BYU baseball finished its inaugural Big 12 season on a high note with Parker Goff delivering a game-winning grand slam as the Cougars defeated Kansas State 12-8 in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.

The Cougars and Wildcats went back-and-forth with BYU up 5-3 in the fourth before K-State clawed back to a 7-5 lead in the fifth. BYU took advantage of a Wildcat error to score a go-ahead three runs in the top of the ninth. K-State then sent the game to extra innings with a solo shot in its half inning.

The Cougars loaded the bases to start the 10th and made the Wildcats pay with Goff bringing everyone home on a bomb over the left field wall.

“After tough losses the first two nights, it feels a lot better to come out on top,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “We kept fighting, we found a way to win and a lot of guys contributed to that win.”

The Cougars totaled four players with multiple hits, led by seven combined from both Goff and Crew McChesney. Boston Mabeus and Stone Cushing closed the game for BYU on the mound with a strikeout a-piece. Cushing (2-3) earned the win as the Cougars delivered K-State its first defeat in 30 games this season when leading after eight innings.

BYU’s 12 runs came on 14 hits while the Wildcats’ eight runs followed 11 hits. Each team recorded an error and stranded nine runners.

Trailing 7-5 in the top of the ninth, BYU fought its way back with a three-run inning. Ryker Schow began the scoring surge with a single to short. McChesney again found a soft spot down the third base line, doubling himself and advancing Schow to third. Collin Reuter walked to load the bases and set up a crucial at bat for Vest as the game hung in the balance.

On a full count, Vest put the ball in play and used a costly K-State error to get aboard while McChesney and Schow came home. A wild pitch allowed pinch runner Bryker Hurdsman to score one more run as the Cougars finished their half of the ninth up 8-7.

The Wildcats, however, weren’t done yet. K-State tied the game 8-8 with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth. Cushing and the Cougars registered a pop up, strikeout and groundout to close the ninth and send the game to extras.

Singles from Anderson and Schow along with a McChesney walk stacked the sacks for BYU in the top of the 10th. Goff then came to the plate and cleared the bases with a rocketed homer to left. The Cougars made quick work of the Wildcats in the bottom of the 10th, preserving their 12-8 lead and the Big 12 win.

BYU concludes the 2024 season at 21-31 and 7-23 in Big 12 play.

“This isn’t the season we wanted, we know that,” Pratt said. “Even still, our guys came out and played hard every day. We have to find a way to not just compete in the Big 12 but win in the Big 12. We all have to get better this offseason; coach better, play better. We’re excited to get to work.”

UVU baseball loses final regular season game to Grand Canyon

Utah Valley fell in the regular season finale to Grand Canyon, 16-5, on Saturday afternoon at UCCU Ballpark.

Garrett Broussard finished 2 for 4 in the game while tying the school record for most games played with his 221st contest. Matthew Schwarz added two RBIs to aid the UVU (28-27, 18-12) offense. GCU (34-21, 23-7) used a steady attack to build an early lead for the win.

“It was great to celebrate our seniors who have all done so much for our program. We are excited to get started with the postseason next week in Mesa,” said UVU head coach Eddie Smith.

Utah Valley celebrated the careers of 18 players in a ceremony on the field following the contest. Braden Boisvert, Ethan Brodsky, Robby Butenschoen, Isaac Lovings, Jayse Burkett, Burke Camper, Ethan Fowlks, Calyn Halvorson, Chase Hennessey, Mitch Mueller, Lucas Piper, Reece Rodabaugh, Matthew Schwarz, Davis Spencer, Drew Woody, Cole Jordan, Garrett Broussard, and Nick Sims were all honored.

Wolverine baseball earns No. 3 seed in WAC tournament

On Saturday, the Western Athletic Conference announced the bracket for this week’s University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament set to be played at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.

Utah Valley earned the No. 3 seed for the second consecutive year and will meet the winner of Tuesday’s single elimination game between No. 6 seed UT Arlington and No. 7 seed UT Rio Grande Valley. The Wolverines and Game 1 winner will play at 1:00 p.m. MT in the double-elimination portion of the bracket.

The Wolverines last season made a run to the WAC Championship for the third time since joining the WAC. They defeated Seattle U, Sam Houston, and UT Arlington before falling to the Bearkats in the Championship.

The WAC regular-season champion Grand Canyon is the No. 1 seed and received a double-bye along with the No. 2 seed Abilene Christian. They will now play their first game in the quarterfinals on Thursday, May 23.

California Baptist is the No. 4 seed, and like UVU, it received a first-round bye. The No. 5 seed, Tarleton State, will play the No. 8 seed, Sacramento State, in a single-elimination game on Tuesday, May 21.

The winner of the tournament will secure the conference’s automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.