2020 BYU Cougars baseball team

The 2020 BYU Cougars baseball team represented Brigham Young University during the 2020 NCAA Division I baseball season. Mike Littlewood acted as head coach of the Cougars for an eighth consecutive season. The Cougars were picked to finish second in the WCC Pre-season poll.[2] However they secured more first place votes from the WCC Media than any team with 5 and were named the team to beat by Baseball America.[3] The Cougars never got to play in conference though as all athletic events were shut down by the school March 12 due to COVID-19.[4]

2020 BYU Cougars baseball
ConferenceWest Coast Conference
Record7-9 (0-0 WCC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Trent Pratt (8th season)
  • Brent Haring (8th season)
  • Michael Bradshaw (2nd season)
Home stadiumLarry H. Miller Field
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 West Coast Conference baseball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
San Francisco  ‍‍‍ 1 0   1.000 10 8   .556
San Diego  ‍‍‍ 2 1   .667 13 5   .722
Loyola Marymount  ‍‍‍ 2 1   .667 10 9   .526
Portland  ‍‍‍ 1 1   .500 13 5   .722
Pacific  ‍‍‍ 3 6   .333 12 14   .462
No. 21 Pepperdine  ‍‍‍ 0 0   12 3   .800
Santa Clara  ‍‍‍ 0 0   12 5   .706
Saint Mary's  ‍‍‍ 0 0   8 8   .500
BYU  ‍‍‍ 0 0   7 9   .438
Gonzaga  ‍‍‍ 0 0   6 10   .375
‡ – Tournament champion
As of March 12, 2020[1]
Rankings from D1Baseball

2020 Roster

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2019 BYU Cougars roster[5]

Pitchers

  • 4 Andrew Pintar - Freshman
  • 6 Mitch McIntyre - Junior
  • 9 Easton Walker - Junior
  • 13 Cy Nielson - Freshman
  • 14 Chase Bauerle - Junior
  • 18 Justin Sterner - Junior
  • 19 Bryce Robinson - Freshman
  • 21 Jack Sterner -   Freshman
  • 22 Jarod Lessar - Senior
  • 24 Drew Zimmerman - Junior
  • 25 Austin Deming - Sophomore
  • 26 Carter Smith - Freshman
  • 31 Reid McLaughlin - Sophomore
  • 32 Tyson Heaton - Freshman
  • 34 Cutter Clawson - Freshman
  • 37 Cooper McKeehan - Freshman
  • 39 Mikade Johnson - Freshman
  • 40 Ayden Callahan - Junior
  • 45 Ben Weese - Senior
 

Infielders

  • 2 Brock Watson - Freshman
  • 4 Andrew Pintar - Freshman
  • 8 Bryan Call - Sophomore
  • 16 Jacob Rogers - Sophomore
  • 23 Peyton Call - Freshman
  • 25 Austin Deming - Sophomore
  • 28 Zack Peterson - Sophomore
  • 29 Sean Rimmer - Freshman
  • 41 Russell Parry - Freshman
 

Catchers

  • 11 Abraham Valdez - Senior
  • 17 Joshua Cowden - Sophomore
  • 44 Chase Taylor - Freshman

Outfielders

  • 3 Danny Gelalich - Junior
  • 5 Hunter Swapp - Freshman
  • 6 Mitch McIntyre - Junior
  • 7 Hobbs Nyberg - Sophomore
  • 10 Hayden Leatham - Junior
  • 12 McKay Barney - Freshman
  • 27 Ryan Sepede - Sophomore
  • 29 Sean Rimmer - Freshman
  • 43 Jaren Hall - Sophomore

