Hale's two home runs propel 10-6 win over Gaels

PROVO, Utah – Senior Brock Hale slugged two home runs and freshman Reid McLaughlin was perfect in relief as BYU baseball beat Saint Mary's 10-6 in the series opener Thursday at Larry H. Miller Field.

"We really swung the bat well," BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. "We answered back in the first inning and that carried us to the victory tonight."

BYU vs. Saint Mary's Box Score

Game Summary

• First-inning home runs from Brock Hale and Mitch McIntyre marked the first two-homer inning for the Cougars this season
• Hale's two home runs tie a career high he originally set two years ago in a game against Gonzaga
• BYU is on a six-game winning streak, the Cougars' second streak of six wins this season

Player Highlights

• Brock Hale: 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
• Mitch McIntyre: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
• Reid McLaughlin: S (2), 3.2 IP, 3 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER

The Gaels scored two in runs in the first and would have had more except for a catch in center field that saw BYU's Danny Gelalich catch and hold on to a deep fly ball before running full speed into the wall.

The Cougars responded with five in the bottom half. Hale blasted a three-run homer over the center field fence. After a Jackson Cluff single, Mitch McIntyre also homered to center field.

Another highlight defensive play came in the bottom of the third when Jaren Hall, who entered for an injured Gelalich, made a leaping catch at the fence in center for the last out of the inning.

Keaton Kringlen and Noah Hill picked up an RBI each in the third inning. In the fourth, Hale hit another home run, a solo shot to left-center, to make it an 8-2 lead for BYU. For Hale, it made two career two-home run games, with the other coming on May 18, 2017, against Gonzaga.

Both teams got one across in the fifth inning, with Hall scoring McIntyre from second on a single through the left side.

Jordan Wood, who started on the mound for the Cougars, improved to 4-0 by going 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. Reid McLaughlin entered the game for BYU in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out, inducing a 1-2-3 double-play ball to preserve BYU’s 9-6 lead.

Hall brought home McIntyre in the seventh with a sacrifice fly to put the Cougars up 10-6.

McLaughlin was perfect in relief over 3.2 innings to notch his second save of the season.

Five Cougars had multiple hits, including Hale going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two home runs and a walk. Cluff went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs while McIntyre had two hits, two RBIs and three runs.

The series between BYU and Saint Mary's continues with game two on Friday at 6 p.m. MDT. The game will air on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN 960.