MORAGA, Calif.— Multiple RBI with two outs gave pitcher Adam Miller the needed cushion Saturday afternoon for a 7-3 BYU victory over St. Mary’s College.

BYU, now 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the West Coast Conference, took the three-game series against the Gaels, now 5-2 and 1-2.  Miller, Austin Hall and Jaycob Brugman were key for the Cougars who jumped out to a 4-0 lead before SMC scored a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning.

Hall and Brugman hit back-to-back doubles in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.  The duo came back again with consecutive hits in the eighth when Hall tripled with two-outs and was driven in by Brugman for the final run of the game.

But the two-run, two-out RBI by Tanner Chauncey in the second frame and RBI in the seventh and eighth innings with two-outs keyed the victory over the Gaels.

“When you can get two-out RBI, it takes wind out of their sails,” said BYU coach Vance Law.  “Chauncey was big in second.  Then to increase our lead when Dillon Robinson hit a line drive to centerfield and Hall hit one down the first base line were huge.”

Hall, who went 4-for-5 at the plate, also came up big in the bottom of the third when Cole Norton tried to stretch a single into a double and was thrown out at second base by the talented senior who started his first game at leftfield.

For the second game in a row, Brock Whitney recorded the game-winning RBI.  Whitney’s one-run, one-out single scored Hall in the fifth when the Cougars took a 4-0 lead.

Law lauded Miller as well for his five-hit performance in seven innings to pick up his first win of the year.

“When he (Miller) has two pitches working, that is all he needs as hard as he throws, “ said Law.  “I’m pleased with way he has pitched last two games. “

BYU next plays a two-game series at No. 4 Arkansas starting Tuesday.

Five California trips are on BYU’s baseball schedule, but perhaps none loom larger than this week’s three-game series at Saint Mary’s College.

Thursday afternoon marks the start of the Cougars’ first year of baseball play in the West Coast Conference.  SMC, now 4-0, is located in Moraga, Calif., was picked sixth in the WCC preseason poll and BYU was seventh. The Cougars have a 6-1 lead in the series with the Gaels.

The three games mark the start of live Cougar broadcasts over BYU Radio 960 AM, with Brent Norton calling the action for his 22nd year mike side.  Those games will also be audiocast live on www.byucougars.com.

BYU, 2-1, begins its second week of the season using the same pitching rotation that brought success at UC Riverside.  Junior Chris Capper (0-1, 5.40) is the starting pitcher for Thursday’s game beginning at 2 p.m., PST.  Junior southpaw Mark Anderson (1-0, 3.00) is on the mound for Friday’s game at the same time.  Sophomore Adam Miller (0-0, 0.00) takes the hill in Saturday’s contest starting at 1 p.m.

“Our pitches did a nice job keeping us in games last week,” said BYU coach Vance Law.  “Our defense was outstanding, but we need to recognize how important that is to our success.  I am pleased with the way we performed and our offense will continue to get better.

“We are looking forward to the league opener which has come mighty early as a result of previous scheduling before we were conference members.  Both teams are at the same disadvantage.”

When the Cougars return from the SMC series, they will practice one day in Provo before flying to play at No. 4 Arkansas.  BYU travels to California the second week of March for a series at No. 27  UC Irvine, but doesn’t return to WCC play until the third full week of March at the University of Portland.