Late Comeback Falls Short vs. BYU

Tuesday, March 24

Salt Lake City, Utah

6 p.m.

University of Utah

13-9

BYU

11-12

BYU

Utah

Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics

3/24/2026 11:19 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Long homers to extend hitting streak to 17 straight games

SALT LAKE CITY – A two-run homer from Jake Long brought the Utah baseball team within a run in the ninth inning, but the Utes (13-9) came up just short in their comeback effort and fell to BYU by a 6-5 score Tuesday night on Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.

It was a non-conference contest but the first rivalry game between the squads inside Utah's new home. A crowd of 2,469 came out to watch as the seating bowl became standing room only and the outfield berm was nearly full.

Trailing 6-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Zakye Hawkins led off the inning with a single through the left side. It would set the stage for Long's 450-foot shot that narrowed the deficit to 6-5 with just one out, as the roaring crowd came to its feet.

Daniel Arambula and Cameron Gurney each lifted singles to put the tying run at second base and winning run at first base. Bradley Navarro and Cal Miller followed with deep drives to the outfield but neither would fall as the Utes came up just a run short.

It was Long who led the way in RBI category, driving in three runs. His home run extended Long's hitting streak to 17 consecutive games; it is the longest by a Utah player since the 2019 season. Gurney went 3-for-5 and Miller had a 2-for-5 night. Flaharty added an RBI, and Utah totaled 12 hits as a team.

BYU struck first with two runs in the opening inning before the Utes responded in the second. Bradley Navarro had a lead-off double and came around to score on a wild pitch. Flaharty added an RBI double, and Long was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Utah a 3-2 lead after two innings of play.

BYU regained the lead in the seventh with a two-run single to go in front 4-3 and added another run in the eighth inning. Ian Lenius came on in the eighth with one out, but was unfazed by two inherited runners and got out of the jam unharmed.

Ryan Kittredge made the start on the mound for Utah as eight different arms saw action in the midweek contest. It included a combined 2.1 scoreless innings from Sammy Cova and Demitri Diamant. As a staff, Utah combined for eight strikeouts.

Next Up
Utah will look to bounce back on Friday in the opener of a home Big 12 Conference series against Kansas State. First pitch will be at 6 p.m. MT at America First Ballpark.

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