Box Score

Senior Colin Welmon tossed seven shutout innings and struck out nine, but LMU (20-14, 8-5) allowed a run in the eighth and two in the ninth with two out to send the game to extra innings. After two scoreless extra frames, BYU (16-17, 7-6 WCC) received a two-run homer from Eric Urry off of closer J.D. Busfield in the 12th that proved to be the game-winning hit and handed the Cougars the 5-3 victory in game one of a three-game series being played at LMU's Page Stadium. Urry finished the game 3-for-6 with three RBI.

Welmon scattered six Cougar hits and walked one over 115 pitches, but he took a no decision. Busfield pitched the final four innings after entering in the ninth in a save situation, ultimately allowing four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four. The four earned runs were the first allowed by the right-hander this year.

Keaton Cenatiempo earned the victory after throwing 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. The decision moved him to 3-1 on the season. Michael Rucker earned the save, his fourth of the year, with a scoreless bottom of the 12th.

LMU got on the board first in the second inning, receiving a leadoff double from David Edwards before an error charged to centerfielder Brennon Lund on a fly ball into right centerfield left runners at second and third with nobody out. Ted Boeke drove in the run on the ensuing play, dribbling a ground ball to shortstop that went for a fielder's choice as Jimmy Jack was thrown out at third trying to move up on the play. LMU would go on to collect one more hit in the inning, but it would not add to the lead.

Edwards finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.

The Lions threatened but did not score in the third and fourth innings, maintaining a 1-0 lead through four. A two-out single from David Fletcher, who went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI in the game, was followed by a single in the third from Tanner Donnels that was bobbled momentarily as Fletcher stopped at third and then tried to come home. Shortstop Hayden Nielsen picked up the ball right around second base and fired a strike to the plate to cut down Fletcher. The fourth inning looked promising for LMU, as Edwards singled and moved to third on a double from Jack. Unfortunately for LMU, Kolton Mahoney got tough from there, inducing a ground ball to third for the first out before getting Billy Wilson to fly to shallow left for the second out. The BYU starter worked all the way out of the jam on ensuing play, getting a ground ball to shortstop to end the threat and strand the two runners in scoring position.

Mahoney pitched well for the Cougars, tossing 7.2 innings and allowing three runs on 11 hits and two walks with six strikeouts before eventually taking a no-decision.

The top of LMU's order manufactured a run in the fifth as Austin Miller punched a 3-2 pitch back up the middle for a single before stealing second base. The 90 feet proved critical as Fletcher laced a double into the left centerfield gap to bring home the run and push LMU to a 2-0 advantage.

BYU broke through off of LMU's bullpen, tagging Michael Silva with a run in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. Dillon Robinson got the ball rolling with a one-out single before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. A deep fly ball moved the runner to third with two out, setting the table for a clutch two-out RBI-single back up the middle from Urry.

The Lions added a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Edwards and Boeke contributed doubles, including Boeke's third of the year with two out to bring home LMU's third run of the game and push the advantage to 3-1.

The two-run cushion proved not enough for the closer Busfield as he entered in the ninth and allowed a pair of two-out RBI-singles from Tanner Chauncey and Robinson to even the game at 3-3. Busfield got the first two hitters without incident, but a single from Lund was followed by a walk and the RBI-hit from Chauncey, setting up first and second and two down for Robinson who blooped the game-tying hit in front of Wilson in left field.

The Lions had a golden opportunity to walk-off with the victory in the bottom of the 11th as a leadoff walk to Kyle Dozier got the inning started in the right direction. Miller bunted pinch-runner Marcus Still to second before Fletcher lined a single into left centerfield to put runners at the corners with one out. Donnels, LMU's leading RBI-man, came to the plate, but hit into a 6-3 inning-ending double play to end the threat and strand the runner.

The momentum stayed in the BYU dugout the rest of the way as Urry belted his second homer of the year in the top of the 12th to hand the Cougars the victory.

LMU and BYU will continue the three-game West Coast Conference series tomorrow at 6 p.m.