking to halt a five-game skid in league play following its Tuesday game at UC Irvine. USD and BYU start a three-game series on Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. The games Thursday and Saturday (1 p.m.) will be televised live by BYUtv.