SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara defeated BYU, 11-6, in game one of a three-game baseball series at Stephen Schott Stadium on Thursday. 

With the win SCU improves to 17-11 (7-6 WCC) on the year, while BYU falls to 12-20 (5-8 WCC). The Cougars will face the Broncos in game two of the WCC series on Friday at 6 p.m. PDT. 

“Give Santa Clara a lot of credit,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “They came up with big hits when they needed to tonight and Blake Hammond was tough on the mound. I thought we played a pretty good baseball game, and had chances all night, but we just couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it.”

Game Summary
  •  Broncos scored 11 runs on 13 hits, while BYU had six runs on nine hits
  •  SCU was 5-10 (.500) with runners in scoring position, while BYU went 3-12 (.250)
  •  Six of Santa Clara’s 10 RBIs came with two-outs

BYU Highlights
  •  Luke Anderson: 2-3, 2 RBI, BB
  •  Ryan Sepede: 2-3, Run
  •  Parker Goff: 1-3, 2 Runs

BYU jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first on a RBI single by Ryan Deming to right that scored Ozzie Pratt, who had lead off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a walk by Luke Anderson. 

Santa Clara evened the score, 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning on a double, wild pitch and a balk. The Broncos tacked on four runs in the bottom of the third on a hit by pitch, a walk and four hits to take a 5-1 lead. 

The Cougars answered in the top of the fourth on a wild half inning that included a hit by pitch, two walks, a wild pitch and two singles. Chad Call drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice that scored Ryan Sepede. Pratt picked up an RBI on a 3-1 count that scored Jacob Wilk. Call then scored on a sacrifice fly by Anderson and Parker Goff scored on a wild pitch to tie the score at 5-5. 

The Broncos retook the lead, 7-5, in the bottom of the fifth on a Cougar error and a home run to right center by first baseman Robert Hipwell, who finished the night 4-5 with 5 RBI. 

BYU got a run back in the top of the sixth on an Anderson single that scored Goff who had singled to lead off the inning. Santa Clara answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame to push the lead to 8-6. 

Two Bronco runs in the seventh and another insurance run in the eighth gave SCU an 11-6 win in game one of the series. 

Blake Hammond (3-1) got the win for Santa Clara, going 5.2 innings in relief, while Mason Olson (2-3) took the loss for BYU.

The Cougars and Broncos will face-off in game two of the series on Friday at 6 p.m. PDT at Stephen Schott Stadium in Santa Clara. The game will be broadcast live on the BYU Radio App and simulcast on 107.9 in the northern Utah market. The voice of the Cougars, Greg Wrubell, will have the call. Santa Clara will also broadcast the game on the WCC network. 

PROVO, Utah — After defeating Utah Tech, 8-5, on Tuesday, the Cougars head to Santa Clara to take on the Broncos in a three-game WCC series at Stephen Schott Stadium, April 13-15. The Broncos are currently 6-6 in conference play and tied for fifth in the WCC standing, just one game ahead of the Cougars at 5-7. 

BROADCAST. The three-game series will be broadcast live on the BYU Radio App and BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market with Greg Wrubell on the call. The Thursday and Friday games are scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT with the Saturday game at 1 p.m. PDT.

SERIES HISTORY. Thursday’s contest will be the 38th meeting between the two schools. The Cougars are 25-12 all-time versus the Broncos. Last year, BYU swept the series 3-0 at Miller Park. The first baseball game between the two schools was played on April 4, 1968, in Santa Clara and ended in a 7-2 Broncos' victory. 

SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Overall 25-12 BYU (H: 12-3 | A: 13-6 | N: 0-3)
First Meeting 4/4/1968 | 7-2 SCU
Last Meeting 4/9/1922 | 9-5 BYU

BRONCO REVIEW. Santa Clara enters Thursday’s game with a season record of 17-11 and are 6-6 in WCC play. The Broncos are 5-5 in their last 10 games, including a 2-1 series win at home versus Pacific last weekend. SCU is 9-5 at home during 2023. 

COUGAR REWIND. BYU won its second series of the year over the weekend, 2-1, over USF at Miller Park. The Cougars are also 5-5 in their last 10 games. BYU has played 19 of its first 30 games on the road, with a 4-15 record away from Miller Park.  

WEEKEND SERIES. Following the weekend series in Santa Clara, the Cougars head home for a seven-game homestand at Miller Park.  The stretch includes games with rival Utah (April 18), a three-game series with UNC Greensboro (April 20-22) and a WCC series with Portland (April 27-29).