Cougars walk off Pilots, 9-8, in the 10th inning

PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball took game one of a three-game series with Portland, 9-8, in 10 innings, led by Cooper Vest's three hits and two RBIs Thursday night at Miller Park. 

With the win, BYU improves to 18-21 (8-8 WCC) on the year, while Portland falls to 22-18 (11-8). The Cougars will face the Pilots in game two of the series on Friday at 6 p.m. MDT. 

“It was a total team effort,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “I was proud of the way the guys just kept fighting. It wasn't pretty at times, but we figured out a way to get an important win tonight.”

Game Summary 
  •  By scored nine runs on 12 hits, while the Portland had eight runs on 16 hits
  •  The Cougars hit .308 (4-13) with runners in scoring position
  •  BYU hit .400 (6-15) with two outs

BYU Highlights
  •  Cooper Vest: 3-4, 2 RBI, 2B
  •  Easton Jones: 1-3, 2 RBI, HR
  •  Cole Gambill 2-5, 2R, 3B
  •  Ryan Sepede: 1-3, 2 RBI

Following a leadoff walk to Ryan Sepede and Cooper Vest getting hit by a pitch, Jacob Wilk moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Easton Jones then gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to left field.

The Pilots countered BYU in the top of the third inning with a two-run home run to left center for a 2-1 advantage.

Three-straight base hits for the Pilots brought a run home in the top of the fourth inning, extending their lead to 3-1.

The Cougars answered with two of their own in the bottom of the frame to tie the game, 3-3. Jones homered over the right field wall for the first run. Later an RBI single from Luke Anderson scored Ozzie Pratt who had doubled.

A two-out single from Vest followed by a RBI single to the right-center gap by Jacob Wilk gave BYU a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Pilots quickly tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning on a solo home run to right field from Ty Saunders. 

Portland retook the lead in the top of the eighth inning with a run on two base hits for a 5-4 advantage.

In the bottom of the eighth, Ozzie Pratt reached on an error and Auston Deming ripped a double down the left field line to put runner on the corners. Cole Gambil was then hit by a pitch loading the bases for the Cougars. Sepede then came through with a sacrifice fly to right field tying the score at 5-5. A clutch, two-out double by Vest to left field scored two more runs giving the Cougars a 7-5 advantage through eight innings. 

A two-run home run from Pilots catcher Nich Klemp in the top of the ninth tied the score at 7-7 and sent the game to extra innings. 

A run on two hits and two BYU errors gave Portland an 8-7 lead in the top of the tenth inning.

In the bottom of the 10th, a leadoff triple by Gamble, followed by an RBI single up the middle from Sepede knotted the game, 8-8. A sacrifice bunt by Vest moved Sepede to second. Tate Gambill, who came in to run for Sepede, then moved to third on ground ball to first base by Chad Call. An eventual wild pitch scored Tate from third giving BYU a walk off, 9-8, win. 

Boston Mabeus (1-0) got the win for BYU, while Ryan Rembisz (1-1) took the loss for Portland.