SACRAMENTO -- Six freshman starters led the way for BYU in its first win of the season Saturday, a 10-5 victory over St. Mary's in the River City Classic.

Freshman Jason Johnson, starting at second for the first time this season, went 2-for-2 while scoring three runs and stealing two bases, to pace BYU, who improve to 1-8. He scored one run in the fourth inning from third on a sac fly by Marcos Villezcas. Batting next, freshman centerfielder Kent Walton smacked a double off reliever Justin Sloan (0-1, 8.57), knocking in two runs.

Cougar starting freshmen combined to bat .368 on the day while driving in three and scoring six of BYU's runs. The four-run eruption in the fourth was enough for the Cougars to coast to their first victory.

The win was picked up by senior righthander Brandon Christiansen, (1-0, 6.00) who kept the Gaels, now 6-5, at bay for five innings before the stifling BYU relief pitching took over. Facing relievers Jordan Muir and Matt Jensen, St. Mary's was shutout through the final four innings, only managing four hits from the stingy Cougar pitchers.

Austin Carter started the scoring for BYU in the bottom of the first after reaching base on a passed ball after striking out. Carter wasted no time in stealing second, then scored on an RBI single by Villezcas. The run knotted the score at one going into the second.

The Gaels retook the lead in the top of the inning, making it 2-1 St. Mary's before BYU answered back. In the second BYU scored the first of eight runs with two outs in the game as Carter hit a two-out, two-run double. Batting next, Villezcas added another RBI on a single up the middle to put the Cougars up 4-2.

The Gaels scored a run in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 4-3 before BYU scored four to make it 8-3 in favor of the Cougars. The Cougars scored all their fourth inning runs with two outs.

Freshman reliever Muir made things interesting in the sixth, putting two runners on with no outs before getting the Gaels retired on a five-four-three double play and a pop-out.

BYU got its final runs of the game in the sixth when freshman slugger Kasey Ko collected his first-ever collegiate home run on a blast to right center.

The 0-8 start by the Cougars was their worst in over 40 years, barely besting the 0-9 start by the 1960 Cougar baseball club.

The Cougars return to Utah for three games starting Thursday against Southern Utah University, 5-2, in St. George.

