BYU baseball defeated in-state rival Utah 11-6 on Tuesday night.
Offense was there from the beginning for the Cougars as the bats rebounded after being no-hit by Loyola Marymount over the weekend.
In the first inning, BYU had two hits and scored four runs, highlighted by Tanner Chauncey and Bronsen Larsen doubles.
The Cougar bats stayed hot in the second inning with three runs off of three hits, bringing the score to 7-3 at the end of two frames.
After scoring seven runs in the first two innings, the streaky Cougars went six straight innings without scoring a run which allowed the Utes to get back in the game.
In the bottom of the fifth, reliever Rhett Parkinson was taken out of the game after loading up the bases. Mason Marshall came in for Parkinson, but couldn’t get out of the inning without giving up three runs.
Marshall pitched well in the sixth inning to keep the Utes from tying the game, but the Cougars were held scoreless once again in the top of the seventh.
After another scoreless inning in the eighth, BYU exploded to finish the game with a burst of offense in the ninth to seal the win.
Chauncey started the offensive output with a leadoff double, then singles from Daniel Schneemann, Keaton Kringlen, Larsen, Kyle Dean and Nate Favero kept the high-octane inning going.
The Cougars finished the top of the ninth with six hits and four runs, increasing their lead to 11-6.
Righty Keaton Cenatiempo was able to seal the win for the Cougars without giving up a run in the bottom of the ninth, and BYU took the first of three games against the Utes this season.
The Cougars will get back to league play against conference foe St. Mary’s on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Miller Park, the game will be broadcast on BYUtv.
