SAN DIEGO — San Diego defeated BYU, 8-4, in game two of the West Coast Conference three-game series at Fowler Park in San Diego on Friday night. 

With the win, the Toreros improve to 21-22-1 (14-9) on the year, while the Cougars fall to 19-25 (9-11 WCC). The two teams will face off in the series rubber match on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.

Game Summary
  •  BYU hit .324 (12-37), while USD hit .267 (8-30)
  •  BYU collected five doubles in the game by Ozzie Pratt (2), Luke Anderson, Austin Deming and Ryan Sepede
  •  San Diego score six runs in the second inning, all with two outs

BYU Highlights
  •  Deming: 3-4, Run, 2B
  •  Cooper Vest: 2-3, 2 RBI
  •  Pratt: 2-5, Run, 2B
  •  Sepede: 2-4, Run, 2B, RBI

After two scoreless innings to begin the game, BYU scored first in the top of the third with a double by Luke Anderson that scored Ozzie Pratt, who had doubled to lead off the inning. 

San Diego answered in the bottom half of the inning with six runs on two walks and four hits, including a three-run blast by first baseman Jack Gurevitch for 6-1 lead. All six runs scored with two outs in the inning. 

“The second inning really hurt us tonight,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “If we limit the damage in that inning, it’s a different ball game. I thought our bullpen did a real nice job tonight and our hitting was good. We just couldn’t overcome the early deficit.”

The Toreros picked up two more runs in the fourth inning off four hits to increase their lead to 8-1. 

BYU got two runs back in the sixth inning off a two-out single up the middle by Cooper Vest that scored Cole Gambill and Ryan Sepede to cut the USD lead to 8-3. Another Cougar run in the eighth inning off a Sepede single that scored Deming brought the final score to 8-4.

BYU starter Bryce Robison (5-3) took the loss, while Ivran Romero (2-4) pitched the final five innings in relief for USD to pick up the win.

Game three of the series on Saturday will be broadcast live on the BYU Radio App and simulcast on 107.9 in the northern Utah market. Jason Shepherd will have the call. San Diego will also broadcast the game on the WCC network.