LAS VEGAS — BYU baseball picked up its fourth win in a row with a 6-4 victory over UNLV on Tuesday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.
“We had several big hits today and our pitching got some real important outs in key situations,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “It felt like every guy in the lineup did something positive to help us win.”
Player Highlights
– Luke Anderson: 2-4, RBI, Run, HR
– Easton Jones: 3-5, 3 RBI
– Kuhio Aloy: 2-5, RBI, 2 Runs
– Bryker Hurdsman: 1-5, RBI, HR
BYU (6-5) struck first in its first at bat with back-to-back solo home runs from leadoff hitter Luke Anderson and Bryker Hurdsman for a quick 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, UNLV (9-3) jumped in front with three runs on a walk and three hits in the bottom of the third for a 3-2 advantage.
The Cougars responded with two runs in the fifth on an RBI double by Kuhio Aloy that scored Cooper Vest, followed by a single from Brock Watkins to bring home Aloy to retake the lead, 4-3.
BYU added two additional runs in the seventh inning to increase its lead to 6-3. Vest got things going with a single to right and advanced to third on a double to left center by Aloy. Easton Jones then doubled down the left field line to score both base runners.
The Rebels picked up a run in the eighth inning on a pair of singles and a walk, but junior right-handed reliever Candon Dahle came on in relief to get the final two outs of the inning and keep the score at 6-4.
Junior righty Hayden Coon picked up his first win as a Cougar going 1.2 innings with one strikeout. Coon entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with one out and runners on second and third. He got the next batter to fly out to shallow left and then retired the side with an infield pop up to hold the Rebels scoreless.
BYU junior closer Stone Cushing came on in the ninth and struck out two of the four batters he faced to secure the 6-4 win and pick up his third save of the year.
Up next, the Cougars begin Big 12 Conference play with a three-game series at West Virginia, March 7-9. The series will be played at Monongalia County Ballpark in Morgantown with all the three games broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The games will also air live on the BYU Radio App and BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market, with Dave McCann on the call.