PROVO–Freshman Rob Itri’s two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday lifted BYU to a 9-8 victory and prevented Southern Utah from a three-game sweep over the Cougars.

Southern Utah came from behind in the nightcap to earn a 15-13 victory, its second in as many days.

Itri’s pinch hit homer to right field came off the first pitch from reliever Ted Beard.  SUU got on board first with a solo homer from Shane Heugly in the third inning and then got a three-run homer from Brian Kruse in the fifth.

Jarod Ingersoll’s single to left field scored Luke Geddes in the three-run seventh to give the Thunderbirds an 8-7 advantage.  Winning in relief by virtue of Itri’s first homer of the season was Jeremy Thomas, who also secured his first victory of the year.

Ingersoll’s three-run homer in the third inning closed the Cougars’ lead to 5-4, before Brent Howes belted a three-run homer in the bottom of that inning.  The Cougars also got a two-run homer by Kyle West in the first inning, a solo in the fifth by Shane Belliston and a solo in the fifth by Gary Johnson. 

SUU got a solo homer by John Droubay in the fourth, a two-run shot by Amos Bright in the sixth and a solo by Geddes in the seventh.  The T-Birds scored four runs in the sixth inning after a nine-strikeout performance by Sean Noorda.

SUU Coach DeLynn Corry was ejected by the umpires as that sixth inning started.  Reliever Brian Mounce was credited with the victory, while Mason Fox earned his first save of the season.  Kruse extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

The Cougars started the nightcap with a wide-aided triple by Chris Circuit in the three-run first inning.

BYU’s record is now 19-22 as it readies to host San Diego State in Western Athletic Conference action on Thursday in an 11 a.m. doubleheader.  SUU is now 11-29 and will host UNLV on Monday at 1 p.m. for its next game.

BYU 9, So. Utah 8

SUU     001     031     2       8       8       1 
BYU     000     232     2       9       14      5 

Roberts, Fox (6), Beard (7) and Heugly, Yocum (6), Parker (7).  Gray, DeLlamas (4), Thomas (7) and Davies, Freeman (6).  
WP-Thomas, 1-1.  LP-Beard, 0-3. 
2B–Duckworth (SUU), Bills (BYU), Greene (BYU), Johnson (BYU).  
HR–Heugly (SUU), Kruse (SUU), Itri (BYU).

So. Utah 15, BYU 13

SUU     004     154     1       15      14      5 
BYU     324     220     0       13      16      3 

Harrison, Kittrell (3), Mounce (5), Fox (6) and Heugly.  Noorda, Holland (5), Mangrum (6) and Wilkes, Birchall (6), and Freeman (7).  WP-Mounce, 3-4. 
LP-Holland, 0-1.  Sv.–Fox (1).  
2B–Johnson (BYU), Fulton (BYU), Bright (SUU), T. Petersen (SUU).  
3B–Circuit (BYU).  
HR–West (BYU), Ingersoll (SUU), Howes (BYU), Droubay (SUU), Belliston (BYU), Johnson (BYU), Bright (SUU), Geddes
(SUU). 

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