BYU baseball scores late, holds off UVU rally to sweep season series


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PROVO — The game of baseball can giveth and can taketh away, and on Tuesday night at Miller Park in Provo, 18th-ranked BYU took the game away from Utah Valley.

The Cougars scored four runs in the final two innings and held off the Wolverines 7-6 to sweep the season series and win the UCCU Crosstown Clash.

"After the very last out of the game, I felt better," BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. "We tried to let them back in it, but Mason (Marshall) made a great play on the bunt play and induced the ground ball for the final out. It was a tough game. Utah Valley came and played really well. But we put the ball in play and made them make plays."

BYU improved to 33-15, while UVU dropped to 16-33 overall.

Two plays were the big difference in the ballgame. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning and UVU leading 6-5, BYU shortstop Daniel Schneeman hit a ground ball that UVU second baseman David Modler fielded cleanly.

However, the throw was wide of first base, which allowed BYU second baseman Brian Hsu to score the tying run.

On the next pitch, Tanner Chauncey hit a ground ball that went under the glove of UVU third baseman Paul Estrada and into the glove of shortstop Trevor Howell. Unfortunately, the throw was just a bit late, allowing Brennon Anderson to score the go-ahead run.

"We just got to play the whole way through," UVU coach Eric Madsen said. "I felt like we competed. We just got to figure out a way to go all the way to the end."

UVU made it interesting in the top of the ninth. Modler reached on a single, his third hit of the game. Trevor Peterson then walked to put pressure on Marshall, who tied BYU's program record for career saves Tuesday.

With the tying run on second base, UVU wasn't able to move the runner any further. Howell attempted a sacrifice bunt, but it was right back at Marshall, who picked up the ball and got Modler at third. Marshall then struck out Jackson Overlund on a 3-2 pitch and got Zac Willis to pop out to end the game.

It was the second save of the season and 15th overall. Marshall is tied with Ryan Hancock for the all-time saves record at BYU.

The Cougars have now won 13 out of their last 14 games and are looking to lock up the West Coast Conference regular season title when they travel to Spokane for the final three-game series of the season against Gonzaga.

UVU is looking to lock up a spot in the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Mesa. The Wolverines travel to Seattle to face the Redhawks in the final series of the season, and with two games separating six teams, the Wolverines need to fare well in the Pacific Northwest.


Kyle McDonald is sports fan who loves the Chicago Cubs. He is a communication major at UVU and will graduate in the spring of 2017. Follow him on Twitter at @kylesportsbias

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