Utes Earn Series Win Over BYU In Diamond Showdown
Apr 12, 2025, 6:20 PM | Updated: 6:52 pm
Utah junior outfielder Kaden Carpenter celebrates a 3-run-HR against the BYU Cougars on Saturday, April 12. (Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics)
(Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Utes took the final two games of the series to lock down a well-earned series win over the visiting BYU Cougars.
The Utes and Cougars renewed their spring rivalry for the first time as members of the Big 12 Conference in a three-game series at Smith’s Ballpark on Thursday, April 10, through Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Utah takes the series win over BYU 👏#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/cMNiYJ30Kb
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
After dropping the opener, Utah rallied to outscore the Cougars 15-9 over the weekend to earn its second Big 12 series win. The Utes won two of three against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in early March.
Game One
BYU 9
Utah 8
Three-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Colter McAnelly was tagged for 11 hits and nine earned runs in five innings. He fell to 2-3 with the loss.
BYU opened the game with two-run homers from Cooper Vest and Brock Watkins in the first. Utah answered with their own two-spot thanks to doubles from Cameron Gurney and Jake Long.
Coop gettin’ after it EARLY 😮💨
📺 https://t.co/N3hhB7ptUF pic.twitter.com/WGQjQ3kUyJ
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) April 11, 2025
Luke Anderson doubled the Cougar lead when he laced a two-bagger down the left field line that scored Ryder Robinson and Crew McChesney.
LUKE RIPS A DOUBLE 😤
Add 2 to the board
📺 https://t.co/N3hhB7q1Kd pic.twitter.com/29Mk1mhaMA
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) April 11, 2025
Vest and Watkins followed with RBI singles to take a 9-2 lead.
Utah’s offense woke up in the fifth when Kaden Carpenter followed another Long double with an RBI single. Later in the inning, Drake DiGiorno forced in a run when a pitch hit him.
Matt Flaharty reached on an infield single, scoring Tyler Quinn. Core Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk, forcing Derek Smith home from third. Austen Roellig followed Jackson’s walk with a two-RBI single to left, cutting the deficit to 9-8.
2⃣ RBI's from @austenroellig continue the 2⃣ out rally!
📺ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/RKhHflKHy0
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 11, 2025
Neither team scored again as both bullpens took over. The Utes and Cougars combined to allow four hits over the final four innings of the 9-8 BYU win.
Hayden Coon (1-0) earned the win with the save going to Ashton Johnson.
Game Two
Utes take this in-state rivalry win on Friday Night
BYU vs. Utah Baseball Highlights⬇️#Big12BB | @utahbaseball pic.twitter.com/eDMsAM4dV4
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) April 12, 2025
BYU 4
Utah 6
Merit Jones took the mound for Utah against former Ute Jaden Harris for the Cougars.
BYU lost second baseman Brock Watkins early to an apparent shoulder injury, but shook off the incident to grab a 1-0 lead in the third when Bryker Hurdsman tripled home Cooper Vest.
Bryker starts things off with a BANG 💥
📺 https://t.co/N3hhB7ptUF pic.twitter.com/kCVuGjET7o
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) April 12, 2025
Utah struck back, taking a 2-1 lead on a pair of sac flies after Matt Flaharty led off the frame with a single, followed by a Core Jackson double.
2⃣ sac flies, 2⃣ runs!
Utah 2, BYU 1#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/bsdQWhzRiV— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
The Cougars tied matters in the fourth before tacking on a run in the fifth for a 3-2 lead.
Utah answered in the bottom half, briefly evening the game at three before Crew McChesney lifted a sac fly that scored Tate Gambill.
Merit Jones was lifted after walking five and striking out eight in six innings. Junior righty Lucas Boesen replaced Jones.
Strikeout No. 🖐️ for @MeritJones3 !#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/zLLZ4X7du0
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
The back-and-forth game continued into the eighth inning, tied at four.
Utah took its first lead since the third when Drake DiGiorno pinch hit for Jack Kleveno. DiGiorno delivered an RBI double to left, scoring Tyler Quinn from second base. Santino Panaro advanced to third.
Pizza man delivered 🍕🍕🍕#GoUtes x @DigiornoD pic.twitter.com/4bVlMdb1cV
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
Panaro gave Utah a 6-4 lead when he scored a Matt Flaharty fielder’s choice.
The Utes held on for the 6-4 win to even the series. Lucas Boesen was credited with the win, while Brayden Marx absorbed the loss for BYU. Utah’s Cameron Nielson worked around a pair of ninth-inning walks to earn his first save.
Game Three
BYU 6
Utah 9
BYU struck first when Luke Anderson lifted a solo homer to deep left in the top of the first.
452 ft BOMB 💣
📺 https://t.co/N3hhB7q1Kd pic.twitter.com/3k7HLD9Szt
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) April 12, 2025
Utah responded with three runs in their half of the inning. Austen Roellig ripped an RBI single to right before coming around to score the final run of the inning.
Utes are on the board with an @austenroellig RBI💥#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/uUtyrri1Lh
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
Crew McChesney and Tate Gambill tied the game with RBI singles in the second and third innings.
Utah regained the advantage in the bottom of the third on a Drake DiGiorno single.
Trailing 5-3 in the fifth, Parker Goff ripped an RBI double to left. Gambill followed with an RBI groundout that scored Bryker Hurdsman.
Parker doubles to bring Coop home 🫡
📺 https://t.co/N3hhB7q1Kd pic.twitter.com/lVRV41VnfU
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) April 12, 2025
The Utes pieced together a massive sixth inning, taking a 9-5 lead courtesy of a three-run long ball off the bat of Utah County local Kaden Carpenter. It was Carpenter’s second extra base hit of the day.
🚨CARPENTER GOES YARD🚨
The Homer gives Utah a 9-5 lead🚀📺ESPN+#GoUtes x @KadenCarp14 pic.twitter.com/hcEdHq6puK
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 12, 2025
BYU loaded the bases against Dylan Gazaway in the eighth, forcing head coach Gary Henderson to call on Cameron Nielson out of the pen.
Nielson came on with two down to face the Cougars’ five-hole hitter Bryker Hurdsman. Hurdsman battled to a full count before flying out to the warning track, ending the inning and stranding three.
BYU’s first two batters reached in the ninth, forcing Henderson to call on righty Dillon Fine. The freshman induced a double-play groundout, leaving the Cougars down to their final out, trailing by three.
.@Corejackson32 with a shoutout to our fans
Thanks for all the great support this weekend! pic.twitter.com/mfsr4v4TxB
— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) April 13, 2025
After an infield single, Fine struck Crew McChesney out with a high fastball to earn his first career save.
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BYU hosts Utah Valley on Tuesday night at Miller Park before beginning a three-game series with the visiting No. 24 Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, April 17. First pitch for Thursday’s game at Miller Park is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MT.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
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Utah travels to Waco, Texas, for a three-game series with the Baylor Bears beginning on Thursday, April 17. First pitch is at 5:30 p.m. MT.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
