Reuter's first career homer lifts Cougars to sixth-straight win

PROVO, Utah — Collin Reuter’s first career home run with one out in the eight inning lifted the Cougars to their sixth win of the year, taking down the Milwaukee Panthers 6-5 in game one of a doubleheader on Thursday at Miller Park.

The Panthers opened the scoring in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly to center field to take a 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Cole Gambill was hit by a pitch which brought up Ryan Sepede. The right-handed designated hitter took the 0-1 pitch deep to right-center field for a triple that scored Gambill and knotted the game at one.

Jacob Rogers singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh and Ozzie Pratt was brought in to pinch run. He moved into scoring position on an Austin Deming walk which brought Brock Watkins to the plate with runners on first and second. The shortstop singled to center field, bringing Pratt around to score, moving Deming to second and giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

Mitch McIntyre doubled to right-center field on an 0-1 pitch which drove in Deming and moved Watkins to third. On the next pitch, Andrew Pintar singled to left scoring Watkins to give BYU a 4-1 lead. The Cougars put a third straight pitch in play with Gambill grounding out to short, scoring McIntyre to stretch the BYU lead to 5-1 going into the top of the eighth.

The Panthers responded with a seven hit, four run top of the eighth to tie the game at five.

Following the Milwaukee rally, Reid McLaughlin entered the ball game with one out in the eighth inning and got two quick outs to send the game to the bottom of the eighth still tied at five.

Collin Reuter looked at the first pitch he faced in the bottom of the eighth, then took a low-and-inside pitch deep over the left field fence for his first home run as a Cougar and gave BYU a 6-5 lead going into the top of the ninth.

The Panthers loaded the bases with one out, but McLaughlin pitched his way out of the jam and into the win column for his first win of the season.

Notables

• Jack Sterner: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 K, 1 ER (starter)
• Reid McLaughlin: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 K, 0 ER (W, 1-0)
• Collin Reuter: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
• Ryan Sepede: 2-4, 1 RBI
• Austin Deming: 2-3, 1 R

The Cougars will play the Milwaukee Panthers in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader at 4pm MST at Miller Park.