Offensively, BYU ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in batting, No. 3 in both scoring and slugging percentage, No. 4 in doubles and No. 6 in runs scored. On the mound, the Cougars had an ace in Gonzaga transfer Mike Rucker (who remains one of the league's top pitchers) and solid No. 2 and No. 3 starters in Maverik Buffo and Hayden Rogers.
The bullpen was a bit suspect, and still is.
Then, injuries and the "law of averages," as Littlewood puts it, began to take their toll.
The Cougars dropped a weekend series for the first time in 2016, 2-1 at Saint Mary's, and followed that with a 2-1 series loss at home to then-No.