DAVIS -- Casey Nelson's homerun wasn't enough to catch powerful No. 8 Oregon State as BYU dropped its seventh straight Thursday, 12-2.

After the Beavers, who improve to 4-3, scored an early two runs, Casey Nelson struck back for the Cougars in the top of the second. With two outs in the inning Nelson hit a solo home run to left off Beaver All-American Dallas Buck (2-0, 2.50) on a full count to pull the Cougars within one. The homer was his first of the season and the third for BYU.

The Cougars, who fall to 0-7, got starter Jesse Craig (0-3, 5.62) out of a major jam in the bottom of the second after the Beavers loaded up the bases with one out. After Craig gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases, Dan Vargas and Marcos Villezcas turned a perfect six-four-three double play to retire the Beavers and keep BYU within one.

With a runner on in the bottom of the third inning, Beaver catcher Mitch Canham took a two-two Craig offering over the right field wall to put OSU up 4-1 with no outs. The Cougars continued to struggle in the inning as the Beavers made it 6-1. Four runners scored despite Craig retiring two hitters on strikes.

Mitch Woolf relieved in the bottom of the fourth for his first appearance of the season and retired the side as the Cougars turned their second double play of the game, a three-six-three combo started by first baseman Ben Saylor.

The Beavers added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a couple of singles, a walk, and a wild pitch, putting OSU up 8-1

Leading off in the top of the sixth inning Kent Walton, who reached base twice on the afternoon, doubled down the left field line, only the Cougars' second hit of the game, and moved to third on a sacrifice grounder by Villezcas. After Jeff Hiestand was hit on the foot to get on base, Kasey Ko scored Walton on a sac fly to left cutting the Beavers' lead to 8-2.

In the seventh, for the second inning in a row, BYU got the lead-off runner on base as pinch-hitting Austin Carter poked a grounder through the right side before being retired on a Beaver five-four-three double play.

Anthony Bingham made his first appearance of the season for BYU in the seventh as the Cougar senior righty retired the Beavers in order for the first time all day as he got Geoff Wagner to strike out looking.

The bottom of the eighth saw the Beavers add their final four runs to make the score 12-2 OSU going into the ninth. In the bottom of that frame, freshman replacement catcher J.T. Musso led with a double off the center field wall for his first-ever collegiate hit.

The Cougars square off Friday morning against Washington State for their second game of the River City Classic at UC Davis in California.

