Key Hits Lacking in Loss at LMU

LOS ANGELES – Thirteen runners left on base doomed No. 25 BYU baseball in a 5-1 loss at Loyola Marymount on Thursday.

“We were just bad in all aspects of the game tonight,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. “But we still have two games in the series to bounce back and get some wins.”

BYU vs. LMU Box Score

Game Summary

• BYU stranded runners in seven of nine innings, twice closing an inning with the bases loaded
• BYU’s lone run came off a triple by Mitch McIntyre followed by an RBI-single by Keaton Kringlen
• The Cougars’ 22-game win streak when out-hitting their opponents was snapped; BYU out-hit LMU 10-9

Player Highlights

• Mitch McIntyre: 2-3, 3B, R, BB
• Noah Hill: 2-3, BB
• Brock Hale: 2-4, HBP

A triple, double and single put LMU (27-18, 14-8) on top 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Both teams had opportunities to add more, but pitching and defense helped both sides get out of jams. In the bottom of the fifth and runners on the corners for LMU, the Cougars pulled off an inning-ending double play when catcher Noah Hill caught a foul ball, then caught the Lion baserunner in a pickle, eventually tagging him out as well.

After leaving six stranded through five innings, BYU (29-12, 13-6) answered back in the sixth inning. With two outs, Mitch McIntyre smacked a triple over the LMU center fielder’s head before Keaton Kringlen hit the first pitch he saw for an RBI-single. The Cougars would load the bases in the inning but couldn’t bring one across, leaving the score 2-1.

LMU came right back to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out, scoring two runs when Cougar third baseman Austin Deming’s throw to second went wide and allowed two runs to score. A fielding error by Brian Hsu at second during the next Lion at-bat allowed another run, pushing LMU’s lead to 5-1 before Cougar reliever Bo Burrup retired two batters to end the frame.

BYU loaded the bases again in the seventh but again came up empty-handed.

McIntyre closed out the eighth inning with a double play from his spot in left field, catching a fly ball and then gunning out a Lion runner at home plate to keep the margin at four, but BYU went down in the ninth in order.

BYU and LMU play game two on Friday at 6 p.m. PT on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN 960 AM.