SAN JOSE -- A rubber match Saturday between BYU and San Jose State ended in a 3-3 tie after nine complete innings because the Cougars had an airplane flight to catch.

After two hours and 50 minutes of play, the two teams ended the game by mutual agreement, with each team winning once in the three-game series. The Cougars are now 2-2-1, while SJSU is 4-5-1. The tie was the first for BYU since a 12-12 stalemate in 2002 against Washington which also was a result of travel constraints.

Through three-and-a-half innings on Saturday, the game was a no-hitter with Brandon Christiansen in his Cougar debut versus Corey Cabral. The Cougars threatened in the third when the Spartans committed an error, but Casey Nelson grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

SJSU broke the deadlock when Nate Corrick knocked an RBI single in the fourth. David Pierson was credited with an RBI off his fielder's choice. Pierson beat out a double play attempt as BYU's relay throw from second was wide at first, allowing an unearned run to score.

BYU got its first hits of the game when Casey Nelson singled and scored off Sean McNaughton's two-run homer. Ryan Chambers was stranded at third after hitting a triple in the sixth when the Cougars chased Cabral from the mound.

Christensen pitched six strong innings in his debut for the Cougars. When he was replaced in the seventh by Josh Barrett, he left surrendering seven hits for the day--all singles.

Brandon Taylor tied the game at three-all in the eighth with a double down the left field line, driving in McNaughton. McNaughton led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Chambers. Taylor was stranded on base as relief ace Brad Kilby faced the Cougars for the second time in as many days.

Kilby, who bested the Cougars in Friday's 5-4 10-inning victory, struck out Jeff Hiestand, then got Apana Nakayama to fly out to right field.

Chambers, BYU's relief ace, also entered the game in the ninth, surrendering an infield single to Sam Hall. Prior to Hall's single, Chambers struck out Anthon Contreras looking after coming back from a 3-0 count. Chambers then got Travis Becktel to fly out to right field and struck out Brandon Fromm.

BYU is next in action on Tuesday at Oklahoma State to start a two-game series before facing Oral Roberts University on Thursday to start a three-game series in Tulsa.