Brigham Young vs #8 Oregon State
Feb 23, 2006 at Davis, Calif. (Dobbins)
Brigham Young 2 (0-7)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WALTON, Kent rf..........  4  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  0  0  0   1  1  2  5   0
HIESTAND, Jeff lf........  2  0  0  0   1  1  1  0   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  0  0  1   0  1  0  0   2
SAYLOR, Ben 1b...........  4  0  0  0   0  1 11  1   1
JOHNSON, Chris 3b........  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   1
 CARTER, Austin ph.......  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 CROSBY, Blake 3b........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  3  1  1  1   0  1  4  0   0
 MUSSO, J.T. c...........  1  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  4  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   1
VARGAS, Dan 2b...........  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  3   0
 BARNES, Clayton ph......  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
 JOHNSON, Jason 2b.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 WOOLF, Mitch p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HIGHMARK, Christophe p..  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BINGHAM, Anthony p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WORTHAM, Jake p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 31  2  5  2   2  9 24 10   6
Oregon State 12 (4-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Gillespie, Cole lf.......  4  2  2  0   1  1  1  0   1
Santschi, Scott rf.......  2  1  0  0   3  0  2  0   0
Barney, Darwin ss........  5  2  2  2   0  0  0  1   2
Rowe, Bill 1b............  4  1  2  2   0  1 11  1   0
Canham, Mitch c..........  4  1  2  2   0  0  9  0   1
 McCormick, Jake ph......  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 Ammon, Erik c...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
McFeely, Shea 3b.........  5  2  2  0   0  0  0  4   0
Wagner, Geoff dh.........  3  2  1  0   1  2  0  0   2
 Lissman, Mike ph/dh.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
Kahalehoe, Koa cf........  4  0  2  1   0  1  2  0   0
Gipson, Ryan 2b..........  3  1  1  2   0  0  1  3   0
 Kunda, Chris 2b.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Buck, Dallas p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Koller, Jon p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Paterson, Joe p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 36 12 14  9   5  6 27  9   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 010 001 000 -  2  5  3
Oregon State........ 204 020 04X - 12 14  1
-------------------------------------------
E - WALTON(1); JOHNSON, C.(2); NELSON(2); McFeely(2). DP - BYU 2; OSU 1. LOB
- BYU 6; OSU 7. 2B - WALTON(5); MUSSO(1); Rowe 2(7). HR - NELSON(1);
Canham(1). HBP - HIESTAND; Rowe. SF - KO(1); Gipson(1). SB - Gillespie 2(5);
Wagner(1); Kahalehoe(1).
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  3.0  9  6  5  1  3 17 19  81
WOOLF, Mitch........  2.0  2  2  2  2  0  6  9  35
HIGHMARK, Christophe  1.0  1  0  0  0  0  4  4  18
BINGHAM, Anthony....  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  3  15
WORTHAM, Jake.......  1.0  2  4  2  2  2  6  8  36
Oregon State           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
Buck, Dallas........  7.0  4  2  2  2  8 23 27  98
Koller, Jon.........  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  4  4  16
Paterson, Joe.......  1.0  1  0  0  0  0  4  4  10
Win - Buck (2-0).  Loss - CRAIG (0-3).  Save - None.
WP - WOOLF(1); WORTHAM(1). HBP - by CRAIG (Rowe); by Buck (HIESTAND).
Pitches/strikes: CRAIG 81/47; WOOLF 35/19; HIGHMARK 18/12; BINGHAM 15/9; WORTHAM
36/19; Buck 98/64; Koller 16/10; Paterson 10/9.
Umpires - HP: Kenneth Durham  1B: Gary Frieders  3B: Jeff Henrichs
Start: 2:06   Time: 2:49   Attendance: 206
Brigham Young vs #8 Oregon State - Play-by-Play
Feb 23, 2006 at Davis, Calif. (Dobbins)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 010 001 000 -  2  5  3
Oregon State........ 204 020 04X - 12 14  1
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young starters: 9/rf WALTON; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 32/lf HIESTAND; 33/dh KO;
25/1b SAYLOR; 5/3b JOHNSON, C.; 8/c NELSON; 1/cf MOLINA; 13/2b VARGAS; 35/p
CRAIG;
Oregon State starters: 9/lf Gillespie; 23/rf Santschi; 10/ss Barney; 38/1b
Rowe; 11/c Canham; 29/3b McFeely; 37/dh Wagner; 22/cf Kahalehoe; 14/2b Gipson;
2/p Buck;
Brigham Young 1st - WALTON struck out looking (2-2). VILLEZCAS walked
(3-0). HIESTAND flied out to rf (1-2). KO struck out (0-2). 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
Oregon State 1st - Gillespie singled through the left side (3-1).
Gillespie stole second. Santschi flied out to lf (3-1). Barney singled to
center field (1-2); Gillespie advanced to third. Rowe doubled to left field, 2
RBI (1-2); Barney scored; Gillespie scored. Canham singled to right field
(2-2); Rowe advanced to third. McFeely lined out to 3b (2-1). Wagner struck out
looking (3-2). 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 2nd - SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-1). JOHNSON,
C. flied out to 1b (1-0). NELSON homered to left field, RBI (3-2). MOLINA
grounded out to 3b (1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oregon State 2nd - Kahalehoe singled to left field (1-2). Gipson reached
on a fielder's choice (1-2); Kahalehoe out at second 2b to ss. Gillespie
singled to third base (1-2); Gipson advanced to second, advanced to third on a
throwing error by 3b. Gillespie stole second. Santschi walked (3-1). Barney
grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b (2-2); Santschi out on the play. 0
runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 3rd - VARGAS grounded out to 3b (2-2). WALTON grounded out
to 3b (0-2). VILLEZCAS struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Oregon State 3rd - Rowe hit by pitch (2-2). Canham homered to right
field, 2 RBI (2-1); Rowe scored. McFeely singled to left field (1-1). Wagner
singled to right center (0-0); McFeely advanced to third. Kahalehoe struck out
looking (1-2); Wagner stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by c;
McFeely scored on the error. Gipson grounded out to p, RBI (1-1); Wagner
scored, unearned. Gillespie struck out (2-2). 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young 4th - HIESTAND walked (3-2). KO flied out to cf (3-2).
SAYLOR flied out to cf (0-0). JOHNSON, C. struck out looking (0-2). 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Oregon State 4th - WOOLF to p for CRAIG. Santschi walked (3-2). Barney
flied out to cf (1-0). Rowe grounded into double play 1b to ss to 1b (1-2);
Santschi out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 5th - NELSON struck out looking (0-2). MOLINA flied out to
rf (0-1). VARGAS struck out (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oregon State 5th - Canham grounded out to 1b unassisted (2-1). McFeely
singled to center field (0-0). McFeely advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Wagner walked (3-2). Kahalehoe singled to left field, RBI (2-2); Wagner
advanced to third; McFeely scored. Gipson flied out to cf, SF, RBI (1-0);
Wagner scored. Kahalehoe stole second. Gillespie grounded out to ss (1-2). 2
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 6th - WALTON doubled down the lf line (0-0). VILLEZCAS
grounded out to 2b (2-0); WALTON advanced to third. HIESTAND hit by pitch
(1-2). KO flied out to lf, SF, RBI (0-0); WALTON scored. SAYLOR struck out
(1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Oregon State 6th - HIGHMARK to p for WOOLF. Santschi grounded out to 1b
unassisted (3-2). Barney grounded out to 2b (0-2). Rowe doubled to right field
(1-2). Canham grounded out to 1b unassisted (2-1). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Brigham Young 7th - CARTER pinch hit for JOHNSON, C.. CARTER singled to
right field (2-2). NELSON grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b (0-1);
CARTER out on the play. MOLINA singled to left field (0-1). BARNES pinch hit
for VARGAS. BARNES struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Oregon State 7th - CROSBY to 3b for CARTER. JOHNSON, J. to 2b for
BARNES. BINGHAM to p for HIGHMARK. McFeely grounded out to ss (2-2). Wagner
struck out (3-2). Kahalehoe grounded out to ss (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 8th - Koller to p for Buck. WALTON reached on a fielding
error by 3b, advanced to second (1-2). VILLEZCAS grounded out to ss (2-1);
WALTON no advance. HIESTAND struck out (1-2). KO grounded out to 2b (2-1). 0
runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Oregon State 8th - WORTHAM to p for BINGHAM. MUSSO to c for NELSON.
Gipson singled to right field (1-2). Gillespie walked (3-2); Gipson advanced to
second. Santschi walked (3-1); Gillespie advanced to second; Gipson advanced to
third. Barney singled to left field, 2 RBI (1-1); Santschi advanced to second;
Gillespie scored; Gipson scored. Rowe struck out (2-2). McCormick pinch hit for
Canham. McCormick struck out (3-2). McFeely reached on a fielding error by rf,
advanced to second (1-2); Barney scored, unearned; Santschi scored, unearned.
Lissman pinch hit for Wagner. McFeely advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Lissman fouled out to 1b (1-0). 4 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 9th - Ammon to c for McCormick. Lissman to dh. Kunda to 2b
for Gipson. Paterson to p for Koller. SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted
(0-0). CROSBY popped up to 1b (0-1). MUSSO doubled to center field (0-2).
MOLINA out at first 1b to p (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

