Clawson's bat jump-starts BYU in 9-3 win in Crosstown Clash

BYU vs. UVU Game 1 Box Score

PROVO, Utah – David Clawson drove in BYU's first score and later the game-winning run to push the Cougars past UVU 9-3 in the UCCU Crosstown Clash Tuesday night at Larry H. Miller Field.

"We didn't panic," BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. "We battled through those first three or four innings and then got a couple of big hits that allowed us to relax."

Clawson went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI on the night. A committee of seven BYU pitchers allowed three hits and three runs as Kenny Saenz (1-2) picked up the win. 

"Our last three pitchers were lights out tonight once we got our lead," Littlewood said.

The Cougars moved to 9-6 with their fourth-straight win. UVU fell to 5-10.

Blake Inouye started on the mound and worked an easy 1-2-3 first. After a scoreless bottom frame, Inouye again set the Wolverines down in order to cap a perfect two-inning effort. Bo Burrup took over pitching duties in the third for the Cougars.

Burrup also dealt six perfect outs from the rubber as the game headed into the bottom of the fourth.

UVU drew first blood in the fifth inning off BYU pitcher James Barker. A pair of doubles and a wild pitch made it 2-0 for the visitors before Barker could finish the inning.

The Cougars responded with two runs of their own, as Clawson doubled down the right field to score Brian Hsu, who reached by being hit by a pitch. Brennon Anderson then singled through the 5.5 hole to even the score at 2-2.

With BYU’s Justin Sterner on the mound in the sixth, UVU scraped another run across on an error, walk and single.

In the bottom half, the Cougars threatened with a single and double from the bats of Kyle Dean and Brock Hale, respectively.  After Nate Favero was beaned, Hsu hit a towering sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Dean. With two outs, Clawson punched one through the right side to score Hale and give BYU its first lead at 4-3. Jarrett Perns gave the Cougars a cushion by drilling a 3-1 pitch into the right-center gap for a two-run triple and 6-3 lead.

BYU’s Saenz retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to end his night on the hill. Daniel Schneemann led off the bottom half by driving a pitch into the pine trees over the right field fence for his first home run of the season. Later in the inning, Hsu's RBI single made it 8-3 for the Cougars.

In the bottom of the eighth, Clawson doubled and Schneemann later drove him home on a sacrifice fly to left field to push across the final run. Jake Suddreth came on to throw a perfect ninth inning.

BYU will host Loyola Marymount for a weekend series, beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. MDT.