Utes Clinch Season Series vs. BYU in 12-7 Win

Tuesday, May 17

Provo, UT

6:00 PM

University of Utah

26-24-1

Brigham Young

31-19

Utah

BYU

Kai Roberts High-Five Line at BYU - 2022

5/17/2022 11:16 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Anderson was a home run short of the cycle; Frei homered and scored three runs

PROVO, Utah – In an edge-of-your-seat, back-and-forth ballgame, the Utah Utes defeated BYU by a 12-7 score on Tuesday night at Miller Park. The win not only clinched the season series for Utah over the Cougars; it also ended a nine-game winning streak for BYU and snapped the Utes out of as long a losing streak.

The win sets the stage for a de-facto Pac-12 Tournament play-in series this weekend for Utah when it travels to Cal. The three-game set begins Thursday, May 19 in Berkeley, California, and a series win for the Utes would punch a ticket to the conference tournament next week.

Eight different Utes had a hit Tuesday night, with third baseman Chase Anderson (4-for-6) leading the way on his first four-hit game at Utah. Anderson finished just a home run short of the cycle and drove in three runs. Second baseman Landon Frei clanked a solo home run off the left field foul pole to begin the seventh inning, and first baseman Alex Baeza broke the game open with a three-run double in the eighth. Left fielder TJ Clarkson also had a two-RBI, two-run night on three hits.

Just as much credit is due for the Utah pitching staff, which took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and had allowed just a pair of walks. In the end seven Utes appeared on the mound, with Bryson Van Sickle (3-0) earning the victory after a 1.1-inning relief stint. Blake Whiting wrapped up the final two innings on the bump.

After two scoreless innings to begin the contest, Utah put up three runs in the top of the third inning and posted another run in the fifth for a 4-0 lead.

BYU broke up the combined no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth and got on the board with two runs, then took a 5-4 lead with a three-spot in the home half of the sixth.

The game was back-and-forth down the stretch with the teams combining for 10 runs from the seventh inning on.

Frei led off the seventh with his third home run of the year to level the score at five-all. It was a huge momentum swing for Utah, as the Utes sent eight men to bat in the inning on the way to a four-run frame. Anderson tripled to right field and scored on a first-pitch single by Clarkson—giving the Utes a 6-5 lead they would not relinquish. Clarkson scored later in the inning on a base hit from Davis Cop, then a sac fly by Matt Richardson brought Jayden Kiernan to the plate for an 8-5 advantage at seventh inning stretch.

The Cougars would strike back with a pair in the bottom half of the seventh. But as was the case all night, Utah had an answer and put the game out of reach in the eighth. A walk to Frei, followed by a Clarkson hit-by-pitch and BYU error loaded the bases for Baeza. He sent the 3-1 pitch to the gap in left-center, clearing the bases and increasing the Utes' lead to 11-7.

Anderson added an RBI double in the ninth to bring Kai Roberts home with an insurance run. In the bottom of the ninth, Whiting allowed just a two-out single before inducing a pop-up to Frei, ending the ballgame.

Utah has won seven of its last 10 games against the Cougars. Tuesday's announced attendance of 3,192 was a record for Miller Park.

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