ASU (28-13, 11-7) scored 12 runs on 15 hits, stranding eight runners, while BYU (20-18, 9-9) had eight runs on 11 hits while stranding 12.

BYU starter Cayson Bell held the Sun Devils to just one hit in the first inning, with some help from catching Parker Goff who gunned down a runner trying to steal third to end the threat.

Luke Anderson sparked a home run-heavy inning for BYU with a lead-off solo shot to left field. Ryder Robinson then followed Anderson’s lead with a home run to left for a two-run advatage. With two outs, Tu’alau Wolfgramm walked and stole second base. Bryker Hurdsman then singled through the right side of the infield to score Wolfgramm for a 3-0 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Goff doubled down the left-field line and Anderson singled to left to put runners on the corner. Ezra McNaughton then capitalized with a three-RBI blast over the right field wall to push BYU’s lead to 6-0 through two innings.

After ASU loaded the bases in the top of the third, Garrison Sumner came on in relief to get out of the jam and keep the Cougars on top 6-0. In the bottom of the inning, Wolfgramm and Hurdsman opened with back-to-back singles and Wolfgramm moved over to third on a failed Sun Devil pick-off attempt. Matt Hansen then laid down a safety squeeze bunt to score Wolfgramm and extend the BYU lead to 7-0.

The Sun Devils got on the board in a big way in the top of the fourth with six runs on six hits, that started with a two-out hit batter and ended with a base-clearing double to cut the Cougar lead to 7-6.

BYU got a run back in the top of the top half of the inning on a Wolfgramm sacrifice fly to center field that scored McNaughton who had doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a deep flyball by Easton Jones. ASU added another run in the fifth to cut the BYU lead to 8-7.

After a scoreless sixth for both teams, ASU took the lead for good in the seventh with three runs on three hits and a BYU error for a 19-8 lead.

After a scoreless eighth inning by both teams, the Sun Devils add two insurance runs in the top of the ninth for what would end up being a final score of 12-8.

Up next

The Cougars will remain home for a Monday night matchup with Utah Tech at Miller Park on April 20 at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and on the BYU Radio app, BYUradio.org, SiriusXM 143 and 107.9 FM in Utah County.

BYU softball

BYU softball sustained a loss in game three against the Iowa State Cyclones, 9-6, on Saturday.

The Cougars were out-hit 9-8 and suffered two errors to Iowa State’s one. BYU pitched six strikeouts, opposed to the Cyclones’ two. Both teams earned two two-out RBIs, and BYU pitching forced Iowa State to leave six runners on base.

The Cyclones struck first Saturday with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving them an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. BYU remained scoreless through the next two innings, and Iowa State increased its lead to 3-0 after a single to right field brought in two runners in the top of the third.

The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with Maddie Udall-Woolley hitting a solo home run to center field, shrinking their deficit to 3-1. Iowa State immediately returned to its three-run lead, however, with another center field sacrifice fly bringing in a runner from third and moving the score to 4-1 in the top of the fifth. They then increased to a four-run lead shortly after, scoring an unearned run following a groundout, 5-1.

A sacrifice fly from Lily Owens brought in Tristen Turlington in the bottom of the fifth, moving BYU closer to the Cyclones, 5-2.

Despite the Cougar score, Iowa State continued its offensive momentum, hitting a two-run home run in the top of the sixth. The Cougars answered in the back half of the inning, with Rita Tavita hitting a two-run home run of her own, setting the score at 7-4.

Iowa State would score two more runs in the top of the seventh, and BYU’s Hailey Shuler would hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame, but that would be all, giving the Cyclones Saturday’s matchup and the series, 9-6.

On deck

BYU hosts Weber State on Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.