BYU Beats Gaels in Littlewood's 200th Win

PROVO, Utah – BYU baseball defeated Saint Mary’s 5-3 Saturday afternoon at Larry H. Miller Field for the Cougars’ second-straight sweep in West Coast Conference play.

"Our guys came out ready to play again today," said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood, who collected his 200th win at BYU with the victory. "We did it in a couple of different ways–bunted a few times, took our walks, and when they opened the door a little bit we stepped through."

BYU vs. Saint Mary's Box Score

Game Summary

• BYU won its eighth-straight game and sixth-straight WCC contest
• The win was BYU head coach Mike Littlewood's 200th as Cougar head coach, improving his record to 200-148 in seven seasons
• BYU's 13 home wins are the most by the Cougars in Provo in a single month since March 2005 when BYU had 16. 

Player Highlights

• Justin Sterner: W (5-2), 6.0 IP, 0 ER, BB, 6 K
• Mitch McIntyre: 2-2, HR, R, RBI, BB, HBP, SB
• Austin Deming: 2-4, R, RBI

Saint Mary’s put up the first run of the game in the top of the first inning. With a runner in scoring position, a double drove in a run for the Gaels to make the score 1-0 early.

But BYU answered, starting with a homer from Mitch McIntyre in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the third, the Cougars tacked on another run as Jaren Hall made it home on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Call to give BYU the 2-1 edge.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars tacked on two more runs. Jackson Cluff doubled, then made it home on an Austin Deming single. With runners on first and second, Noah Hill singled up the middle to give BYU its second run of the inning and put BYU ahead, 4-1.

BYU added some insurance in the seventh with Hale on first and Hsu on third. Hale attempted to steal second and the Gaels’ catcher threw to the base as Hsu ran home and scored.

Saint Mary’s tacked on two runs in the top of the ninth, hitting a two-run homer to cut the lead to two, but could get no closer.

BYU next heads to Salt Lake City to take on in-state rival Utah at Smith’s Ballpark on Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network with radio coverage available on BYU Radio and ESPN 960.