Watkins three-run blast lifts BYU over Dixie State, 3-2

PROVO, Utah – A three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by shortstop Brock Watkins gave BYU a 3-2 win over Dixie State on Tuesday night at Miller Park.

“The in-state games are always hard fought and it was great to come out with a win tonight,” said BYU interim head coach Trent Pratt. “I’m really happy for Brock and his big hit. Our bullpen was outstanding again tonight. They came in and did what they always do—just shut things down.”

Down 2-0, with one out in the seventh, Watkins hit a towering home run over the right-field fence that also scored Chase Peterson, who had reached on a walk, and Ozzie Pratt, who had singled to left. The three-run bomb was Watkins' sixth home run of the season, tying him for the team lead.

After a scoreless tie through three innings, including a missed bases loaded opportunity by BYU in the bottom of the second, Dixie State scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth on a double, single and walk for 1-0 lead. 

The Trailblazers brought home another run in the sixth to widen their lead 2-0. Back-to-back strikeouts by BYU pitcher Janzen Keisel to end the top of the seventh kept the score 2-0 and set up the Watkins heroics in the bottom half of the inning. 

Following a scoreless eighth inning, Cougar closer Reid McLaughlin came on in the ninth and picked up his 10th save of the year, recording a fly out to center field and back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the 3-2 win over the Trailblazers. Keisel earned the win for BYU, and Jacob Taggart suffered the loss for Dixie State. 

Notables
  •  Brock Watkins: 1-4, 3 RBI
  •  Austin Deming 2-4
  •  Mitch McIntyre: 2-3, 2B
  •  Ayden Callahan: 2.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K

Up next for the Cougars is a three-game WCC series with Pacific at Miller Park, May 12-14. The Thursday night game is being broadcast on ESPNU with an 8 p.m. MDT start. The Friday game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on the BYUtv App, with the Saturday game set for 1 p.m. on BYUtv. The BYU Radio Network will broadcast all three games on 107.9 FM, BYU Radio App, BYUCougars.com and the BYU Cougars app. Live stats are available through Statbroadcast.com.