BYU baseball capped its regular season with a dramatic walk‑off home run, securing a victory over No. 14‑ranked Kansas and cementing the Cougars as the No. 9 seed heading into the Big 12 tournament.
The team’s turnaround has been striking. After winning just a single conference series in each of the previous two seasons, BYU posted four series victories in 2026, matching the combined total from 2024 and 2025 and breaking into the top ten of the league for the first time.
A New Era for Cougar Baseball
Pitching has been the cornerstone of that transformation. The staff lowered its earned run average from 8.53 in 2025 to 6.46 this year, with Easton Jones emerging as one of the conference’s most effective arms, posting a 4.55 ERA and holding opponents to a .248 batting average.
Reliever Garrison Sumner added 64 strikeouts, while Nate Gray tied for the league lead with six wins, underscoring a bullpen that has become a reliable late‑game weapon.
Offensively, the Cougars have been equally potent. Ezra McNaughton paced the lineup with a .342 average, 14 homers and 48 RBIs, while Ryder Robinson contributed 10 long balls and got on base 42 percent of the time, underscoring a balanced attack that ranks fourth in doubles and fifth in home runs.
The upcoming first‑round matchup will pit BYU against a familiar foe, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders, who topped the conference in hits and average nearly nine runs per game, have struggled on the mound, surrendering more home runs than any other Big 12 program. Their recent meeting in Lubbock just a week ago gave the Cougars a preview of what to expect.
First pitch is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. MDT, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. As the Cougars prepare to chase a deep tournament run, the blend of improved pitching, clutch hitting and seasoned leadership positions them as a dark horse in the quest for the title.