Returning to the road at Portland

BYU vs. Portland game notes

On the strength of its first league sweep, BYU baseball readies for consecutive road encounters starting this week at Portland.

The Cougars, 17-13 overall, are back in the West Coast Conference race with a 6-6 record. Portland is 11-19 and 4-8.

Veterans Jordan Wood (2-2, 2.65) and Hayden Rogers (4-2, 5.40) are BYU’s respective pitchers on Thursday and Friday in games starting at 6 p.m. PDT. Saturday’s starter for the Cougars is yet to be named in the noon contest.

BYU had to come from behind in all three wins last week against Santa Clara, with rain being a factor. The Cougars should be more prepared to play at Portland on the strength of playing 14 games in Provo on the “new” artificial turf similar to the surface Portland has had for a couple years.

The Cougars have won six games in a row over the Pilots. Portland sophomore Beau Brundage is No. 1 in the league in batting average, hits and on-base percentage. BYU’s Brock Hale leads the league in slugging percentage.

Following the three-game series at Portland, the Cougars travel to Arizona for a Tuesday nonconference game prior to hosting Utah again and a three-game series against San Diego.