PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — Ezra McNaughton homered and drove in three runs as BYU defeated Utah Valley 13-3 on Tuesday at Larry H. Miller Field.

The Cougars improved to 26-25 while the Wolverines dropped to 12-35.

Utah Valley struck first in the top of the first inning. Hunter Katschke singled and later scored on a solo home run by Carpenter, giving the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. BYU answered immediately in the bottom half. After a strikeout and a single, McNaughton launched a two-run homer to right field, scoring Anderson and tying the game. Robinson walked and Jones singled, putting runners at the corners. McChesney was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Matt Hansen delivered a two-run single to give BYU a 4-1 lead.

The Wolverines crept back in the top of the third. Katschke singled again, advanced on a hit by pitch and a groundout, then scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 4-2.

BYU blew the game open in the fourth inning. Hansen walked to lead off, and Parker Goff doubled to left-center to drive him in. Hurdsman was hit by a pitch, and after a pitching change, Anderson singled to load the bases. McNaughton lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Goff. A throwing error on the pitcher allowed Hurdsman to advance to third and Anderson to second. Robinson singled to left, scoring Hurdsman and making it 7-2. Robinson moved to second on a passed ball, and Anderson scored on the same play. Jones walked and stole second, then Tu’alau Wolfgramm doubled to left-center, driving in both Robinson and Jones for a 10-2 lead. Wolfgramm advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Hansen’s single to left, stretching the margin to 11-2.

Katschke homered to lead off the fifth for Utah Valley, making it 11-3. BYU added two more in the sixth on an RBI single by Wolfgramm and a run-scoring single by Goff.

McNaughton finished 1 for 2 with a home run, a walk and three RBIs. Hansen went 2 for 2 with a walk and three RBIs. Wolfgramm had two hits and three RBIs. Goff added two hits and two RBIs. Katschke led Utah Valley with three hits, including a home run.

On the mound, Luke Sterner earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out two. Bryant Ball and Tyler Ball each worked scoreless frames. Aaron Rice took the loss for Utah Valley, allowing two earned runs over 2 1/3 innings while striking out two.

The game was the second meeting of the season between the in-state rivals. BYU won the earlier matchup 10-5 on April 7 in Orem.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 5-1 BYU victory, and its ELO system gave the Cougars a 72.60 percent probability to win the game.