PROVO, Utah – Luke McCollough pitched four-plus scoreless innings for Utah Valley, but a trio of home runs from BYU in the middle innings helped propel the Cougars to a 7-0 UCCU Crosstown Clash victory on Tuesday night at Miller Park.
 
UVU's (15-26) McCollough allowed just two hits and three total baserunners through 4.1 innings, but BYU's (22-16) offense then got things going thanks to a pair of homers in the fifth and a two-homer night from Joshua Cowden en route to picking up the victory and sweeping the two-game season series. 
 
"BYU is a very talented team and they proved that again tonight. It was great to see Luke McCollough go toe-to-toe with them for five innings. He has some really good stuff and we're hopeful that he'll continue to develop and emerge, and it was great to see that from him," head UVU coach Eddie Smith said. "We just didn't make some plays late and string together those big hits when they needed them and that's what we are trying to get better at every single day." 
 
The Wolverines threatened in the second by getting runners on the corners with one away following a single from Paul Vossen and a walk from Garrett Broussard, but BYU's Jake Porter managed to pitch out of it with a double-play ball to end the threat. UVU then got a two-out hustle double from Mitch Moralez in the third followed by a single through the left side from Mick Madsen, but Moralez was called out at the plate on a bang-bang throw from BYU leftfielder Joshua Cowden to keep the game scoreless. 
 
With UVU starter Luke McCollough having allowed just two hits and pitching very well for the Wolverines through 4.1 innings, the Cougars managed to get to him for the first time in the fifth with a one-out solo homer from Cowden to give BYU a 1-0 lead. Following a single and a pitching change, BYU then made it 3-0 with a two-run home run to center from Collin Reuter. 
 
Cowden then added his second home run of the game with a solo shot to center in the sixth to extend Brigham Young's lead to 4-0. The Cougars then made it 6-0 thanks to a two-out two-run double from Ryan Sepede in the seventh.
 
BYU tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to put the game away.
 
Despite the strong start from McCollough, the UVU sophomore was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on four hits over 4.1 innings to drop to 2-2. BYU's Peyton Cole picks up the win in relief to improve to 2-0. A total of six pitchers made appearances on the mound in the game for Utah Valley, which included the Wolverine debut for Bryson Sanchez in the eighth inning. 
 
The contest not only marks UVU's final game on the season against neighboring rival BYU but also Utah Valley's final against an in-state foe. UVU finishes the year with a 4-6 record against in-state opponents by going 3-3 against WAC foe Dixie State, 1-1 against Pac-12 foe Utah, and 0-2 vs. BYU. 
 
Following five consecutive road games, the Wolverines will now return home for a three-game WAC series against first-place Grand Canyon this weekend at UCCU Ballpark. Friday's opener is set for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.