No. 8 Oregon State is the next foe for BYU baseball when it opens play on Thursday at the third annual River City Classic in California.

The Cougars are seeking their first win in seven outings this season, so it will be a tall order when they face the Beavers, 3-3, in the 2 p.m. contest hosted by UC Davis. Getting the starting nod on the mound for BYU vs. OSU is junior righthander Jesse Craig (0-2, 3.46). In addition to being ranked No. 8 by Baseball America, OSU is ranked No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball magazine, but has been ranked as high as No. 2 this season.

Thursday's game will be broadcast live via links on the Internet at www.byucougars.com.

On Friday BYU will play Washington State, 6-2, at the UC Davis Field at 10 a.m. Southpaw Patrick Wells (0-1, 9.00) is scheduled to start that game. Saturday's game against St. Mary's College, 4-4 at the start of this week, will be at Sacramento State's Hornet Field at 10 a.m. Senior Brandon Christiansen (0-0, 4.50) is scheduled to pitch against the Gaels.

Other teams in the tournament who will not be playing BYU are Portland, North Dakota State, San Francisco and co-hosts UC Davis and Sacramento State.

"This is our chance to get back up on the horse after getting bucked off," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "We are struggling with our confidence, and we hope these games will get us back to respectability. We have a solid team but have been off the mark on hitting. Our pitching is going to continue to get better."

After the three games in California, BYU will play Southern Utah in a three-game series in St. George on March 2-4.

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