Despite being outhit 8-6, the Cougars’ two home runs from Crew McChesney and Ezra McNaughton, combined with outstanding pitching by Garrison Sumner, Justis Resier and Ashton Johnson, proved to be the difference in the game. McChesney’s homer came in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Cougars on the board first at 2-0. McNaughton’s three-run bomb came in the bottom of the seventh to give BYU a 5-1 cushion.

Thursday’s victory also marked Trent Pratt’s 200th game as the Cougars’ head coach.

After three scoreless innings, BYU (8-8) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run from McChesney. His centerfield bomb brought in Cougar shortstop Ryder Robinson from first and moved the Cougars ahead 2-0.

Cincinnati (15-5) answered with two hits in the top of the fifth, but a closing strikeout from Sumner ended the inning, keeping BYU’s advantage at 2-0.

A fly ball to deep right field in the top of the sixth allowed Cincinnati to get on the board with a runner from third tagging and scoring, shrinking the BYU lead, 2-1.

Ridge Erickson and Ryker Schow got on base to start the bottom of the seventh, with Erickson being hit by a pitch and Schow walking. Luke Anderson’s sacrifice bunt followed, moving the two runners to second and third. McNaughton then hit a home run to deep right field, stretching the score to 5-1 in favor of the Cougars.

The Bearcats had back-to-back singles to right field to open the eighth, but a strikeout and double play that followed ended the front half of the inning, with the Cougars surviving Cincinnati’s offensive threat.

A base hit and a pop-fly error in the ninth put two Bearcats on base and brought the tying run to the plate with one out. Despite the momentum, Ashton Johnson shut the door on a Cincinnati comeback with two strikeouts, securing BYU’s 5-2 victory.

Summer went 5.1 innings scattering just four hit and one run with six strikeouts for the win (1-1), while the Cougar bullpen of Reiser and Johnson went 3.2 innings allowing just one run.

Game 2 of the three-game series is set for Friday at 3:00 p.m. MT and Miller Park in Provo, with Saturday’s contest scheduled for 1:00 p.m. MT. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and will also be available on BYUradio.org and on the BYU Radio app.