Utah baseball beats BYU again, secures rivalry series win in Provo
May 2, 2026, 8:14 PM | Updated: May 4, 2026, 11:11 am
(Photo Courtesy by Utah Athletics)
(Photo Courtesy by Utah Athletics)
PROVO, Utah — Utah baseball provided an emphatic response after dropping the series opener against BYU. The Utes took the series after winning the rubber match Saturday afternoon.
Utah beat BYU 8-3 at Miller Park, securing the weekend series win over the Cougars with back-to-back victories in Provo.
After falling 6-4 in Thursday’s opener, Utah responded with an 8-1 win Friday night before closing the series with another eight-run performance Saturday.
🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴
RIVALRY SERIES DUB#UtesWin pic.twitter.com/QuPJfzeaW9
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) May 2, 2026
The win moved Utah to 23-19 overall and 11-13 in Big 12 play, while BYU dropped to 23-23 overall and 12-12 in conference play.
For a rivalry series that carried both local bragging rights and Big 12 implications, Utah’s response over the final two games was the story.
BYU tied Saturday’s game at 1-1 in the second inning, but Utah immediately broke it open in the third. Jake Long doubled home Luke Jacobs to put the Utes back in front, Cameron Gurney followed with an RBI single, and Matt Flaharty delivered the decisive swing with a three-run home run to right field.
By the end of the inning, Utah had turned a tight game into a 6-1 lead.
That was enough separation.
VIBES pic.twitter.com/YEjzIPrEGN
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) May 3, 2026
Gurney was the offensive anchor for Utah, finishing 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Long added two doubles, two runs and two RBIs, while Jacobs scored twice and reached base three times. Utah finished with 14 hits and did not commit an error.
The Utes also showed the kind of offensive balance that mattered throughout the weekend. After scoring eight runs on 15 hits Friday night, Utah came back less than 24 hours later and put up eight more runs on 14 hits. In the final two games of the series, Utah outscored BYU 16-4.
On the mound, Seth Graham-Pippin gave Utah 4.2 innings, allowing two runs while striking out five. Kaden Soder earned the win in relief, improving to 3-0 after allowing one run over three innings with three strikeouts. Justin Abercrombie closed the door by recording the final two outs.
BYU got solo home runs from Ezra McNaughton and Crew McChesney, but the Cougars could not match Utah’s sustained pressure at the plate. Bryker Hurdsman had three hits for BYU, while McChesney finished with two.
The series win also helped Utah split the regular-season matchups with BYU at two wins apiece. BYU had taken the opener in Provo on Thursday, but Utah won the final two games of the weekend series to claim the Big 12 set.
Hit ’em where they ain’t @GurneyCameron
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/zdaQwwhHNf
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) May 2, 2026
For Utah, the value of the weekend was clear. The Utes needed a response after Thursday night’s loss. They delivered one Friday, then backed it up Saturday with another complete offensive performance.
The Utes return home Tuesday to face Utah Valley before heading back into Big 12 play with a road series at TCU beginning Friday.
The Bottom Line
Utah’s series win over BYU was not built on one big inning alone, even though Saturday’s five-run third changed the game. It was built on the Utes stacking quality at-bats, getting enough pitching, and responding with urgency after dropping the opener.
In a rivalry series, that matters. In the Big 12 standings, it matters even more. Utah left Provo with a series win, momentum, and a reminder that when its lineup strings together consistent contact, this team can put pressure on opponents in a hurry.
