Cougars ride five-game winning streak into San Diego

PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball travels to Southern California this weekend for a three-game series with WCC foe San Diego at Fowler Park and Cunningham Field on May 6-8. 

Thursday and Friday games are scheduled for 6 p.m. PT, with the Saturday matchup at 1 p.m. PT. All three games will be streamed live on the WCC Network, with Torero broadcaster Jack Murray on play-by-play.

The games will also be broadcast live on the BYU Sports Network—BYU Radio FM 107.9, BYUCougars.com and the BYU Cougars app—with Greg Wrubell and Tuckett Slade on the call.

BYU (17-23, 9-9 WCC) is riding a five-game winning streak headed into the game Thursday. The streak includes a victory over No. 26 ranked ASU (8-5) and a three-game sweep (12-0, 4-2, 4-3) of Saint Mary's in WCC action last week.

The Cougars also defeated Utah Valley 11-4 on Tuesday to sweep the season series over the Wolverines and win the UCCU Crosstown Clash.

San Diego (28-8, 14-4 WCC) enters the weekend series having won its last eight games, including back-to-back series sweeps of Santa Clara and Pepperdine in WCC action. The Toreros are currently tied with Gonzaga at 14-4 sitting atop the WCC standings, while the Cougars are alone in fifth place, five games back of the Bulldogs and Toreros.

BYU and San Diego have met 30 times in baseball, with the Toreros holding a 23-7 overall advantage in the series and a 10-3 record at home.

Due to the 2020 pandemic, the WCC foes last met during the 2019 regular season in San Diego on April 4-6. San Diego won the first two games 15-5 and 15-6, with BYU winning the final game 17-4. The Cougars would go on to finish the season 36-17 and win the WCC regular season title with a 18-9 record. 

Cougar outfielder Cole Gambill was named the UCU WCC Player of the Week on Monday for his performance last week. In 15 at bats over four games, Gambill had eight hits including three home runs, scored six runs, had six RBI and drew three walks. Gambill had a hits in all four games, with multiple hits in three of the four. He amassed 18 total bases, hit .533 and posted an on base percentage of .611.

Gambill came up big again over UVU on Tuesday going 2-4 with a walk, a double, three RBI and a run scored. He currently has a 10-game hitting streak that includes a .429 batting average, 15 hits, four home runs, 12 RBI, 10 runs and four walks.