PROVO, Utah. – Saint Mary's Baseball plowed through BYU's pitching on Thursday afternoon, winning an 11-8 slugfest against the Cougars as they played through snow and sleet for the Gaels first win at BYU since May of 2015.
 
The start time of Thursday's game was pushed up two hours, which was a great call as the snow came down hard in the ninth inning, and the first two innings were played through a mix of precipitation.
 
AVALANCHE OF RUNS
Though the game-time temperature was in the high 30s, the Gaels offense came in hot. Nick Mistone had a three-hit, three-RBI day, driving in SMC's first three runs of the game. Mistone dropped a hit into left field in the first inning that scored Gavin Napier and Coleman Schmidt, and he would line a ball into left in the third to score Bill Ralston for a 3-0 Gaels lead.
 
But BYU would answer back in the bottom of the third with four runs of their own to take their only lead of the day. Much like how Mistone delivered twice in a row for Saint Mary's, Coleman Schmidt would do the same to put the Gaels back on top.
 
Schmidt hit a solo home run to left center in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4, and he would hit a two-run homer to almost the same spot in the top of the seventh to put Saint Mary's ahead 6-4. The home runs were Schmidt's fourth and fifth long balls of the season.
 
SNOWBALL FIGHT
BYU would tie it up again with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-6, but the Gaels would take the lead for good in the eighth. Saint Mary's would score four runs that inning after an error produced a run, Dalton Mashore doubled to right center to score two more, and a Christian Almanza base hit passed a diving first baseman drove in another for a 10-6 lead.
 
The Cougars would get two runs back in the bottom of the eighth, before John Damazonio came in to end the threat. The Gaels tacked on one more run when Seth Nager singled to center and it was mishandled in the outfield long enough to score Jared Mettam in the top of the ninth for a little extra breathing room at 11-8.
 
Though Damozonio would walk a batter and throw a wild pitch as big flakes of snow came down hard in the bottom of the ninth, he would not allow the Cougars anything else to collect his second save of the season.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
It was the second three-hit game for Mistone this year with the other being a 3 for 6 day against UIC in the second game of the season.
 
It was the fourth two-hit game of the year for Schmidt and the sixth time he's had multiple RBI in a game. Ryan Wiltse collected his first win of the season after recording the final two outs of the seventh and the first two outs of the eighth.
 
UP NEXT
Game two of the series is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday.