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BYU Cougars Stuns Arizona State Sun Devils 2-0 In First Game Of Big 12 Baseball Championship

Matt TallariniMay 21, 20255 MIN READ
BYU Ashton Johnson stuns Arizona State in Big 12

On the first day of the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship at Globe Life Field, the No. 12 seed BYU Cougars shut out No. 5 seed Arizona State 2-0 in a win-or-go-home opener early Wednesday afternoon.

BYU advances to face the University of Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, May 22, with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT on ESPN+ at Globe Life Field.

Making their first postseason appearance since 2022, the Cougars got four scoreless innings from Justis Reiser on just 48 pitches. Ashton Johnson followed with five shutout frames in relief, giving up only three hits and walking none to earn the win.

BYU’s defense turned two double plays and held Arizona State hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Sun Devils’ potent offense, which led the Big 12 in batting average and slugging during the regular season, was silenced.

Crew McChesney opened the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI double to right center, scoring Krew Painter, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch and advanced on a balk.

Britton Hurdsman added an RBI walk in the fifth, plating Trey Gambill to extend the lead to 2-0. BYU finished with just five hits but drew eight walks and found ways to capitalize.

The win marked BYU’s first conference tournament victory over Arizona State since May 26, 1972, a 6-5 extra-inning win in Provo. Arizona State had won the previous 13 meetings in conference tournament play.

Head coach Trent Pratt, now in his third season leading BYU, played two seasons at Arizona State from 1999 to 2000. His team now moves on to face an Arizona squad that finished fourth in the Big 12 standings with an 18-12 conference record.

Arizona State’s season may come to an end, unless they are selected on Selection Monday on ESPNU On May 26 at 12 p.m., to enter the NCAA Tournament under head coach and former MLB player Willie Bloomquist.

The Sun Devils, who entered the tournament 35-21 and were projected as potential regional contenders, were done in by eight walks, two hit batters, and untimely offense. ASU’s Jacob Tobias went hitless, while Matt King and Kyle Walker had two hits apiece.

BYU, the preseason pick to finish 14th in the Big 12, stays alive.

The D1Baseball.com Top 25 Rankings that were published on May 19, has No. 25 Kansas that is from the Big 12 Conference. 

2025 Big 12 Conference Standings 

Conference Record Weighs More Than Overall Record

* Did Not Qualify For Big 12 Tournament 

  1. West Virginia (19-9)(40-13)
  2. Kansas (20-10)(42-14)
  3. TCU (19-11)(37-17)
  4. Arizona (18-12)(35-21)
  5. Arizona State (18-12) (35-21)
  6. Kansas State (17-13) (31-23)
  7. Oklahoma State (15-12) (27-22)
  8. Cincinnati (16-14) (31-23)
  9. Texas Tech (13-17) (20-32) 
  10. Baylor (13-17) (33-21) 
  11. Houston (12-17) (29-24) 
  12. BYU (10-20) (27-26) 

*13. UCF (9-21) (29-26) 

*14. Utah (8-22) (21-29) 

2025 Big 12 Conference Championship Schedule 

All Games Start Times Are Eastern Daylight Time 

Wednesday, May 21

Game 1 – No. 12 BYU vs. No. 5 Arizona State – 10 a.m. – ESPN+

Game 2 – No. 9 Texas Tech vs. No. 8 Cincinnati – 1:30 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+

Game 3 – No. 10 Baylor vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State – 5 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+

Game 4 – No. 11 Houston vs. No. 6 Kansas State – 9 p.m. – ESPN2 & ESPN+

Thursday, May 22

Game 5 – No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 12 BYU  – 10 a.m. – ESPN+

Game 6 – No. 1 West Virginia vs. Game 2 Winner – 1:30 p.m. – ESPN+

Game 7 – No. 2 Kansas vs. Game 3 Winner – 5 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+

Game 8 – No. 3 TCU vs. Game 4 Winner – 8:30 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+

Friday, May 23

Game 9 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 5 p.m. – ESPN+

Game 10 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 8:30 p.m. – ESPN+

Saturday, May 24

Game 11 – Championship Game – 7 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+

Big 12 Conference MLBPipeline.com Top 150 Draft Rankings 

No. 22 – OF – Brendan Summerhill – Arizona 

No. 39 – OF – Brandon Compton – Arizona State

No. 87 – LHP – Ben Jacobs – Arizona State 

No. 98 – OF – Nolan Schubart – Oklahoma State 

No. 112 – RHP – Gabe Davis – Oklahoma State 

No. 134 – SS – Mason White – Arizona 

 

 

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