Saint Mary's (CA) vs Brigham Young
Feb 25, 2006 at Sacramento State (Hornet Field)
Saint Mary's (CA) 5 (6-5)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CATTONI lf...............  4  1  2  1   1  0  2  0   1
FREDERICK 1b.............  5  0  3  1   0  0  6  2   1
CARTER cf................  4  0  1  0   0  0  1  0   0
YOUNG, P rf..............  4  1  1  1   1  1  3  1   1
GALLAGHER 3b.............  4  1  1  0   1  2  0  0   4
STAPLES ss...............  5  1  2  0   0  1  3  3   2
HARRIS 2b................  5  0  1  0   0  0  2  1   0
GUYMON c.................  4  0  2  2   0  0  5  1   1
 YOUNG pr................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MILLER dh................  5  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   3
NISCO p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 SLOAN p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
 BANDAK p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 LOBBAN p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 40  5 14  5   3  4 24 11  13
Brigham Young 10 (1-8)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Austin lf........  4  3  1  2   1  1  1  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  4  0  3  4   0  0  1  3   0
WALTON, Kent cf..........  5  1  2  2   0  0  3  0   2
KO, Kasey 1b.............  4  1  2  1   1  0  9  1   0
WORTHAM, Jake dh.........  3  0  1  0   2  1  0  0   1
BARNES, Clayton rf.......  3  1  1  0   1  1  3  0   0
 MOLINA, Adrian cf.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  0  0  0   1  2  4  0   3
 HIESTAND, Jeff ph.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
 NELSON, Casey c.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
JOHNSON, JASON 2b........  2  3  2  0   1  0  1  3   0
 VARGAS, Daniel 2b.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  3  2   1
BANKS, Stetson 3b........  2  1  0  0   0  1  0  2   0
CHRISTIANSEN,Brandon p...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MUIR, Jordan p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JENSEN, Matt p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 33 10 12  9   7  6 27 12   9
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Saint Mary's (CA)... 110 120 000 -  5 14  1
Brigham Young ...... 130 411 00X - 10 12  3
-------------------------------------------
E - HARRIS; VILLEZCAS; JOHNSON, J.; BANKS. DP - Cougars 1. LOB - Gaels 13;
Cougars 9. 2B - CATTONI 2; STAPLES; GUYMON; MILLER; CARTER; WALTON. HR -
YOUNG, P; KO. HBP - BANKS. SH - CARTER; BANKS. SF - GUYMON; VILLEZCAS. SB -
CARTER; WALTON; WORTHAM; JOHNSON, J. 2. CS - KO.
Saint Mary's (CA)      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
NISCO...............  3.1  6  6  5  1  5 16 18
SLOAN...............  1.2  3  3  3  4  0  6 12
BANDAK..............  0.1  2  1  1  1  1  3  4
LOBBAN..............  2.2  1  0  0  1  0  8  9
Brigham Young         IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANSEN,Brandon  5.0 10  5  5  1  1 24 27
MUIR, Jordan........  3.0  3  0  0  2  2 12 14
JENSEN, Matt........  1.0  1  0  0  0  1  4  4
Win - CHRISTIANSEN (1-0).  Loss - NISCO (1-2).  Save - None.
WP - SLOAN. HBP - by NISCO (BANKS). PB - GUYMON.
Umpires - HP: Brian Rose  1B: Wayne Nault  3B: Kenneth Durham
Start: 10 am   Time: 3:15   Attendance: 108
Game: SMC1
Saint Mary's (CA) vs Brigham Young - Play-by-Play
Feb 25, 2006 at Sacramento State (Hornet Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Saint Mary's (CA)... 110 120 000 -  5 14  1
Brigham Young ...... 130 411 00X - 10 12  3
-------------------------------------------
Saint Mary's (CA) starters: 10/lf CATTONI; 18/1b FREDERICK; 19/cf CARTER; 16/rf
YOUNG, P; 21/3b GALLAGHER; 31/ss STAPLES; 9/2b HARRIS; 29/c GUYMON; 2/dh MILLER;
23/p NISCO;
Brigham Young starters: 6/lf CARTER; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 9/cf WALTON; 33/1b KO; 16/dh
WORTHAM; 11/rf BARNES; 22/c MUSSO; 15/2b JOHNSON, J.; 3/3b BANKS; 31/p CHRISTIANSEN;
Saint Mary's (CA) 1st - CATTONI doubled to left center. FREDERICK singled up
the middle, RBI; CATTONI scored. CARTER grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; FREDERICK
advanced to second. YOUNG, P grounded out to 2b; FREDERICK advanced to third.
GALLAGHER flied out to rf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 1st - CARTER struck out swinging, reached first on a passed
ball. CARTER stole second. VILLEZCAS singled up the middle, RBI; CARTER scored,
unearned. WALTON reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on an error by
2b; VILLEZCAS out at second ss to 2b. KO grounded out to ss; WALTON advanced to
third. WORTHAM flied out to rf. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 2nd - STAPLES doubled to right center. HARRIS reached on an
error by 2b; STAPLES advanced to third. GUYMON doubled to right field, RBI; HARRIS
advanced to third; STAPLES scored. MILLER grounded out to 1b unassisted; GUYMON
advanced to third; HARRIS out at home 1b to 3b to c. CATTONI flied out to lf. 1
run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 2nd - BARNES singled up the middle. MUSSO struck out swinging.
JOHNSON, J. singled to right field; BARNES advanced to third. BANKS struck out
swinging. JOHNSON, J. stole second. CARTER doubled to right center, 2 RBI; JOHNSON,
J. scored; BARNES scored. VILLEZCAS singled up the middle, RBI; CARTER scored.
WALTON lined out to lf. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 3rd - FREDERICK singled to left field. CARTER fouled out to
rf. YOUNG, P struck out swinging. GALLAGHER walked; FREDERICK advanced to second.
STAPLES reached on a fielder's choice; GALLAGHER out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 3rd - KO singled to right field. WORTHAM struck out swinging.
KO out at second c to ss, caught stealing. BARNES grounded out to p. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 4th - HARRIS grounded out to ss. GUYMON lined out to ss.
MILLER doubled to right center. CATTONI doubled to left field, RBI; MILLER scored.
FREDERICK grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 4th - MUSSO struck out swinging. JOHNSON, J. walked. JOHNSON,
J. stole second. BANKS hit by pitch. SLOAN to p for NISCO. CARTER walked; BANKS
advanced to second; JOHNSON, J. advanced to third. VILLEZCAS flied out to rf, SF,
RBI; BANKS advanced to third; JOHNSON, J. scored. WALTON doubled to right center, 2
RBI; CARTER scored; BANKS scored. KO walked. KO advanced to second on a wild pitch;
WALTON advanced to third on a wild pitch. WORTHAM walked. BARNES walked; WORTHAM
advanced to second; KO advanced to third; WALTON scored. MUSSO out at first 1b to p.
4 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 5th - CARTER fouled out to rf. YOUNG, P homered to right
center, RBI. GALLAGHER singled to right center. STAPLES singled to center field;
GALLAGHER advanced to second. HARRIS reached on an error by ss; STAPLES advanced to
second; GALLAGHER advanced to third. GUYMON flied out to cf, SF, RBI; GALLAGHER
scored. MILLER grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 5th - JOHNSON, J. singled to left field. BANKS out at first p
to 2b, SAC, bunt; JOHNSON, J. advanced to second. CARTER out at first 1b to p;
JOHNSON, J. advanced to third. VILLEZCAS singled, RBI; JOHNSON, J. scored. WALTON
flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 6th - MUIR to p for CHRISTIANSEN. VARGAS to 2b for JOHNSON,
J.. CATTONI walked. FREDERICK singled to left field; CATTONI advanced to second.
CARTER grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; FREDERICK out on the play; CATTONI
advanced to third. YOUNG, P popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 6th - BANDAK to p for SLOAN. KO homered to right center, RBI.
WORTHAM singled to right field. BARNES struck out looking. WORTHAM stole second.
MUSSO walked. LOBBAN to p for BANDAK. VARGAS flied out to rf; WORTHAM out at second
rf to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 7th - WALTON to rf. MOLINA to cf for BARNES. GALLAGHER
struck out swinging. STAPLES flied out to rf. HARRIS singled to center field. GUYMON
reached on a fielder's choice; HARRIS out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 7th - BANKS grounded out to p. CARTER grounded out to ss.
VILLEZCAS grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 8th - MILLER lined out to rf. CATTONI grounded out to 2b.
FREDERICK reached on an error by 3b. CARTER singled to center field; FREDERICK
advanced to second. YOUNG, P walked; CARTER advanced to second; FREDERICK advanced
to third. GALLAGHER struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young 8th - WALTON singled to left field. KO lined out to lf. WALTON
stole second. WORTHAM walked. MOLINA popped up to ss. HIESTAND pinch hit for MUSSO.
HIESTAND grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Saint Mary's (CA) 9th - NELSON to c for HIESTAND. JENSEN to p for MUIR.
STAPLES struck out looking. HARRIS flied out to cf. GUYMON singled up the middle.
YOUNG pinch ran for GUYMON. MILLER grounded out to 1b unassisted. 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.