PROVO, Utah – Michael Rucker pitched a complete game to lead No. 23 BYU over LMU 4-1 to keep pace for first place in West Coast Conference play, Thursday.

"It’s nice to have a guy (Rucker) on the mound that when you call a pitch and a location, you know he’s going to hit that spot," BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. "That’s how we needed to open this series. Our approach was excellent on the offensive side. We didn’t try to do too much. We used the middle of the field. When he (LMU pitcher) gave us something to hit, which wasn’t very often, we made him pay a little bit.”

Rucker pitched all nine innings for the Cougars. He recorded eight strikeouts and only surrendered three hits.  Rucker’s complete game is the first recorded by any BYU pitcher this season. His record remains spotless at 5-0 as BYU improves to 19-2 overall and 3-1 in the WCC.

Keaton Kringlen led the Cougar offense, hitting 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI. Brennon Lund also added one RBI, batting 2-for-4. Colton Shaver increased his hitting streak to 11 games. He went 1-for-3 in Thursday’s matchup.

Lund tripled to lead off the game, hitting a low shot to center field. Tanner Chauncey then gave BYU the early 1-0 lead as he hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Lund.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, Kringlen singled up the middle scoring Brennon Anderson to go up 2-0. BYU tallied three hits in the second inning.

In the top of the fourth, Nate Favero had a great stab at third and threw a bullet home to get the out. The play stopped the Lions from getting on the board, and also generated a heated discussion at the plate.  

Ryan Erickson led off the top of the sixth for the Lions with a triple. LMU recorded its first run as Spencer Erdman laid down a textbook bunt to bring a runner from third across the plate, closing the gap to 2-1. Rucker then almost singled-handedly recorded the next three outs.

Rucker recorded his fourth strikeout in a pivotal moment in the top of the seventh, striking out Niko Decolati for the first out of the side. After Rucker walked the next batter, the junior hurler casually threw the ball to first. Then Chauncey alertly saw the LMU runner rounding second and the Cougars tagged the Lion runner in a pickle to complete the double play. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Lund grounded a ball up the middle to get on first. On that play, the LMU second basemen over threw first base to score Kringlen on an error. At the next at bat, Nielsen singled past the infield to score Lund. With both runners passing the plate, the Cougars took the 4-1 lead.

With the win tonight, BYU kept pace in the race for first place in the league. With San Francisco and Saint Mary’s both recording conference wins Thursday, three teams are tied for first.

BYU will play its second game of the three-game series against the Lions on Friday. The game has been moved up to will 3 p.m. MDT due to weather concerns. Fans can follow the game live through links on www.byucougars.com, BYUtv and ESPN Radio 960 AM.

PROVO, Utah--A five-way tie for first place in the West Coast Conference baseball standings could narrow when No. 23 BYU hosts Loyola Marymount this weekend.

The three-game series between the Cougars (18-2, 2-1) and the Lions (9-12, 2-1) begins Thursday at 6 p.m. MDT.  Friday's game time has been changed to 3 p.m., followed by Saturday at 1 p.m. MDT.

Thursday and Friday’s games will be televised live by BYUtv, but there will be no video for Saturday due to spring football. All of the games will be broadcast live over ESPN960 AM Radio.

“Records don’t mean a lot,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said of Loyola Marymount. “They will really pitch it, but we’re going to put together good at bats. We always seem to play Loyola better than everybody else. It will be a great series where a play here or a play there and execution is probably going to dictate who wins the series.”

Michael Rucker (4-0, 2.67) and Maverik Buffo (4-0, 3.03) will start on the mound for BYU the first two games and Connor Williams (1-0, 3.09) will likely get the nod to start on Saturday.

BYU first appeared in the national rankings last week at No. 29 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and moved up to No. 27 in that poll. This week the Cougars made their first appearance in the USA Today Coaches poll at No. 24 and their first appearance in Collegiate Baseball magazine at No. 23.

BYU remains No. 1 in the NCAA in scoring (10.2) and runs (253) and No. 3 in batting average (.349). The Cougars are No. 3 in hits (260) and on-base percentage (.431), No. 4 in slugging (.542) and doubles (53) and No. 8 in home runs (25) in week five of the 2016 NCAA rankings. Colton Shaver is ranked No. 3 in doubles (0.60), No. 6 in hits (36), No. 9 in batting average (.462) and No. 12 in slugging (.808). Eric Urry is No. 7 in runs (27).

Last Saturday’s loss to Pacific ended a 12-game winning streak in the midst of a 12-game home stand which concludes with the LMU series.

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