SAN JOSE -- A three-run homerun by Ben Saylor wasn't enough to beat San Jose State on Saturday afternoon as BYU lost 4-3.

Things started clicking in the top of the fourth inning for the Cougars, who fell to 0-6. With one out Marcos Villezcas singled to center and advanced to second on a Jeff Hiestand ground out. Kasey Ko was then hit by Spartan starter Josh Amberson (1-0, 5.14), making way for Saylor. With two outs and BYU down 2-0, Saylor homered, driving in three runs to put the Cougars up by one. To start the game Amberson had retired 10 straight for SJSU, now 7-3.

With three RBI on the afternoon, Saylor now leads the Cougars with six on the season.

The Spartans got off to early to an early 1-0 start, managing a run with two outs in the bottom of the third before leftfielder Ryan Angel got caught in rundown to end the inning. They pushed another run across in the third on a triple and an RBI single.

SJSU struck again to tie the score at three in the bottom of the fourth inning, chasing BYU starter Christiansen (0-0, 4.50) after only 3 innings of work. BYU used five different pitchers on the afternoon against the Spartans.

Jordan Muir came in to mop things up with men on first and second and no outs. After a sac bunt moved both runners over, he struck out Chris Balatico. A walk loaded the bases before Muir got Chris Willammee to ground into a fielder's choice to get out of the inning unscathed.

Muir got out of a jam again in the fifth as Angel led off the inning for the Spartans with a triple down the rightfield line. After getting the next batter to ground out, Angel was tagged out by catcher Casey Nelson as he attempted to steal home.

In the seventh SJSU managed to squeeze out the go-ahead run on an RBI single to right by Nick Epidendio.

The Cougars return home before traveling again next week to California for three games at the River City Classic in Sacramento.

