No. 24 Cougars Fight to 7-5 Win

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Contributions down the lineup gave No. 24 BYU a 7-5 victory over Santa Clara on Friday.

BYU vs. Santa Clara Box Score

Game Summary

• After allowing two runs early, BYU scored six unanswered to pull ahead
• Casey Jacobsen hit another home run, his second in as many games and third in four contests
• With a win on Saturday, BYU will clinch at least a share of the WCC regular season title

Player Highlights

• Brian Hsu: 1-4, HR, 2 R, HBP, RBI
• Mitch McIntyre: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, SB, 2 RBI
• Easton Walker: W (7-1), 5.1 IP, 3 K

After falling behind 2-0 early, BYU (35-15, 18-8) scored a pair of runs in three-straight innings, getting two across in the second, third and fourth frames to take a 6-2 lead after four. After loading the bases but coming up empty in the first, Cougar third baseman Casey Jacobsen hit a home run to lead off an inning for the second consecutive game, knocking his fifth of the year over the fence. Brian Hsu added a solo homer of his own later in the inning, his third this season.

In the third, the Cougars scored two runs with bases loaded when the Broncos (12-39, 5-21) attempted to turn a double play. The Santa Clara first baseman couldn’t dig the throw out of the dirt, allowing Jackson Cluff and Ryan Sepede to come home.

Mitch McIntyre capitalized on yet another bases-loaded situation in the fourth on a double down the right field line to score Hsu and Noah Hill and push BYU’s lead to four runs.

After allowing a two-run homer in the first, BYU starting pitcher Easton Walker held Santa Clara scoreless through the next four innings, leading to his seventh win on the year to improve to 7-1 on the season.

The Broncos put the pressure on in the seventh, loading the bases with one out down three runs. But after a pop up for out two, Blake Inouye and Casey Jacobsen combined to pick the runner off at third to end the inning and the threat.

Up 6-3 in the ninth, the Cougars had bases loaded with one out when pinch hitter Bryan Call hit a sacrifice fly to score Cluff and bring in BYU’s seventh run.

Santa Clara hit two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to two, but freshman Reid McLaughlin came in and retired all three batters he faced – two on strikes – to earn his fourth save of the year and end the game.

BYU and Santa Clara will close out the game and the regular season on Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. PT. The game will air on TheW.tv, BYU Radio and ESPN 960 AM.