BYU drops game three of series with LMU, 10-9, on Saturday

LOS ANGELES — BYU baseball lost an offensive slugfest, 10-9, to LMU on Saturday afternoon, dropping the three-game West Coast Conference series, 2-1, to the Lions at George Page Stadium. 

The Cougars led 9-4 through six innings, but LMU scored a combined six runs in the seventh and eighth to come from behind for the win. LMU is now 9-9 (2-1) on the year, while BYU falls to 6-12 (1-2).

“I thought offensively we were great today,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “We just need guys to step up in the backend of our bullpen and close out games. We have the guys that can get the job done. We need to keep working and help them believe they can do it.”

Game Summary
  • BYU and LMU combined to score at least one run in every inning but the second
  • Cougars scored nine runs on 13 hits, while the Lions had 10 runs on 12 hits
  • Seven walks and three hit batters led to four LMU runs

BYU Highlights
  • Ryan Sepede: 3-4, 3 RBI, 2 Runs, HR 
  • Cole Gambill: 2-3, 2B, BB, 3 Runs
  • Safea Mauai: 2-5, 2 RBI, Run
  • Mason Olson: 5.0 IP, 5 Hits, 3 Runs, 3 K

Recap
LMU struck first with a run in the first inning off a leadoff walk, a balk and a single for a 1-0 lead. BYU responded to tie the game in the third with a single by Ryan Sepede that scored Cole Gambill, who had reached on a single. 

LMU retook the lead in the fourth inning with a run on two hits for a 2-1 advantage. 

BYU batted around in the fifth inning, sending 11 Cougars to the plate, scoring five runs on four walks and two hits to take a 6-2 lead. Walks by Ozzie Pratt and Gambill, combined with Sepede being hit by a pitch set up the big inning. Safea Mauai singled to drive in two runs and Chad Call picked up an RBI on a walk. With bases loaded, Bryant Ball singled to right center to score Copper Vest and Mauai. 

BYU pushed the lead to 8-2 in the top of the sixth with a double by Gambill and a home run over the leftfield wall by Sepede. The Lions fought back with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth to cut into the lead, 8-4, on a walk and three hits. 

BYU added a run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Deming that scored Call, who had led off the inning with double and advanced to third on a Pratt single. Four runs by LMU in the bottom half of the inning cut the Cougar advantage to just one run at 9-8.

Two runs on two walks and two hits gave the Lions a 10-9 lead in the bottom of the eighth, which would prove to be the final score. Galicia (1-1) got the win for LMU, while Jake Porter (0-4) took the loss for BYU. 

BYU returns home to play four games at Miller Park next week. The Cougars will take on Utah Valley in a midweek game on Tuesday, March 21 at Miller Park. BYU will then continue WCC play with a three-game series against Saint Mary’s, scheduled for March 23-15 in Provo.

All four games will be broadcast live on the BYU Radio App and BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market, with Greg Wrubell on the call. All four game will also air on the BYUtv App, with the Thursday game simulcast on BYUtv. Dave McCann and Gary Sheide will have the call on BYUtv.