Brigham Young at San Jose State
Feb 18, 2006 at San Jose, Calif. (Municipal Stadium)
Brigham Young 3 (0-6)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Carter, Austin dh........  3  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
Villezcas, Marcos ss.....  4  1  1  0   0  0  3  5   0
Hiestand, Jeff lf........  4  0  0  0   0  2  1  1   0
Ko, Kasey 1b.............  3  1  0  0   0  1 10  0   1
Saylor, Ben rf...........  3  1  1  3   0  0  0  0   0
Walton, Kent cf..........  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
Crosby, Blake 3b.........  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Nelson, Casey c..........  3  0  0  0   0  1  6  2   0
Vargas, Dan 2b...........  3  0  0  0   0  1  4  1   0
Christiansen,Brandon p...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Muir, Jordan p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Highmark, Chris p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Barrett, Joshua p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Andrews, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 29  3  2  3   1  7 24 14   1
San Jose State 4 (7-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Balatico, Chris rf.......  4  1  1  0   0  3  0  0   0
 Loewenthal, Aaron ph/rf.  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Pierson, David 2b........  3  1  1  1   2  1  1  5   1
Williammee, Chris dh.....  2  1  1  0   1  0  0  0   3
Angel, Ryan lf...........  3  0  1  0   1  1  7  0   0
Fromm, Brandon 1b........  3  0  1  1   0  0  6  0   2
 Sauceda, Ricky ph/3b....  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  3   0
Epidendio, Nick 3b/1b....  4  1  3  1   0  1  5  1   0
Hall, Sam cf.............  3  0  0  0   1  1  1  0   3
Shaffer, John ss.........  4  0  2  1   0  0  0  2   0
Santich-Hughes, J. c.....  2  0  0  0   0  0  7  0   0
Amberson, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Porter, Wes p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Shannon, Greg p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 29  4 10  4   6  7 27 11  10
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 300 000 -  3  2  1
San Jose State...... 101 100 10X -  4 10  0
-------------------------------------------
E - Saylor. LOB - BYU 1; SJSU 10. 2B - Epidendio(3). 3B - Balatico(1);
Angel(1). HR - Saylor(1). HBP - Ko. SH - Williammee; Santich 2. SB - Carter.
CS - Angel.
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Christiansen,Brandon  3.0  6  3  3  3  4 14 17
Muir, Jordan........  3.0  2  0  0  1  3  9 11
Highmark, Chris.....  0.2  0  1  1  2  0  1  4
Barrett, Joshua.....  0.2  2  0  0  0  0  3  4
Andrews, Cortland...  0.2  0  0  0  0  0  2  2
San Jose State         IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Amberson, Josh......  6.0  2  3  3  1  7 20 22
Porter, Wes.........  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Shannon, Greg.......  2.2  0  0  0  0  0  8  8
Win - Shannon (1-0).  Loss - Highmark (0-1).  Save - None.
WP - Christiansen. HBP - by Amberson (Ko).
Umpires - HP: Jason Venzon  1B: Kevin Gillmore  3B: Greg Charles
Start: 1:00 pm   Time: 2:23   Attendance: 356
Game notes:
Greg Shannon, a freshman out of Bellarmine Prep, earns first collegiate win
as the host Spartans sweep the three-game non-conference series over BYU
with their fifth straight victory.
Christiansen faced 3 batters in the 4th.
Brigham Young at San Jose State - Play-by-Play
Feb 18, 2006 at San Jose, Calif. (Municipal Stadium)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 300 000 -  3  2  1
San Jose State...... 101 100 10X -  4 10  0
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young starters: 6/dh Carter; 10/ss Villezcas; 32/lf Hiestand; 33/1b Ko;
25/rf Saylor; 9/cf Walton; 30/3b Crosby; 8/c Nelson; 13/2b Vargas; 31/p
Christiansen;
San Jose State starters: 32/rf Balatico; 1/2b Pierson; 12/dh Williammee; 4/lf
Angel; 25/1b Fromm; 8/3b Epidendio; 7/cf Hall; 29/ss Shaffer; 21/c Santich;
24/p Amberson;
Brigham Young 1st - Carter flied out to lf. Villezcas lined out to lf.
Hiestand struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 1st - Balatico struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
Pierson struck out swinging. Williammee walked. Angel walked; Williammee
advanced to second. Fromm singled through the left side, RBI; Angel advanced to
second, out at second lf to 3b to ss to 2b to 3b to ss; Williammee scored. 1
run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 2nd - Ko struck out swinging. Saylor flied out to lf.
Walton struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 2nd - Epidendio struck out swinging. Hall grounded out to
1b unassisted. Shaffer grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young 3rd - Crosby grounded out to 2b. Nelson struck out
looking. Vargas struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 3rd - Santich lined out to ss. Balatico tripled to right
center. Pierson singled to right field, RBI; Balatico scored. Williammee
singled through the right side, advanced to second on a throwing error by rf;
Pierson advanced to third. Angel struck out looking. Fromm popped up to ss.
1 run, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 4th - Carter flied out to lf. Villezcas singled to center
field. Hiestand grounded out to 2b; Villezcas advanced to second. Ko hit by
pitch. Saylor homered, 3 RBI; Ko scored; Villezcas scored. Walton struck out
looking. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 4th - Epidendio doubled down the lf line. Hall walked;
Epidendio advanced to third on a wild pitch. Shaffer singled, RBI; Hall
advanced to second; Epidendio scored. Muir to p for Christiansen. Santich out
at first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Shaffer advanced to second; Hall advanced to
third. Balatico struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Pierson walked.
Williammee reached on a fielder's choice; Pierson out at second ss to 2b. 1
run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young 5th - Crosby grounded out to ss. Nelson flied out to lf to
left center. Vargas grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 5th - Angel tripled down the rf line. Fromm grounded out
to 1b unassisted. Angel out at home c unassisted, caught stealing. Epidendio
singled up the middle. Hall struck out looking. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young 6th - Carter walked. Villezcas flied out to lf. Carter
stole second. Hiestand struck out swinging. Ko flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Jose State 6th - Shaffer fouled out to 1b. Santich flied out to lf.
Balatico struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 7th - Porter to p for Amberson. Saylor flied out to lf.
Shannon to p for Porter. Walton grounded out to 3b. Crosby grounded out to ss.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 7th - Highmark to p for Muir. Pierson walked. Williammee
out at first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Pierson advanced to second. Angel grounded out
to ss; Pierson advanced to third. Sauceda pinch hit for Fromm. Sauceda walked.
Barrett to p for Highmark. Epidendio singled down the lf line, RBI; Sauceda
advanced to second; Pierson scored. Hall grounded out to 1b unassisted. 1
run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 8th - Sauceda to 3b. Epidendio to 1b. Nelson grounded out
to 3b. Vargas grounded out to 3b, bunt. Carter grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Jose State 8th - Shaffer singled down the lf line. Santich out at
first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Shaffer advanced to second. Andrews to p for Barrett.
Loewenthal pinch hit. Loewenthal grounded out to ss; Shaffer advanced to third.
Pierson grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 9th - Loewenthal to rf. Villezcas grounded out to 2b.
Hiestand popped up to 2b. Ko grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.

For the second week in a row BYU's baseball team plays in California in search of its first victory.

The Cougars, 0-3, fly to San Jose for a Thursday contest which starts a three-game series with the Spartans, who began the week at 3-3.

BYU will keep its starting lineup intact, including the pitching rotation of Jesse Craig (0-1, 3.00 earned run average) for Thursday, Patrick Wells (0-1, 27.00) for Friday and Brandon Christiansen (0-0, 2.57) for Saturday. Thursday and Friday's games will be at 6 p.m., while Saturday's contest is at 1 p.m.

"Our situational hitting was not up to standard," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "Our pitching was solid and we could have won two of the three games, but unfortunately we did not come up with the big two-out hit when needed, so that will be our focus this week."

SJS won its home opener two weeks ago against Cal Poly and won its three-game series last weekend on the road at Cal Santa Barbara. The Spartans play on Tuesday at San Francisco before hosting the Cougars.

The games will not be broadcast over the Internet, but will be available to read through live webcasting on links at www.byucougars.com.

For more information on BYU's baseball team for this week, click on the PDF link at the top of this page.