Gabriel Hughes, Brody Jessee pitch Gonzaga past BYU, 2-1

Gabriel Hughes pitched into the seventh inning before Brody Jessee finished the job for the Bulldogs as Gonzaga got two early runs and held off BYU 2-1 on Friday at Hertz Field.

Hughes (4-3) worked 6⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on six hits and two walks while striking out five.

Jessee entered with two on in the seventh and promptly rung up two swinging strikeouts to end the Cougars’ threat. The freshman from Anchorage, Alaska, pitched a hitless 2⅔ innings for his third save of the season.

“Happy to get out of that game with a big win,” Bulldogs coach Mark Machtolf said. “I didn’t think we played very efficiently on offense but we did enough. Hughes gave us a good start, and can’t say enough about the outing from Jessee in relief. Ready to get back out there tomorrow.”

The Zags jumped out front in the second inning when a sacrifice fly by Mason Marenco plated Tyler Rando, who doubled to start the inning. GU added a second run in the third inning when Ernie Yake scored on a wild pitch.

BYU got the Gonzaga lead back to 1 with a solo home run by Cole Gamble to lead off the fourth inning.

Grayson Sterling went 3-for-3 to lead the Gonzaga offense, which accounted for five hits. Rando’s double was the Bulldogs only extra-base hit.

BYU starter Jack Sterner (0-2) allowed one earned run in four innings pitched.

Gonzaga (25-13) goes for the sweep of the Cougars (12-22) at 6 p.m. on Saturday as the WCC series wraps up.