PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — BYU baseball lost a pitching duel to Indiana State, 3-2, on Friday in the season opener for both teams at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida.

"The final result wasn’t what we wanted, but I thought it was a great baseball game,” said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood. “Indiana State is a really good team. They got a big two-out hit in the first inning and it felt like we were digging ourselves out of hole, but I was happy with the way we competed and didn’t give up. I really like our team and saw a lot of good things today.”

After two quick outs in the first inning, Indian State strung together three hits and a walk to score two runs and take a 2-0 lead, before Cougar starter Jack Sterner struck out ISU centerfielder Sean Ross to end the threat. 

BYU got on the board in the top of the sixth when shortstop Brock Watkins led off the inning with a triple to right center. A groundball to second base by Cougar centerfielder Mitch McIntyre scored Watkins and cut the Sycamores’ lead to 2-1.

Indian State responded in the bottom half of the inning with two hits and a stolen base to score a run of its own and push the lead to 3-1. 

The Cougars made it a one-run game in the seventh thanks to a leadoff double by freshman catcher Collin Reuter, a single up the middle by left fielder Hayden Leatham and a single to left field by pinch hitter Ryan Sepede to make it a 3-2 game.

BYU freshman pitcher Justis Reiser struck out the side in the seventh inning to keep it a one-run game. The lefthander from South Jordan, Utah, then struck out two more in the eighth before an error allowed ISU second baseman Josue Urdaneta to reach first. Reiser then picked off the runner at first to retire the side. 

The Cougars were unable to even the score in the top of the ninth, giving ISU a 3-2 victory. 

Notables

• Sterner: 4.2 IP, 5 K, 1 BB, 7 H, 2 ER (starter)
• Reiser: 2.0 IP, 5 K, 0 BB, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 pickoff
• Leatham: 2-3, HBP
• McIntyre: 2-4, RBI
• Sepede: 1-1, RBI

BYU will take on Marshall of Conference USA in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 19, with game one scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST and the nightcap to follow at approximately 6:00 p.m. 

Both games from the Snowbird Classic will be broadcast on the BYU Sports Network and can be heard live on BYUcougars.com/LiveRadio and the BYU Cougars App. Game one of the doubleheader will also be broadcast locally on BYU Radio 107.9 FM.
 

PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball opens the 2022 season at the Snowbird Classic, Feb. 18-21, in Port Charlotte, Florida. The Cougars will take on Indiana State Friday, Feb. 18 (12:30 p.m. EST), followed by a double header against Marshall on Saturday, Feb. 19 (3:30 and 6:00 p.m. EST), with the final game versus Ohio State on Monday, Feb. 21 (12:30 p.m. EST). 

BYU returns 22 players from the 2021 squad, including Collegiate Baseball News Freshman All-American and WCC Co-Freshman of the Year Andrew Pintar, along with four other All-WCC honorees in centerfielder Mitch McIntyre, rightfielder Cole Gambill and right-handed pitchers Reid McLaughlin and Carter Smith.

“We are excited to get our season underway,” said BYU head baseball coach Mike Littlewood. “The past couple of years we’ve had a young team, but that’s not the case anymore. We have a lot of pitchers and position players with game experience, as well as some real talented newcomers. The guys are ready to go, and we are anxious to play.”

BROADCAST PLANS. All four games from the Snowbird Classic will be broadcast on the BYU Sports Network and can be heard live on BYUcougars.com/LiveRadio and the BYU Cougars App. Games versus Indiana State, Ohio State and the first game of the Saturday doubleheader with Marshall will also be broadcast locally on BYU Radio 107.9 FM.

PROJECTED STARTERS. Taking the hill for game one against Indiana State is righthanded sophomore Jack Sterner, who led the Cougars in starts (14) in 2021 and was second in Ks (50), third in innings pitched (56.2) and fourth in ERA (3.81). The rest of the starting rotation for the Snowbird Classic will include righthanders Nate Dahle, a junior transfer from Southern Idaho; freshman Janzen Keisel from Gunnison, Utah and Ryan Brady, a sophomore from Park City, Utah. 

OTHERS ON THE BUMP. BYU appears to have one of the deepest pitching staffs in recent history. Last season the Cougars posted a team ERA of 4.24 with a young staff that also recorded the best strikeout to walk ratio since 1967 at 2.36 (410-158). 

Sterner (3.81, 1-2) and closer McLaughlin (2.04, 3-1, 6 saves) anchor a returning staff that also features right handers Bryce Robison (3.78, 7-2), Ayden Callahan (0.87, 0-0) and Smith (4.17, 2 saves), as well as sophomore lefties Cooper McKeehan (5.68, 2-1), Cy Nielson (7.75, 3-3) and Boston Mabeus (4.71, 2-3). Other new comers to the pitching staff include freshmen Carter Foss and Justis Reiser as well as Peyton Cole who moved from the infield to the mound in 2022. 

OFFENSIVE LEADERS. BYU returns the majority of its offensive production from 2021, including first team All-WCC infielder Pintar, who led the Cougars in batting average (.333), hits (63), runs (41), total bases (105), slugging percentage (.556) and was top 10 in WCC play in 10 offensive categories. 

He is joined by McIntyre, a two-time All-WCC honoree who started all 50 games in 2021. The senior centerfielder hit .318 with 39 RBI, 14 doubles, three triples and four home runs in 2021. Fellow All-WCC honoree Gambill also returns in 2022. The junior leftfielder also played in all 50 games last year, hitting .268 with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI. 

RETURNING VETERANS. Other returning position players with plenty of game experience from the 2021 squad include senior leftfielder Hayden Leatham; juniors Josh Cowden (outfield), Jacob Wilk (infield), Austin Deming (infield) Ryan Sepede (outfield) and Jacob Rogers; as well as sophomores Brock Watkins (infield) and Cooper Vest (outfield).

NEW FACES. Two incoming freshmen from Magnolia Heights High School in Mississippi will likely be in the lineup to begin the 2022 season. Collin Reuter, an ABCA/Rawlings High School All-American catcher and teammate Ozzie Pratt, a Perfect Game All-American infielder, have been impressive in fall camp. They are joined by several transfers, including infielders Alex Sardina (UNLV) and Max Harper (Patrick Henry CC), outfielder Dawson Hall (USU Eastern) and catcher Chase Peterson (Salt Lake CC). 

YEAR IN REVIEW. BYU returns all but one starting pitcher and six of the eight positions players from a team that went 23-27 in 2021. The Cougars look to build on the success of a young lineup that went 11-4 in its last 15 outings. Included in the 11 wins was an 8-5 victory over perennial baseball powerhouse Arizona State as well as series victories over its last four WCC opponents. BYU also defeated No. 19 Texas in Austin earlier in the season. 

Indiana State finished the 2021 season with a 31-21 record, was 5-6 in neutral site games and finished runner-up in the Missouri Valley Conference. Marshall was 10-35 and finished sixth in the C-USA East Division. Ohio State was 22-20, including 5-5 in nurtural site games, while finishing sixth in the Big 10.