Desmond Poulson threw a complete game and Brock Whitney hit a key double as BYU beat LMU 8-3 Thursday afternoon.
Poulson gave up three runs on seven hits and was solid from start to finish. He earned his sixth win of the season.
“He’s our tone setter, and he did it again,” head coach Mike Littlewood said of Poulson.
Whitney hit a full count, two-out double off the left-field wall to score Adam Law and give the Cougars a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, a lead they would never give up.
With the win, BYU (22-17, 9-7 WCC) pulled even with San Diego for the fourth and final spot in the WCC tournament. LMU (21-24, 9-10) fell to a game and a half out of fourth place.
“We have to win this series,” Littlewood said. “It is a must win.”
Jacob Hanneman had three hits and scored three times and Jaycob Brugman hit his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot. All nine starters collected at least one hit as the Cougars tallied 18 total hits.
BYU and LMU face off again tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. PDT with Jeff Barker (3-3, 3.80) getting the start.
The game will be broadcast on KOVO Radio 960 AM.
