Frustrating 5-2 loss at Pepperdine

BYU at Pepperdine game 3 box score

MALIBU, Calif. (March 31, 2018)—Opportunity knocked 16 times Saturday for BYU baseball, but it could only cash in twice in a 5-2 loss at Pepperdine Saturday.

It was a frustrating day for the Cougars, whose record is now 14-12 and 3-6 in the West Coast Conference. Pepperdine improved to 12-14 overall and 4-5 in the WCC.

Back-to-back singles by Nate Favero and Mitch McIntyre set up BYU’s first run to tie the game in the second inning.  With two outs, Brennon Anderson also singled to center to plate Favero. Favero ended up going 3-for-4 and scoring a pair of runs to lead all Cougars.

BYU couldn’t generate the clutch hit when needed. A couple things went right for the Cougars who retired the Waves in order in the second and seventh innings.  Daniel Schneemann threw out the lead runner at the hot corner in the third for out number two which ended up costing the Waves a run. Also, the Waves lined out to Favero at third in the sixth with the bases loaded.

Pepperdine regained the lead, 3-1, with a two-run homer down the right field line in the fourth.

In the sixth inning BYU loaded the bases with one out and a Pepperdine pitching change, but only scored another run from Favero when Jarrett Perns was hit by a pitch to close the gap to 4-2.

Again in the seventh frame, bases were loaded for the Cougars, but all of the runners were stranded. The Cougars landed on first and second bases in the first four innings leading to no further runs.

BYU now readies for a rematch against Utah on Tuesday in a contest to be played at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City at 6 p.m. MDT.