PROVO, Utah – BYU baseball opened a three-game home series with Saint Mary's on Thursday with a 11-8 loss at Miller Park. 

With the win, the Gaels improve to 7-11 (2-2), while BYU falls to 7-13 (1-3) on the season. 

Game Summary

• Cougars scored eight runs on 12 hits, while the Gaels tallied 11 runs on 15 hits
• SMC outscored BYU 5-1 in final two innings for the win
• Austin Deming had a season-high five RBI's

Player Highlights

• Ryan Sepede: 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B
• Luke Anderson: 3-4, 2 RBI
• Tate Gambill: 1-4, 2 Runs, 1 2B
• Austin Deming: 2-4, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2 2B
• Mason Olson: 6.2 IP, 8 hits, 8 SO
• Parker Goff: 2-3, 1 Run

SMC led off the top of the first inning with three walks to load the bases before a two-run single gave the Gaels a 2-0 lead.

With two outs and no runners aboard in the bottom of the second inning, the Gaels scored another run to extend their lead to 3-0.

The Cougars flipped momentum in the bottom of the third as Cooper Vest singled through the right side and Chad Call walked to put two on base. After a sacrifice bunt from Parker Goff advanced runners to second and third and Tate Gambill walked, Austin Deming doubled to right center. Ryan Sepede then doubled to score Deming to give the Cougars a 4-3 advantage.

After striking out the side in the fourth, BYU starter Mason Olson gave up his first home run of the season in the top of the fifth as SMC knotted the game at 4-4. Right fielder Ryan Sepede made a diving catch, then doubled off the run at first to closeout the inning. 

Olson wrapped up his day with 6 2/3innings of work on a BYU season-high 118 total pitches. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the Gaels retook the lead with a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh for a 6-4 advantage.

The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the seventh, when BYU RBI leader Deming doubled to right center scoring Pratt to trim the deficit to 6-5. Back-to-back singles by Ryan Sepede and Luke Anderson scored Deming and evened the score at 6-6.

The Gaels broke the game open in the top of the eighth inning with four runs on four hits and two Cougar errors for a 10-6 advantage. The Cougars got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning on hits by Parker Goff, Tate Gambill and Anderson to close the gap to 10-8

SMC took advantage of another BYU error to add an insurance run in the top of the ninth to push the visitors lead to three runs. The Cougars were unable to rally in the bottom half of the inning as they fell 11-8 in the opening game of the series. 

The two teams will return to action on Saturday for a double header, with the first game scheduled for 3 p.m. MDT with the second game following the conclusion of game one. Both games will be broadcast live on the BYUtv App as well as the BYU Radio App. Game one will also be broadcast on BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market. 

PROVO, Utah — BYU continues its current homestand with a three-game series versus West Coast Conference foe Saint Mary’s, March 23-25, at Miller Park. 

First pitch for the Thursday game is scheduled for 3 p.m. MDT, with a double-header on Saturday slated to begin at noon MDT. 

BROADCAST PLANS. All three games will be broadcast live on the BYUtv App and online at BYUtv.org with Dave McCann and Gary Sheide providing play-by-play and analysis. The games will also air live on the BYU Radio App with the Voice of the Cougars Greg Wrubell on the call. 

Ticket information for all three games can be found at BYUtickets.com.

COUGARS-GAELS HISTORY.  Thursday marks the 39th meeting between BYU and Saint Mary’s. The Cougars are 26-12 all-time and have won seven of the last nine contests. The first game between the two schools was played on March 14, 1969 and ended in a 12-4 Cougar victory. SMC won the most recent contest 4-3 in Moraga, California, on April 2, 2022.

SAINT MARY’S RECAP. The Gaels are 6-11 (1-2 WCC) in 2023, with a road record of 2-3 at UTSA (1-3) and San Jose State (1-0). They are currently 3-7 at home and 1-1 at neutral sites. 

GAELS PROJECTED STARTERS. Senior righthander Ryan Taurek (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start on Thursday for the Gaels, with senior righty Connor Linchey (1-1, 2.25 ERA) slated to start on Friday. Saturday’s starter for SMC has yet to be determined. 

SCOUTING SMC. Bill Ralston leads the Gaels in hitting (.323) and hits (20), while Christian Almanza leads Saint Mary’s in runs (16), RBI (14), total bases (34) and home runs (5). 

BYU REVIEW. The Cougars enter the weekend series with a 7-12 record (1-2 WCC) and are 3-2 over the past five games. BYU defeated in-state rivals Utah (7-0) and Utah Valley (15-7) in back-to-back Tuesday games and opened WCC play last weekend at LMU winning on Friday (8-0) but dropping the Thursday (12-2) and Saturday (10-9) contests. 

COUGARS ON THE HILL. Junior left hander Mason Olson (1-1, 3.24 ERA) is scheduled to start on Thursday for BYU, while junior righty Bryce Robison (2-1, 4.91 ERA) will start Friday. The Cougars starter on Saturday will be determined later. 

AT THE PLATE. Offensively the Cougars are led by Austin Deming, Cooper Vest and Ozzie Pratt. Deming is a returning first-team All-WCC performer who leads the team in multiple offensive categories including average (.370), RBI (22), hits (27), HRs (7) and 2B (9). Vest is second on the team in average (.364) and home runs (4). Pratt leads BYU in at bats (61), doubles (8) and is second in hits (18) and triples (1) and is tied for the team lead in walks (12).

UP NEXT. Following the weekend series with SMC, the Cougars will hit the road again for five straight road contests including UVU (March 28), Gonzaga (March 30-31, April 1) and Washington State (April 3).