Though BYU won the first game 7-6 in 12 innings, its winning streak came to an end in the nightcap of the doubleheader, falling to the Colonels 10-2.
The Cougars struggled with batting–something they executed in during their previous few games.
“We knew we had to be efficient in the second game and we weren’t,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “(Taylor) Byrd did a good job and he showed us why he has a low ERA. We kicked it around defensively and couldn’t solve him.”
Despite the setback at night, BYU’s relief pitcher Brandon Kinser got his first win at BYU during the 12-inning game earlier in the day. He sent the Colonels back to the dugout one by one in the tenth.
“We were going to intentionally walk the batter and then Brandon (Kinser) threw a wild pitch,” Littlewood said. “Bronson (Larsen) threw to Kinser for the out. That would have been the game-winner for them (NSU).”
The Colonels had a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the first, but Eric Urry tied up the game 4-4 when he hit a home run in the sixth. In that same inning, Kelton Caldwell also contributed, hitting a double and later scoring off CJ Latham’s bunt.
The Colonels returned the favor, tying up the game for the fourth time in the bottom of eleventh, 6-6. BYU’s Brennon Lund ended the game by advancing through the bases on his teammate’s bats. It was Parker Starr’s single that got Lund home, ending the first game 7-6 in the twelfth inning.
“We persevered through a bunch of tough innings in the first game,” Littlewood said. “They kept putting pressure on, but we earned that game when we were able to hold them.”
The nightcap proved difficult for the Cougars; Jarrett Jarvis, who now has a 13 game hitting streak, hit a double in the ninth, but was stranded when his teammates could not connect with the bat.
The four-game series will conclude tomorrow, when the Cougars and Colonels face off at 6 p.m. CST.