Schedule

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2020 BYU Cougars Game Log[6]
Regular season
February
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Television Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record WCC record
February 14 vs. Gonzaga Surprise Stadium FloBaseball 7–1 Reid McLaughlin (1–0) Daniel Naughton (0–1) None 635 1–0
February 15 vs. New Mexico Surprise Stadium FloBaseball 0–2 Aaron Makil (1–0) Cy Neilson (0–1) None 741 1–1
February 15 vs. New Mexico Surprise Stadium Auxiliary Facebook 4–5 Will Armbruester (1–0) Carter Smith (0–1) Miguel Reyes Jr. (1) 311 1–2
February 17 vs. #25 Oregon State Surprise Stadium FloBaseball 4–3 Drew Zimmerman (1–0) Joey Mundt (0–1) Mikade Johnson (1) 2,598 2–2
February 20 at Cal Poly Baggett Stadium Big West TV 3–2 Justin Sterner (1–0) Taylor Dollard (1–1) None 1,523 3–2
February 21 at Cal Poly Baggett Stadium Big West TV 4–3 Bryce Robinson (1–0) Kyle Scott (0–1) None 1,598 4–2
February 22 at Cal Poly Baggett Stadium Big West TV 0–10 Drew Thorpe (1–0) Easton Walker (0–1) None 1,668 4–3
February 22 at Cal Poly Baggett Stadium Big West TV 5–4(14) Tyson Heaton (1–0) Bryan Woo (0–1) None 1,668 5–3
February 27 at New Mexico Santa Ana Star Field MW Net 7–8 Payton Strambler (1–1) Reid McLaughlin (2–1) None 751 5–4
February 28 at New Mexico Santa Ana Star Field MW Net 0–4 Justin Armbruster (1-0) Cy Nelson (0–2) Terrell Hudson (1) 789 5–5
February 28 at New Mexico Santa Ana Star Field MW Net 18–9 Tyson Heaton (2–0) Cody Dye (0–2) None 789 6–5
February 29 at New Mexico Santa Ana Star Field MW Net 1–12 Nathaniel Garley (1–0) Easton Walker (0–2) None 826 6–5
March
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Television Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record WCC record
March 3 Utah Valley Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org 5–4 Cooper McKeehan (1–0) Bobby Voortmeyer (0–2) Reid McLaughlin (1) 1,640 7–6
March 5 at Oklahoma State Allie P. Reynolds Stadium ESPN+ 0–2 Scott Parker (3–1) Cooper McKeehan (1–1) None 382 7–7
March 6 at Oklahoma State Allie P. Reynolds Stadium ESPN+ 1–6 Justin Campbell (1–2) Cy Nielson (0–3) None 672 7–8
March 7 at Oklahoma State Allie P. Reynolds Stadium 3–8 Bryce Osmond (1–1) Reid McLaughlin (2–2) None 1,320 7–9
March 12 Loyola Marymount* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org Cancelled- COVID-19
March 13 Loyola Marymount* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
March 14 Loyola Marymount* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
March 19 at Pepperdine* Eddy D. Field Stadium WCC Network
March 20 at Pepperdine* Eddy D. Field Stadium WCC Network
March 21 at Pepperdine* Eddy D. Field Stadium WCC Network
March 24 Utah Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
March 26 Santa Clara* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
March 27 Santa Clara* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
March 28 Santa Clara* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
March 30 at Boise State Memorial Stadium MW Net
April
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Television Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record WCC record
April 2 at Portland* Joe Etzel Field WCC Network Cancelled- COVID-19
April 3 at Portland* Joe Etzel Field WCC Network
April 4 at Portland* Joe Etzel Field WCC Network
April 6 at Oregon PK Park P12+ ORE
April 9 Pacific* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
April 10 Pacific* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
April 11 Pacific* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
April 13 Boise State Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
April 16 San Diego* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
April 17 San Diego* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
April 18 San Diego* Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
April 21 Utah Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv.org
April 22 at Utah Valley UCCU Ballpark WAC DN
April 30 at San Francisco* Dante Benedetti Diamond at Max Ulrich Field WCC Network
May
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Television Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record WCC record
May 1 at San Francisco* Dante Benedetti Diamond at Max Ulrich Field WCC Network Cancelled- COVID-19
May 2 at San Francisco* Dante Benedetti Diamond at Max Ulrich Field WCC Network
May 4 Cal Baptist Larry H. Miller Field BYUtv
May 7 at Saint Mary's* Louis Guisto Field WCC Network
May 8 at Saint Mary's* Louis Guisto Field WCC Network
May 9 at Saint Mary's* Louis Guisto Field WCC Network
May 12 at Utah Smith's Ballpark P12
May 14 at Gonzaga* Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex ESPNU
May 15 at Gonzaga* Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex WCC Network
May 16 at Gonzaga* Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex WCC Network
2020 West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament
May
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Television Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record WCC record
May 21–23 Banner Island Ballpark WCC Network Cancelled- COVID-19
Rankings from Collegiate Baseball. Parenthesis indicate tournament seedings.
*West Coast Conference games

Rivalries

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BYU had two main rivalries on their schedule- the Deseret First Duel vs. Utah and the UCCU Crosstown Clash vs. Utah Valley. The first game against UVU was played, but the remaining 3 rivalry games were cancelled because of COVID-19.

Radio Information

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For the third consecutive season BYU Baseball was broadcast as part of the NuSkin BYU Sports Network, and for the second time ever every BYU Baseball game was broadcast on radio. Brent Norton was scheduled to provide play-by-play for his 28th consecutive season beginning with conference play, but when all games beginning March 12 were canceled it was Jason Shepherd who had called every game. Tuckett Slade provided analysis for all but 1 games. Games were carried on KOVO and KUMT. KOVO had 3 exclusives (Gm. 1 Feb. 15, Gm. 2 Feb. 22, and Gm. 2 Feb. 28), while BYU Radio's KUMT had 4 exclusives (Gm. 2 Feb. 15, Feb. 20, Gm. 1 Feb. 22, and Mar. 7). All games were carried live on the BYU Sports Radio App and are archived on BYU Radio.

TV Announcers

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References

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  1. ^ "West Coast Conference Standings". wccsports.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  2. ^ "Gonzaga Picked as 2020 WCC Baseball Favorites". WCC Sports. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "2020 West Coast Conference Baseball Preview". Baseball America. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  4. ^ "NCAA cancels March Madness and spring sports championships. Utah, BYU, USU all on hiatus". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. ^ "2013 Baseball Roster | the Official Site of BYU Athletics". Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  6. ^ "Cougars baseball releases 2020 schedule". Daily Herald. Retrieved September 11, 2019.