BYU baseball eliminated by Stanford in NCAA tournament

BYU baseball’s season is over after the Cougars lost to Stanford 9-1 in an elimination game in the NCAA tournament.

The Cougars fought valiantly, but ultimately came up short after Stanford scored three runs in the in three-straight innings.

BYU baseball managed just four hits in the loss, and its only run of the game came in the fifth inning off of a Colton Shaver solo home run.

Pitcher Maverik Buffo went 6.2 innings, giving up four earned runs off of six hits.

Both pitchers were in command for the first four innings, giving up one hit apiece.

In the fifth, BYU avoided disaster after a lead-off double and sacrifice bunt gave Stanford a runner on third base with one out.

Stanford had two batters pop out to strand the runner on third.

BYU scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Shaver’s home run cleared the left field fence to make it 1-0 BYU.

Stanford scored on a fielder’s choice in the sixth and a two-run home run gave the Cardinal a 3-1 lead.

Riley Gates came on in relief for Buffo in the seventh and immediately gave up back-to-back home runs.

Quinn Brodey had a two-run home run to make it 5-1 Stanford.

Then, Dan Bakst followed with a solo home run to extend the Cardinal’s lead to 6-1.

Two pitching changes for the Cougars couldn’t slow down the Cardinal offense, and Stanford put three more runs on the board in the eighth.

BYU baseball finishes the season 38-21 while Stanford will face Cal State Fullerton for the region

title later today.