MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary’s baseball came from behind Saturday to defeat BYU, 4-3, for a 2-1 series win at Louis Guisto Field. 

“I was very disappointed in our defensive effort today,” said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood. “Our pitching staff did a great job, but unfortunately we didn’t back them up defensively.”

BYU (14-11, 3-6) got on the board first in the top of the first inning with a two-out home run by Jacob Wilk that also brought home Hayden Leatham for an early 2-0 lead. 

St. Mary’s (17-11, 2-7) responded with a run of its own on two hit-by-pitch at bats and an Cougar error in the bottom half of the inning to pull within one run, 2-1. The Gaels got another run in the third inning on a single and a double to tie the game at 2-2. 

The Cougars answered in the bottom of the fourth with one run to reclaim the lead, 3-2. Austin Deming led off the inning being hit by a pitch and later scored on an Ozzie Pratt double to give the Cougars the lead. 

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Gaels took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth on a leadoff double, combined with two BYU errors for what would be the final score, 4-3. 

Player Highlights
  •  Jacob Wilk: 3-3, 2 RBI, Run
  •  Ozzie Pratt: 1-3, RBI
  •  Janzen Keisel: 4.2 innings, 4 hits, 4 Ks, 1 ER

The BYU pitching combination of Janzen Keisel (4.2), Cy Nielson (.2), Nate Dahle (2.0) and Cooper McKeehan (.2) held the Gaels to just one earned run on seven hits while striking out 10. 

The Cougars are back in action on Tuesday, April 5 at 5:05 p.m. MDT versus Dixie State at Bruce Hurst Field in St. George. BYU baseball is 11-1 all-time in games versus the Trailblazers.