PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — In a pivotal Big 12 conference opener defying pregame projections, the BYU Cougars used a pair of timely home runs and a stellar bounce-back performance from starter Garrison Sumner to defeat the Cincinnati Bearcats 5-2 on Thursday afternoon and evening at Larry H. Miller Field.

The game, which began under afternoon sun and concluded under evening lights, saw the Cougars even their season record at 8-8, while the Bearcats, who entered as heavy statistical favorites, fell to 14-5. Interstat’s game simulator had projected an 8-5 Cincinnati victory, with their ELO system giving the Bearcats a 58.5% probability to win.

The narrative of the contest centered on redemption for BYU’s Garrison Sumner. Just one week removed from a difficult outing where he allowed eight earned runs to California Baptist, Sumner delivered a commanding performance. The right-hander stifled a potent Cincinnati lineup over 5 1/3 innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out six. His effort provided the stability the Cougars needed against a Bearcats team riding a five-game winning streak.

Cincinnati struck first, manufacturing a run in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock. After singles by Smith and Pitts put runners on the corners, Coats lifted a sacrifice fly to right field off reliever Justis Reiser, scoring Smith to give the Bearcats a brief 3-2 lead.

The advantage was short-lived. BYU responded immediately and decisively in the bottom of the seventh, orchestrating the game’s most critical sequence. With the score still 3-2, Erickson was hit by a pitch and Schow walked, setting the stage for designated hitter Ezra McNaughton. On a 1-1 offering from Cincinnati reliever Marsh, McNaughton launched a three-run homer deep to right field, clearing the bases and swinging the lead permanently to BYU at 5-2. The blast accounted for the final runs of the game and cemented McNaughton’s status as the offensive star, finishing 2-for-4 with the homer and three RBIs.

BYU’s first runs came earlier off another long ball. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning after Cincinnati had scratched across single runs in the first and sixth, center fielder Crew McChesney erased the deficit with one swing. Following a single by Robinson, McChesney connected on a two-run homer to deep center field, knotting the score and shifting momentum toward the home side.

Cincinnati’s offense, which tallied eight hits, was led by two-hit games from Pitts and Infelise, the latter of whom drove in the Bearcats’ final run with a ninth-inning RBI single. Their efforts, however, were overshadowed by a collective struggle in clutch situations, stranding multiple runners and hitting into a critical double play in the eighth inning to squander a potential rally.

The Cougars’ bullpen proved formidable in preserving the lead. After Sumner departed, Justis Reiser earned the win with 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief, and Ashton Johnson secured the save with two innings of work, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out three. Cincinnati starter Nathan Taylor had a peculiar line, striking out seven over 4 2/3 innings but allowing two earned runs without surrendering a hit, undone by walks and the McChesney homer.

The two teams will continue their three-game Big 12 series on Friday and Saturday in Provo. Cincinnati will look to rebound and improve its conference standing, while BYU aims to build on the momentum of a victory that showcased resilience and power at the plate.