SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Contributions down the lineup gave No. 24 BYU a 7-5 victory over Santa Clara on Friday.

BYU vs. Santa Clara Box Score

Game Summary

• After allowing two runs early, BYU scored six unanswered to pull ahead
• Casey Jacobsen hit another home run, his second in as many games and third in four contests
• With a win on Saturday, BYU will clinch at least a share of the WCC regular season title

Player Highlights

• Brian Hsu: 1-4, HR, 2 R, HBP, RBI
• Mitch McIntyre: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, SB, 2 RBI
• Easton Walker: W (7-1), 5.1 IP, 3 K

After falling behind 2-0 early, BYU (35-15, 18-8) scored a pair of runs in three-straight innings, getting two across in the second, third and fourth frames to take a 6-2 lead after four. After loading the bases but coming up empty in the first, Cougar third baseman Casey Jacobsen hit a home run to lead off an inning for the second consecutive game, knocking his fifth of the year over the fence. Brian Hsu added a solo homer of his own later in the inning, his third this season.

In the third, the Cougars scored two runs with bases loaded when the Broncos (12-39, 5-21) attempted to turn a double play. The Santa Clara first baseman couldn’t dig the throw out of the dirt, allowing Jackson Cluff and Ryan Sepede to come home.

Mitch McIntyre capitalized on yet another bases-loaded situation in the fourth on a double down the right field line to score Hsu and Noah Hill and push BYU’s lead to four runs.

After allowing a two-run homer in the first, BYU starting pitcher Easton Walker held Santa Clara scoreless through the next four innings, leading to his seventh win on the year to improve to 7-1 on the season.

The Broncos put the pressure on in the seventh, loading the bases with one out down three runs. But after a pop up for out two, Blake Inouye and Casey Jacobsen combined to pick the runner off at third to end the inning and the threat.

Up 6-3 in the ninth, the Cougars had bases loaded with one out when pinch hitter Bryan Call hit a sacrifice fly to score Cluff and bring in BYU’s seventh run.

Santa Clara hit two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to two, but freshman Reid McLaughlin came in and retired all three batters he faced – two on strikes – to earn his fourth save of the year and end the game.

BYU and Santa Clara will close out the game and the regular season on Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. PT. The game will air on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN 960 AM.

PROVO, Utah - The No. 24-ranked BYU baseball team will look to claim its third West Coast Conference regular season title in its final series of the year at Santa Clara starting Thursday, May 16.

BYU vs. Santa Clara Game Notes

Should BYU (34-14, 17-7) sweep the Broncos (11-38, 4-20) or lose one less game than Gonzaga (28-21, 16-8) in the Bulldogs’ series at Pepperdine (23-23, 13-11), the Cougars would win their first outright and third WCC regular season title while also claiming the No. 1 seed in the WCC Tournament for the first time. The Cougars were co-champions of the conference in both 2016 and 2017 and won the tournament in 2017.

BYU has won 10-straight games over Santa Clara and six of seven series since the Cougars started WCC play in 2012. The Broncos have not claimed a win in the series since 2015. 

After rolling through much of the season on the strength of their pitching, the nationally ranked Cougars have been hot from the plate lately in winning two of three against San Francisco and defeating Utah on Tuesday. Sophomore shortstop Jackson Cluff was named a national player of the week and conference player of the week after hitting five doubles and a home run with nine RBIs and seven runs over four games.

The long ball has been a favorite of the BYU outfield lately as well. Against Utah on Tuesday, sophomore outfielder Danny Gelalich hit a grand slam to break a 2-2 tie and help the Cougars defeat the Utes. Senior outfielder Brock Hale had two grand slams of his own in the series against the Dons before hitting a solo shot against Utah. Sophomore outfielder Mitch McIntyre has also hit home runs in back-to-back contests.

Jordan Wood (5-2, 4.36 ERA), Easton Walker (6-1, 1.76) and Justin Sterner (8-3, 3.09) will start each game for BYU as the Cougars look to win their seventh WCC series in nine tries.

The Thursday and Friday games will start at 6 p.m. PT while Saturday's game will begin at 1 p.m. PT. All games will be aired on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN960.