PROVO, Utah – Thomas Ponticelli made it into the eighth inning looking for his third win in as many starts, but it wasn't meant to be as the USF bullpen relinquished a two-run lead and BYU took game two by an 8-5 tally on Friday evening from Miller Park.
 
Ponticelli entered the eighth nursing a 5-3 USF lead, having allowed just three runs on eight hits while striking out five up to that point, holding one of the WCC's best offenses in check. After striking out the leadoff hitter, Ponticelli allowed a single to Brock Hale, which signaled the end of his night.
 
Left-hander Scott Parker came in and gave up a single only to immediately be replaced by fellow stopper Brenden Jenkins. But it turned out not to be Jenkins' night as he went on to deliver a wild pitch and walk the next two hitters, one of which with the bases loaded, before committing an error that allowed another run to score. After recording the second out at home on a comebacker, Jenkins (0-3) granted a two-out bases-loaded single to Daniel Schneemann that plated two. Tanner Chauncey's RBI single would round out the BYU eighth and seal the victory for the Cougars (24-14, 13-4 WCC).
 
Nico Giarratano led USF (22-22, 7-13 WCC) at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Allen Smoot went 2-for-5 with an RBI double in the first inning and Dan James collected a pair of hits on the night.
 
Smoot's double in the top of the first scored Matt Sinatro, who had led off the game with a base hit and extended his on-base streak to a season-best 25 games, giving the Dons an early lead, which they added to in the next inning when Harrison Bruce singled and later came around to score on a wild pitch by BYU starter Brady Corless.
 
BYU answered in the bottom of the second with Colton Shaver's two-run homer to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Cougars then took the lead when Keaton Kringlen singled in a run in the bottom of the third following back-to-back one-out singles.
 
USF didn't wait long to respond as the Dons regained the lead in the fourth inning after a Sinatro walk and stolen base helped setup Giarratano's RBI single. Giarratano would end up coming across to score during a rundown as the final outs of the inning were recorded by a double play on Dominic Miroglio's grounder to shortstop.
 
Despite scoring early, USF stranded multiple runners on base in four of the first five innings.
 
Ponticelli effectively shut down BYU over the next three frames as the Dons added one more in the top of the seventh when Aaron Ping tripled and came across on a balk.

USF will turn to right-hander Daniel Slominski (3-4, 4.47) to salvage a win in the series finale on Saturday, while BYU will counter with lefty Hayden Rogers (4-1, 3.10). First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. Pacific Time.