Brigham Young at San Jose State
Feb 26, 2005 at San Jose (Municipal Stadium)
Brigham Young (2-2-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean 2b......  5  2  2  2   0  1  4  2   2
CHAMBERS, Ryan cf........  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
TAYLOR, Brandon 3b.......  3  0  1  1   1  0  1  1   0
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  0  0  0   0  2  7  2   2
NAKAYAMA, Apana dh.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
 MOLINA, Adrian cf.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  3  0  1  0   1  1  1  0   0
KNELL, Kory lf...........  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  4  0  2  0   0  0  1  5   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  1  1  0   0  1  7  1   2
 CLOWARD, Casey c........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
CHRISTIANSEN, Brando p...  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
 BARRETT, Joshua p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 34  3  8  3   2  7 27 12   7
San Jose State 3 (4-5-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Contreras, Anthony ss....  4  0  1  0   0  2  3  4   0
Hall, Sam lf.............  4  0  2  0   0  1  1  0   0
Becktel, Travis cf.......  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
Fromm, Brandon 1b........  3  1  1  0   2  1 10  1   1
Birrenkott, Jared dh.....  4  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   5
Corrick, Nate rf.........  4  1  2  1   0  1  1  0   0
Angel, Ryan 3b...........  3  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
Pierson, David 2b........  4  0  1  1   0  0  2  5   0
Santich-Hughes, J. c.....  3  0  0  0   0  0  6  1   1
 Epidendio, Nick ph......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
 Fitch, Daniel c.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Cabral, Corey p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Winck, Matt p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 Jimenez, Tim p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Crombie, Daniel p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Kilby, Brad p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 34  3  9  2   2  6 27 14  10
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 002 010 -  3  8  1
San Jose State...... 000 300 000 -  3  9  2
-------------------------------------------
E - McNAUGHTON(4); Becktel(1); Angel(4). DP - Spartans 1. LOB - Cougars 7;
Spartans 10. 2B - TAYLOR(2); SAYLOR(1). 3B - CHAMBERS(1). HR -
McNAUGHTON(1). HBP - Contreras; Hall; Becktel. SH - CHAMBERS(1); Angel(2).
SB - KNELL(1); VILLEZCAS(1). CS - TAYLOR(1).
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANSEN, Brando  6.2  7  3  2  1  4 26 30
BARRETT, Joshua.....  1.1  1  0  0  1  0  4  6
CHAMBERS, Ryan......  1.0  1  0  0  0  2  4  4
San Jose State         IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Cabral, Corey.......  5.2  3  2  2  0  3 20 20
Winck, Matt.........  1.2  4  1  1  1  2  8 10
Jimenez, Tim........  0.2  0  0  0  1  1  2  3
Crombie, Daniel.....  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Kilby, Brad.........  0.2  1  0  0  0  1  3  3
Win - None.  Loss - None.  Save - None.
HBP - by CHRISTIANSEN (Contreras); by CHRISTIANSEN (Hall); by CHRISTIANSEN
(Becktel).
Umpires - HP: Navarro  1B: Dixon-Sturman  3B: Martinez
Start: 12:03   Time: 2:50   Attendance: 331
Play-by-Play
Brigham Young at San Jose State - Play-by-Play
Feb 26, 2005 at San Jose (Municipal Stadium)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 002 010 -  3  8  1
San Jose State...... 000 300 000 -  3  9  2
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young starters: 15/2b McNAUGHTON; 22/cf CHAMBERS; 3/3b TAYLOR; 16/1b
   HIESTAND; 24/dh NAKAYAMA; 25/rf SAYLOR; 12/lf KNELL; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 8/c
   NELSON; 31/p CHRISTIANSEN;
San Jose State starters: 4/ss Contreras; 7/lf Hall; 16/cf Becktel; 42/1b
   Fromm; 28/dh Birrenkott; 24/rf Corrick; 23/3b Angel; 12/2b Pierson; 34/c
   Santich; 31/p Cabral;
Brigham Young - inning 1
   McNAUGHTON struck out looking. CHAMBERS struck out swinging. TAYLOR
   grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 1
   Contreras struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Hall struck out
   swinging. Becktel grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 2
   HIESTAND grounded out to 1b unassisted. NAKAYAMA flied out to lf. SAYLOR
   struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 2
   Fromm grounded out to 2b. Birrenkott grounded out to ss. Corrick flied
   out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 3
   KNELL grounded out to ss. VILLEZCAS reached on an error by cf. NELSON hit
   into double play ss to 2b to 1b; VILLEZCAS out on the play. 0 runs, 0
   hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 3
   Angel struck out swinging. Pierson singled. Santich fouled out to c.
   Contreras singled to left field; Pierson advanced to second. Hall
   singled; Contreras advanced to second; Pierson advanced to third, out at
   home 1b to c. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 4
   McNAUGHTON grounded out to 2b. CHAMBERS flied out to cf. TAYLOR reached
   on an error by 3b. TAYLOR out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 0 runs,
   0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 4
   Becktel flied out to rf. Fromm walked. Birrenkott singled to center
   field; Fromm advanced to second. Corrick singled to right field, RBI;
   Birrenkott advanced to second; Fromm scored. Angel singled to right
   field; Corrick advanced to second; Birrenkott advanced to third. Pierson
   reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; Angel out at second ss to 2b; Corrick
   advanced to third, scored on an error by 2b, unearned; Birrenkott scored.
   Santich grounded out to p. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 5
   HIESTAND grounded out to 2b. NAKAYAMA grounded out to 2b. SAYLOR flied
   out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 5
   Contreras hit by pitch. Hall popped up to 3b. Becktel reached on a
   fielder's choice; Contreras out at second ss to 2b. Fromm singled to
   right field; Becktel advanced to second. Birrenkott out at first 2b to p.
   0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 6
   KNELL popped up to ss. VILLEZCAS grounded out to 2b. NELSON singled to
   center field. McNAUGHTON homered, 2 RBI; NELSON scored. CHAMBERS tripled
   to right center. Winck to p for Cabral. TAYLOR walked. HIESTAND struck
   out swinging. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 6
   Corrick struck out swinging. Angel popped up to 2b. Pierson grounded out
   to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 7
   NAKAYAMA struck out swinging. SAYLOR doubled to right center. KNELL
   reached on a fielder's choice; SAYLOR out at third p to 3b. VILLEZCAS
   singled; KNELL advanced to third. NELSON reached on a fielder's choice;
   VILLEZCAS out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 7
   Santich grounded out to ss. Contreras out at first 1b to p. Hall hit by
   pitch. Becktel hit by pitch; Hall advanced to second. BARRETT to p for
   CHRISTIANSEN. Fromm walked; Becktel advanced to second; Hall advanced to
   third. Birrenkott fouled out to c. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 8
   McNAUGHTON singled to third base. CHAMBERS grounded out to p, SAC;
   McNAUGHTON advanced to second. TAYLOR doubled, RBI; McNAUGHTON scored.
   Jimenez to p for Winck. HIESTAND struck out looking. NAKAYAMA flied out
   to rf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 8
   Corrick singled to center field. Angel grounded out to c unassisted, SAC;
   Corrick advanced to second. Pierson popped up to ss. Epidendio pinch hit
   for Santich. Epidendio popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 9
   Fitch to c for Epidendio. SAYLOR walked. Crombie to p for Jimenez. KNELL
   reached on a fielder's choice; SAYLOR out at second 1b to ss. Kilby to p
   for Crombie. VILLEZCAS singled to left field; KNELL advanced to second.
   NELSON struck out swinging; VILLEZCAS stole second; KNELL stole third.
   McNAUGHTON grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Jose State - inning 9
   CHAMBERS to p. MOLINA to cf for NAKAYAMA. CLOWARD to c for NELSON. /  for
   BARRETT. Contreras struck out looking. Hall singled. Becktel flied out to
   lf. Fromm struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

PROVO, Utah--(Feb. 22, 2005) Fresh off a two-game split with the No. 18 UC Irvine Anteaters, BYU heads to San Jose State for a three-game series with the Spartans beginning Thursday.

The Cougars (1-1) will try to continue swinging hot bats against the Spartans (3-4). Game times are 6 p.m. (PST) on Thursday and Friday with a noon start on Saturday. None of the games will be carried via the Internet.

After an impressive debut, junior Dave Horlacher (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his second division one start Thursday. Lefty Patrick Wells (0-1, 8.31) is expected to start Friday and junior college transfer Brandon Christiansen (0-0, 0.00) will make his Cougar pitching debut Saturday.

BYU head coach Vance Law is cautiously optimistic after the first weekend of the season.

"I wanted to go out with the attitude that we would win games and not just show up at the ballpark," he said.

The Cougars did show up, blasting 30 hits in two games against a good UC Irvine pitching team. BYU heads into the San Jose batting .357 in the early season while holding its opponents to a .269 average.

"I thought we hit the ball very well," Law said. "My biggest concern is whether we would compete and I think we did."

Although the Cougars split the series and looked very good against UC Irvine, they still hope to improve against the Spartans.

"We are still in a finding-out-about-ourselves mode," Law said. "I can't tell exactly where we are after just one weekend."

BYU flies out Thursday morning for the evening game.

A multi-page release can be found by downloading the PDF file at the top of this story, which gives a detailed analysis of the Cougars.