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Provo • Not often does a college baseball coach talk about "having a clean slate" or "starting a new season" after his team wins a piece of the regular-season title. But that's what BYU's Mike Littlewood is saying as the Cougars turn their attention to the West Coast Conference baseball tournament this weekend.
Getting swept by fellow tri-champion Gonzaga in last week's three-game series — when all BYU needed to do to take the conference title outright was win one game — will do that to a guy.
"It obviously wasn't the way we wanted to finish, but give credit to them, they played well and we didn't," Littlewood said. "I think that was the result of our mindset. It was our responsibility [as coaches], and we didn't get them ready. You live and learn and try to move forward and maybe change up a few things this week."
Gonzaga, BYU and Loyola Marymount tied with 20-7 league records, the first time since BYU joined the league in 2012 that one team has won 20 conference games, let alone three teams.
"It doesn't matter now what happened during the regular season," BYU senior infielder Tanner Chauncey said. "We just have to go play like there is no tomorrow and just give it our all."
The Cougars, who had won 13 of 14 games before last weekend, were playing like they were ready to get their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002, regardless of what happened in Stockton. Now they need to win the conference tournament to end their NCAA drought.
"We are not going to get an at-large bid unless we get to the championship game, and the only sure way to make the [NCAAs] is to win it," Littlewood said. "So we are just going to leave it all out on the table this week."
BYU played a decent nonconference schedule, but its RPI steadily dropped once WCC play began and plummeted after it lost three straight to Gonzaga. Its national ranking disappeared as well in a couple of the polls.
"At this point, we need to win the tournament," Chauncey said. "That's just my mindset. The committee, they don't really like West Coast teams, especially those that play in colder weather and aren't in [major] conferences. I think we are definitely on the outside of the bubble right now, so we definitely have to go in there and win."
Chauncey, who is the fourth-toughest player to strike out in the nation, with only 10 Ks in 210 at-bats, thinks suddenly entering the tournament as an underdog and needing to win it all to keep their season alive may help the Cougars.
Speaking of help, BYU needs some in the pitching department.
That's why Littlewood will go with senior right-hander Brady Corless on Thursday, rather than struggling junior Maverik Buffo, who had been his series-opening starter. Loyola Marymount didn't face Corless (6-0, 5.13 ERA), who had a sore arm, when it took two of three from BYU in late March in Los Angeles.
"We are going with who we think is our best guy right now," Littlewood said. "But he will have a short leash. We will throw the kitchen sink at them to win that game."
Twitter: @drewjay —
WCC tournament
At Banner Island Ballpark, Stockton, Calif.
Thursday's games (times MDT)
4 p.m. • No. 1 Gonzaga (31-17) vs. No. 4 Saint Mary's (37-18)
8 p.m. • No. 2 Loyola Marymount (37-16) vs. No. 3 BYU (33-18)