Cougars defeat Omaha 8-4 on Friday

PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to overcome an early deficit and defeat Omaha, 8-4, in the second of a three-game series at Miller Park on Friday afternoon.

Game Summary
Hits: BYU 9, Omaha 9
Errors: BYU 1, Omaha 0
Left on Base: Omaha 7, BYU 2
Hitting: .300 BYU, .250 Omaha

The Mavericks jumped on the Cougars early with three quick runs in the top of the first.

BYU narrowed the lead to within one run at 3-2 with the Gambill brothers at bat in the bottom of the first. Tate Gambill walked and moments later scored on straightaway home run over the centerfield wall by Cole Gambill.

Omaha put runners on the corners in the top of the third and picked up another run to extend its lead to 4-2.

BYU Highlights

• Bryce Robison: recorded the win with 7 IP, 3.24 ERA, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• Cole Gambill: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 3 PO
• Ozzie Pratt: 1-4 R, 1 H
• Jacob Wilk: 3 AB, 2 H, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 16 PO
• Austin Deming: 4 AB, 1 H, 1 RBI, 6 A
• Tate Gambill: 3 AB, 2 R, 1 H

After a stalemate in the fourth, BYU retired the Mavericks in the top of the fifth with a double play. Jacob Wilk came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and quickly doubled to center field before Easton Jones sent him home with an RBI single moments later. Jones’ RBI moved BYU to within one at 4-3 entering the sixth.

Bryce Robison and the BYU fielders made quick work of Omaha in the top of the sixth, retiring the side 1-2-3.

Ozzie Pratt started off the bottom of the sixth for the Cougars with a leadoff single. Tate Gambill executed a perfectly placed bunt to reach first, advancing Pratt to second.

Austin Deming singled scoring Pratt and advanced Gambill to third, knotting the game at four. The Gambill brothers again came through giving BYU its first lead with Cole driving Tate home.

Ryan Sepede then walked, moving Cole Gambill to second. An Omaha wild pitch scored Gambill and allowed Sepede take third. Jones finished off the BYU scoring in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to left field bringing Sepede home for a 7-4 lead. 

Wilk extended the Cougar lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the eighth as he launched a solo homer over the centerfield wall.

Jake Porter, in relief of Bryce Robison, put away the game with back-to-back strikeouts in the top of the ninth.

BYU and Omaha meet in the third and final game of the series on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST, with live coverage on the BYUtv App, BYU Radio 107.9 FM and the BYU Radio App.