STOCKTON, Calif. – No. 1 seed BYU baseball ended its run at the WCC Tournament on Friday, losing 3-1 to No. 2 seed Gonzaga at Banner Island Ballpark.

“You have to tip your hat sometimes,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. “Unfortunately that’s what we’ve had to do the last two games.”

BYU vs. Gonzaga Box Score

Game Summary

• BYU took the lead with a run in the first, but managed just two hits the rest of the way
• Gonzaga scored runs in the first, fifth and sixth

Player Highlights

• Danny Gelalich: 2-4, 2B, R
• Mitch McIntyre: 1-3, 2B
• Reid McLaughlin: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB

BYU and Gonzaga traded runs in the first inning to start things off. Sophomore Danny Gelalich hit a double, advanced to third on a sac bunt by Noah Hill, then scored from third on Brock Hale’s RBI-ground out. But in the bottom of the inning, Gonzaga’s Ernie Yake answered with a solo home run.

Cougar starter Easton Walker then settled in, shutting out the Bulldogs over the next three innings. However, BYU couldn’t take advantage, getting just a double by Mitch McIntyre from the second through fifth innings.

The Bulldogs snuck a run across in the fifth after a double was followed by a deep fly ball that allowed the runner to reach third, then come home on a single. BYU had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the sixth after Gelalich singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch and Brock Hale reached on a walk, but Jackson Cluff’s flyout to right field ended the threat.

Gonzaga added another run in the sixth when a squeeze bunt successfully scored the runner from third on a close play at the plate, giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.

Walker left the game after six, finishing with four strikeouts against six hits, three runs and no walks. Freshman Reid McLaughlin came on for the final two innings, allowing no runs and no walks.

With a record of 36-17, the Cougars will wait to see if they are given an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when the selections are announced on Monday, May 27, at 10 a.m. MT on ESPNU.

STOCKTON, Calif. - No. 1 seed BYU baseball will face No. 4 seed LMU to start West Coast Conference Tournament action on Thursday, May 23, at 3 p.m. PT at Banner Island Ballpark.

BYU WCC Tournament Notes

Coming in with the top seed in the tournament for the first time after claiming the regular season championship, the Cougars are looking for their second WCC Tournament title after winning it all in 2017.

BYU finished the regular season with a 36-15 record, 18-9 in conference, and are ranked No. 24 in the nation by Baseball America. 

Senior right-hander Jordan Wood will get the start against LMU, coming in with a 4.48 ERA and a 5-3 record as an every week starter this season for the Cougars. 

BYU won two of three games at LMU this year, losing the first game 5-1 before winning 8-5 and 10-3 in the last two contests.

The Cougars are 5-7 all-time in four previous WCC Tournament appearances. Overall, BYU has played in 27 conference tournaments that have featured four teams or more, winning six (1983, 1985, 1988 in the WAC; 2001, 2002 in the MWC; and 2017 in the WCC). The Cougars have also won eight best-of-three conference championship series in WAC divisional play (1949, 1952, 1958, 1961, 1968, 1971, 1979, 1981). BYU has won regular season titles in 1989, 2001, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

No. 2 seed Gonzaga and No. 3 seed Saint Mary's make up the other half of the double elimination tournament with the winners and losers of the first two games playing each other on Friday. For the complete schedule, click here.