After trailing 3-0 early, the Cougars rallied back to defeat Oklahoma State 6-5 on a 10th inning walk-off home run by Jones Thursday night at Miller Park.

“It was a real good game for us tonight,” BYU head coach  Trent Pratt  said. “From top to bottom, everyone contributed.  Garrison Sumner  was great, and it’s always good to come from behind and win a one-run game.”

BYU (12-12, 3-4) scored six runs on 10 hits, led by Tu’alau Wolfgramm who went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and his first career home run as a Cougar. OSU (16-10, 2-5) plated five runs on eight hits in the loss. With the win, the Cougars move to 5-1 in one-run games this season as they defeat the Cowboys in their first ever game in Provo.

In the top of the sixth, OSU extended its lead to 5-3, but BYU quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning when Bryker Hurdsman singled to left field to drive in Crew McChesney from second base, narrowing the score to 5-4.

After two straight scoreless innings, the  Cougars were down to their final at bat, facing two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth. Wolfgramm  delivered his third hit of the game with a line-drive single to left field. Luke Anderson then followed with a triple down the right-field line, driving in Wolfgramm to tie the game at 5-5.

Nate Gray came on in relief in the 10th, replacing Garrison Sumner who went a season-long seven inning scattering just for hits to keep the game close. Gray set the Cowboys down in order, setting up an opportunity for the Cougar comeback.

With two outs and no one on base in the bottom of the 10th, Jones delivered a towering home run to left field, sealing the 6-5 BYU victory.

Dybantsa named Naismith Trophy finalist

ATLANTA, Ga. – BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is one of four finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Friday.

The Naismith Award for men’s college basketball player of the year has been presented annually since 1969. The winner will be announced Sunday, April 5, at the Naismith Awards Brunch presented by Jersey Mike’s during Men’s Final Four at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.

The nation’s leading scorer, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the free throw line. His 894 points are the third-most scored by a freshman in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history and most since Kevin Durant had 903 in 2007.

The other finalists are Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan.

Softball rally falls short vs. Kansas

The Cougars (10-21, 1-6 Big 12) found themselves down 6-0 going into the fifth. One run was tacked on in the fifth and sixth, with two more in the seventh before their hopes were dashed. BYU tallied eight hits in their four-run effort to the Jayhawks’ nine hits on the evening.

The top of the second frame saw Kansas plate four runners. Three came on a bases-clearing hit and error, while the fourth resulted from an RBI-single up the middle.

The Jayhawks put up two runs in the fifth off a homer and and BYU error, making it 6-0.

In the bottom half of the frame, Kaiya Fabela and Miranda Mansfield drew back-to-back walks. Two outs later, prior to Danica Acosta getting tagged out in a pickle between first and second, pinch runner Tristen Turlington touched home to make it 6-1, Kansas.

Hailey Morrow came up in the sixth with two down and hit a double to deep center. After a Jayhawk error, Bre Townsend drove in Morrow with a single to left center to cut the gap to 6-2.

In the seventh inning, Lily Owens slapped her second double of the night to score Acosta, who singled. BYU added another with Hailey Shuler plating Owens on a single to right, but the damage would end there, with a ground out and a strikeout putting an end to the contest at 6-4, Kansas.

Women’s soccer names Cluff to staff role

BYU women’s soccer head coach Jennifer Rockwood announced the addition of former Cougar standout Mikayla Cluff to the staff as director of player development.

“We are so excited to welcome Mikayla back to the BYU Soccer family,” head coach  Jennifer Rockwood  said. “She left an incredible legacy as a player, and now after years of competing at the professional level she returns to continue building on that foundation. Her wealth of experience and knowledge of the game will be an enormous benefit to our current roster and the next generation of Cougar players.”

The Kaysville, Utah, native returns to Provo following her final season in the National Women’s Soccer League. Selected 14th overall by the Orlando Pride in the 2022 NWSL Draft, Cluff’s professional career spanned five seasons, including two-year stints with both Orlando and the Utah Royals and a final season with Seattle Reign FC. Prior to announcing her retirement in January, she made 58 NWSL appearances, scoring four goals and adding one assist.

One of BYU’s most decorated players, Cluff concluded her collegiate career as a four-time All-American, three-time All-West Coast Conference first team selection and two-time WCC Player of the Year. Her career was highlighted by her senior season in 2021, when she led the Cougars to their first-ever national championship appearance and the most successful season in program history. Following that season, Cluff was named a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist and Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Year.

Cluff left a lasting mark on the BYU record book, appearing in 93 matches and recording 53 goals, 39 assists and 417 shots. Her 53 goals rank second in program history, while her 39 assists also rank second all-time. She is tied for second in career multiple-goal games with 11 and holds the program record for career shots. Cluff is also tied for the most multiple-assist games in school history with seven.

Cluff is married to fellow BYU alumnus and minor league baseball player Jackson Cluff.