Cougars outslug Ohio State for 9-6 win

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Three home runs and a total of 11 hits propelled BYU baseball to a 9-6 win over Ohio State Monday in the final game of the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida.

“This was a big win for us,” said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood. “Ohio State is a very good team and we had to play well to beat them. I thought we did a real good job today of being patient and making their pitchers pay when they left it over the plate.”

Left fielder Hayden Leatham got the Cougars off to a quick start with a two-out grand slam in the top of the first inning for a 4-0 lead. A double by Andrew Pintar, combined with a single by Cole Gambill and a walk by Ryan Sepede loaded the bases for Leatham’s blast. 

“Hayden’s big hit in the first inning really helped us relax and get the bats going early,” Littlewood said.

BYU (2-2) extended the lead to 6-0 with runs in the second and third innings, which included an RBI single by Gambill to drive in Mitch McIntyre and a solo home run by Austin Deming to left center. Ohio State (3-1) answered in the bottom of the third with a three-run home run to cut the BYU lead to 6-3.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Cougars pushed the lead back to six with a two-out, three-run homer by Gambill that scored Pintar and McIntyre for a 9-3 advantage. 

Ohio State picked up three unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth on two BYU fielding errors, a passed ball and an infield single to cut the BYU lead to 9-6. 

Cougar closer Reid McLaughlin entered the game with two outs in the eighth and closed out the Buckeyes for his second save of the season. 

BYU sophomore righthander Ryan Brady went four innings, striking out four while holding a potent Ohio State lineup to six hits. Justis Reiser came on in relief to hold the Buckeyes hitless over three innings to pick up the win. 

“Ryan hasn’t pitched in a game in three years, and I thought he showed great composure today on the mound,” Littlewood said. “He had good command of his fastball and went out and really competed for us today.”

Notables
•    Justis Reiser: 3.0 IP, 3K, 0 hits
•    Reid McLaughlin: 1.1 IP, 2 K, 0 Hit, O ER
•    Cole Gambill: 3-5, HR, 4RBI, 2R
•    Andrew Pintar: 2-3, 2R
•    Hayden Leatham: 1-4, 4RBI, Grandslam