Late-Game Heroics Give Cougars the Win

OREM, Utah – A single by freshman Jaren Hall in the top of the 10th inning and clutch pitching from sophomore Mitch McIntyre gave BYU baseball its eighth-straight win against Utah Valley by a score of 14-13 in a wild UCCU Crosstown Clash on Tuesday at UCCU Ballpark.

“It was one of those games you see once every few years that just baffles you,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. “We hung in there, grinded it out a little bit and ended up persevering.”

BYU vs. Utah Valley Box Score

Game Summary

• After participating in BYU football practice, Jaren Hall drove over to the game, arriving in the third inning. He entered the game in the bottom of the ninth, then hit a single to score Brock Hale for the game-winning run in the top of the 10th
• Playing and starting in his first game as a Cougar, Bryan Call hit a three-run homer to right field for the first hit of his career, following up later with a two-RBI single
• BYU’s eight-game win streak over UVU is the longest by either team in series history; the Cougars haven’t lost to the Wolverines since May 10, 2016

Player Highlights

• Bryan Call: 2-5, HR, R, BB, 5 RBI
• Brock Hale: 2-5, HR, 2 R, BB, 4 RBI
• Brian Hsu: 2-3, 3 R, BB, 2 RBI

UVU climbed back from being down 13-7 in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs in the bottom of the inning before tying the game in the bottom of the eighth with a run.

With the game tied, 13-13, and runners on second and third with one out, sophomore Mitch McIntyre came in from left field to pitch for the Cougars. After coaxing a strikeout for out two, BYU intentionally walked the Wolverine batter to load the bases. On a 3-2 count, McIntyre got the UVU batter to go down swinging, sending the game into extra innings.

Senior Brock Hale walked, then reached second on a balk. With two outs, freshman Jaren Hall singled up the middle to score Hale. The RBI was the first of Hall’s career and came despite the freshman arriving at the game in the third inning after participating at quarterback at BYU football practice. Hall entered the game in left field in the bottom of the ninth before coming through in his only at-bat of the game.

McIntyre then retired the side, giving him his second win of the year and improving the Cougars to 14-5 on the year. 

Playing in his first game as a Cougar, freshman second baseman Bryan Call knocked in five runs – three on a home run to right field in the third inning for the first hit of his career, and two more on a two-RBI single in the seventh. Call finished 2-for-4 with a run, a walk and the five RBIs.

Hale started things off quickly for BYU with a two-run homer in the top of the first to score himself and senior Brian Hsu, who reached earlier on a walk. The home run was Hale’s third of the year and second in the last three games.

The Wolverines answered back in kind, hitting their one two-run homer with two outs to tie the game, 2-2 after one inning.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the second, Hale again stepped up, lacing a single up the middle to bring in junior Abraham Valdez and Hsu for a 4-2 Cougar lead. Hale finished the game going 2-for-5 with four RBIs and a walk.

The Cougars scored five more runs in the top of the third, all with two outs. Hsu hit a two-run single with the bases loaded before Call’s home run to bring in three more for a 9-2 lead after three innings.

A single by freshman Austin Deming and an error on the throw from the outfield brought in another BYU run in the fourth.

Call’s two-run single and a run scored by senior Keaton Kringlen on a dropped fly ball in the seventh pushed BYU’s lead to six at 13-7. However, a collection of singles and hit batters helped UVU cut into the lead yet again in the bottom of the inning with the Wolverines bringing five across to make it a 13-12 game before the two teams battled into the 10th.

BYU returns home for another three-game conference series, this time against Portland starting Thursday, March 21, at 6 p.m. MT. The game will air live on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN 960 AM.