The BYU baseball team shut out the University of Utah 6-0 on Tuesday night.
The win over the rival Utes improved the Cougar’s stellar record to 16-1.
The game remained scoreless until second baseman Brennon Anderson hit a triple in the bottom of the fourth inning to score left fielder Eric Urry for the first run of the game. Right fielder Brock Hale followed with a single to knock in Anderson and put BYU ahead 2-0.
The Utes threatened to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Right-handed pitcher Keaton Cenatiempo inherited a two-on, no-out jam. A sacrifice bunt put the runners into scoring position but a fly out followed by a groundout ended the threat and BYU preserved the shutout.
“Keaton’s a guy that’s been around a little bit,” said head coach Mike Littlewood. “That was the biggest inning of the game.”
Back-to-back doubles from first baseman Tanner Chauncey and Urry in the bottom of the fifth made the score 3-0. Designated hitter Colton Shaver then crushed a two-run home run to put the Cougars up 5-0.
“That’s (Shaver’s) potential,” Littlewood said, “to get one pitch and hit it a long way.”
A throwing error in the bottom of the eighth allowed the Cougars to score another run, making the final score 6-0.
Left-handed pitcher Riley Gates recorded the win for BYU and moved to 2-0 on the season.
The victory was BYU’s 10th win in a row.
“It’s nice to be playing well and have guys who really want to go and compete everyday,” Littlewood said.
The Cougars will continue their home stand on Thursday, March 17 as they begin league play and face the University of the Pacific in a three-game series.
