After the start of the game was delayed four hours by rain, BYU jumped on the board quickly and held on for a 7-3 victory over Seattle University Thursday in collegiate baseball action at Bruce Hurst Field.
“I am not sure if the rain delay caused this, but we were flat and not really ready to play from the opening pitch, and BYU took advantage of that,” Seattle U head coach Donny Harrel said. “We got beat in all aspects of the game, and I take responsibility for not getting our guys ready to compete. We need to play Seattle U baseball tomorrow for sure.”
In the first inning, Brennon Lund led off by reaching on a Redhawk fielding error, and Hayden Nielsen followed with a bunt single. After two outs, Bret Lopez sent a single into left field, driving in Nielsen with the first run of the game.
BYU (2-8) extended its lead in the second inning as Dallen Reber led off with a single and Jarrett Jarvis followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Reber scored on a wild pitch by Seattle U starter Connor Moore (West Richland, Wash.), and Jarvis would come home on a triple by Trace Hansen. Another Moore wild pitch scored Hansen, and back-to-back singles by Nielsen and Brock Whitney would end Moore’s day. Grant Gunning (Snohomish, Wash.) came on in relief and induced two flyouts to end the Cougar threat.
The Redhawks broke through in the fifth inning when Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) led off with a single to right-center field, stole second base, advanced to third on a flyout, and scored on a single to left field by Cash McGuire (Kent, Wash.).
The Cougars responded in the bottom of the fifth as Eric Urry drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a groundout, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Hansen given up by Garrett Anderson (Kennewick, Wash.), who replaced Gunning. Lund followed with a single, and Hansen would come around to score on a Redhawk throwing error, extending the BYU lead to 6-1.
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.) and Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) drew walks, and Olson followed with a single to center field that drove in Carpenter. BYU once again responded in the bottom of the seventh as Lopez led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field hit by Urry.
The Redhawks kept fighting back, as McGuire led off the seventh inning with a double, advanced to third on a single by Chase Fields (Ontario, Ore.), and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field hit by Cullen Hendrickson (Auburn, Wash.). That would be the final offensive threat for Seattle U, as Cougar relievers Hayden Rogers and Brandon Kinser held onto the lead for starter Desmond Poulson, who picked up his second victory of the season.
Moore took the loss after allowing seven hits and four runs, three of them earned, in 1 1/3 innings of work. Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.) struck out the side in the eighth inning, while Olson and McGuire led the Redhawks offensively with two hits apiece.
Seattle University (5-4) and BYU are now scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday, Feb. 28, with the first game starting at 12 noon. Links to live stats and live audio are available on the baseball schedule page of GoSeattleU.com.