Seattle University was able to score enough runs to win the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 2-1, but BYU responded with multiple-run innings early and late in the second game to split the twinbill with a 9-2 victory in the nightcap at Miller Field.
In the first game, BYU scored first, as Alex Wolfe and Dillon Robinson led off the second inning with back-to-back singles and advanced one base on a sacrifice bunt from Kelton Caldwell. Wes Guenther flew out to right field, but Wolfe was able to tag up and score by sliding around the attempted tag of Redhawk catcher Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.).
Seattle U finally broke through in the seventh when Riley Tompkins (Lynnwood, Wash.) singled and came around to score on a double to the left-center field gap by Olson. Doug Kincaid (Portland, Ore.) singled to right field to put runners on first and third with just one out, but BYU starter Chris Capper struck out back-to-back Redhawks to work his way out of the jam, keeping the score tied at 1-1.
With two outs in the top of the eighth, Ryan Somers (Sammamish, Wash.) reached base on a throwing error by BYU shortstop Tanner Chauncey, and Bryndon Ecklund (Elma, Wash.) followed with a single. Tompkins sliced a single into left field, driving in Somers with the go-ahead run to give the Redhawks a 2-1 advantage.
Brandon Kizer (Marysville, Wash.) earned the victory, scattering five hits and one walk in 8 1/3 innings of work. Garrett Anderson (Kennewick, Wash.) came on in relief and picked up his second save of the season, inducing a groundout to Trent Oleszczuk (Beaverton, Ore.) and a soft line drive right to Nick Latta (Tacoma, Wash.) to end the game.
Capper suffered the loss for the Cougars, giving up nine hits and two runs, one of them unearned, in eight innings of work, striking out five Redhawk batters without giving up a walk. Tompkins, Olson, and Nate Roberts (Silverdale, Wash.) each went 2-for-4 to lead the Seattle U offense.
Seattle U scored first in game two, as in the second inning Tompkins singled and Kincaid was hit by a pitch. Marcelino Morales (Pasco, Wash.) sent a single into right field, where Jaycob Brugman bobbled the ball, allowing Tompkins to score and give the Redhawks a 1-0 lead.
BYU (7-8) pulled even in the bottom of the second inning as Wolfe walked, advanced to third on a single by Brugman, and scored on an infield single from Christian Mua. The Cougars added three runs in the bottom of the third, stringing together four hits, including a double by Chauncey and RBI singles from Guenther and Brock Whitney, as well as a sacrifice fly by Wolfe, to pull ahead, 4-1.
Seattle U got one back in the top of the fifth as Morales walked, advanced to second on a single by Somers, and slid into third base just ahead of BYU third baseman Austin Hall on a grounder hit by Ecklund. Cougar starter Mark Anderson uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Morales to score, but Anderson would settle down and strikeout Roberts to end the inning with BYU still on top, 4-2.
Grant Gunning (Snohomish, Wash.) kept Seattle U in the game, coming on in relief of starter Seafth Howe (Seattle, Wash.) in the third inning and pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits, one walk, and two runs, one of them earned, while striking out two Cougar batters. However, BYU extended its lead with five runs in the eighth inning, taking advantage of a fielding error that lengthened the inning with two-run singles from Brugman and Adam Law, as well as an RBI single from Guenther.
Anderson earned the victory for the Cougars with six innings of work, allowing six hits, two walks, and two runs while striking out four batters. Matt Milke kept the Redhawks at bay in the seventh and eighth innings, setting down all six batters he faced with three strikeouts, and Chris Howard finished the game in the ninth inning, picking up two strikeouts along the way.
Howe suffered the loss for the Redhawks, giving up six hits, two walks, and four runs in 2 1/3 innings of work, striking out one batter. Tompkins repeated his offensive performance from the first game by going 2-for-4, while Ecklund also went 2-for-4 and Morales hit 1-for-2 with a walk, plus he was hit by a pitch.
Seattle University (10-8) will hit the road again next weekend for a four-game series at San Jose State March 23-25. The Redhawks return to Bannerwood Stadium in Bellevue for a three-game series against Northern Colorado, starting Friday, March 30, at 6 p.m.