Jake Long hits 2-run HR, but Utah's 9th inning rally falls short to BYU

SALT LAKE CITY — Facing a three-run deficit going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Utah needed some help for a chance to beat rival BYU at America First Ballpark.

With a new pitcher on the mound, BYU hoped for a quick exit to claim a road victory against its rival in a midweek game not counted toward its conference record.

But Utah's Jake Long had other plans.

With one out and a runner on first base, the outfielder from Whittier, California, connected on an Ashton Johnson fastball and drove it 450 feet to right field for a two-run shot to bring Utah within one run of BYU, sending a record-setting crowd of 2,469 people into a frenzy.

The home-run shot kept Long's hitting streak alive, extending the run to 18 consecutive games with a hit. And it helped re-energize the bats of a Utah team who went cold in the middle inning of the game.

Daniel Arambula then hit a shallow shot to center field, with Cameron Gurney following it up with a single of his own to left field before Bradley Navarro flied out to left field.

Freshman Cal Miller, the one-time BYU commit before he flipped to Utah, had his chance to cement his name in rivalry lore in his first game in the rivalry game.

Miller battled to a 3-2 count on an eight-pitch at-bat before sending a deep shot to right field in what looked like it could be the walk-off shot the Utes needed. But BYU right fielder Tu'alau Wolfgramm chased down the ball on a partial diving catch on the warning track to seal the 6-5 victory for the Cougars.

"It was a complete team victory tonight. I thought everyone did something to help us win," BYU head baseball coach Trent Pratt said. "I thought we pitched it well, played great defense and got some clutch hitting from Ryder Robinson."

Wolfgramm immediately jumped up to celebrate the feat and his teammate Crew McChesney spun his arms around behind him as the BYU dugout cleared and the players ran onto the field.

"Emotions were high, for sure," Miller said. "Didn't get the win, but just an electric game — fans showed up. So really thankful for that, but it was a fun game for sure.

"We don't like the team down south and they don't like us; it's just how it is," he added. "A lot of great kids over there, great coaches, but it's a rivalry for sure. So this one hurts, but we're gonna get them back next time."

The Cougars came out swinging early and plated two runs in the first inning to take an early lead over the Utes. Ryder Robinson, who went 4-of-4 Tuesday, got BYU going with a single to right field and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch.

McChesney then hit a double to right center, sending Robinson home for the first run of the game. At the next at-bat, Easton Jones kept the momentum going with a single down the left field line that sent McChesney home to take the early 2-0 lead.

BYU quickly retired three consecutive batters in the bottom of the first, but Utah found its rhythm in the second inning when Bradley Navarro doubled to right center to get the bats going for the Utes. Miller then singled to left field to advance Navarro to third, setting up a potential run.

Cougars starting pitcher Luke Sterner then threw a wild pitch that gave Navarro enough space to get home for Utah's first score, and then Miller to third on an ensuing throwing error by Parker Goff.

Two batters later, Matt Flaharty doubled to shallow left field, sending Miller home to tie up the game and to give Utah another runner in scoring position. After an eventual pitching change and a bases loaded scenario, BYU sent a run in on a hit by pitch to give Utah the go-ahead run.

The remainder of the game turned into a stalemate as neither team could get its offense going until BYU broke through in the top of the seventh, where a couple wild pitches turned the tide of the game and gave BYU the opening it needed to reclaim the lead.

With two outs and two runners on, Utah relief pitcher Anson McGorman sent a pitch into the dirt that then got past the catcher, setting up BYU in scoring position with a runner on second and third.

Robinson came up big for the Cougars again and singled down the right field line to send the two runners in for the go-ahead score.

BYU then added two more runs — a single from Ridge Erickson that sent home Keoni Painter in the eighth, and a single from Jones down the left field line to send Robinson home in the ninth — in the final two innings to control a three-run lead going into the bottom of ninth.

The game between the rivals will not count in the conference standings, but it gave the two teams an early look at each other before a three-game series in Provo starting on April 30.

"I think if anybody's learned one thing about our team, it's that we're scrappy," Gurney said. "We're gonna grind it all the way till the end, and can never count us out of a baseball game."

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