PROVO -- A ninth-inning home run by Chris Johnson tied the game before Dane Nielsen smacked the game-winning RBI as BYU beat Northern Colorado 3-2 in the 10th inning Friday.

"I think that Johnson's hit was more exciting to me," said Nielsen, comparing the two pivotal hits.

Leading-off in the bottom of the ninth in front of the season's largest crowd of over 1,400 faithful, Chris Johnson crushed a 2-0 offering from Bears' closer Brennan Garr for a home run to left-center, tying up the game for the Cougars.

Josh Barrett (1-0, 0.00) pitched a perfect 10th to keep the Cougars and Bears tied going into the bottom of the frame, en route to picking up the win. With the win the Cougars move to 9-13 while the Bears drop to 7-16.

Leading off the bottom of the 10th for the Cougars, Seth Johnson poked a single through the left side of the infield. Batting next with the hit-and-run on, Stetson Banks smoked a single through the left side while Seth Johnson moved to third.

After Ben Saylor was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs, Dane Nielsen poked a single over the head of third baseman Jeff Horn, knocking in the winning RBI as Seth Johnson scored from third. BYU players mobbed the players all over the infield as the Cougars won a game marked with high emotion.

"I was just happy to get that game over with," said Nielsen. "We've got a game tomorrow, so we had to get out of here."

The game started out as a pitching duel as neither starting pitcher allowed a hit or run through four innings. In the span Jesse Craig picked up five strikeouts while Bears starter Seth Gilleland retired just one on strikes. Gilleland went eight innings, striking out five while allowing just one run on four hits. The loss was picked up by Garr.

Craig kept BYU close while pitching seven strong innings, giving up just two runs on five hits while striking out six with one walk. He didn't figure into the decision as he left the game with his team down 2-1.

UNC got on the board first in the top of the fifth on an error to go up early 1-0.

A lead-off double in the top of the sixth and a sac fly moved the Bears' Josh Payne over to third with one out. Craig then dug in deep and recorded his sixth strikeout of the night for out two. A comebacker to the mound and a quick throw by Craig to first for the final out kept BYU close with the score 1-0.

Leading things off for the Cougars in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Seth Johnson smoked a triple down the line in right with no outs. Batting next Marcos Villezcas lofted the ball into shallow center field.

Centerfielder Seth Tartler made the catch and fired a strike to catcher John Ray at the plate. Seth Johnson scored from third under the tag on a controversial call at the plate by home plate umpire Blyden Loutensock. The call brought UNC assistant coach Chris Forbes out of the dugout before he was ejected from the game by Loutensock.

Charged up from the previous inning's play, Ray answered back for the Bears in the top of the seventh. He led off with a single before scoring the go-ahead run to put UNC up 2-1. Craig settled down and was able to get out of the inning, giving up only the one run.

Cortland Andrews came into the game in the top of the eighth in relief of Craig and retired the side.

In the top of the ninth, Josh Barrett struck out the first batter he faced before hitting Adam Symons. BYU Coach Vance Law came out to argue the call to Loutensock, maintaining that Symons intentionally leaned into the pitch. After a heated exchange near home plate, Law received the second ejection of the night from the men in black.

"When I left the game I told Coach (Ryan) Roberts that if we get a lead-off man on to bunt him over," said Coach Law. "He has such good baseball sense that he changed the call to a hit an run."

With Coach Law out of the game and runners on the corners with one out, Barrett retired the next two hitters to keep the Cougars close heading into the ninth down, 2-1.

The bottom of the ninth was all Chris Johnson's, as he collected his first collegiate home run and RBI.

"I saw our guys explode from down beneath the tunnel," said Coach Law on the home run. "It's a big left for out team with all of these freshmen. Our 10th inning illustrates the importance of execution, we're not nearly as powerful a team as last year."

The Cougars and Bears will meet again Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. for the final game of this week's series.

Univ. No. Colorado at Brigham Young Univ.
Mar 24, 2006 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Univ. No. Colorado 2
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Seth Tartler cf..........  5  0  0  0   0  2  2  0   5
Nate Saylor lf...........  2  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
 Zach Brockman lf........  2  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   2
 Grady Gorman lf.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Brennan Garr 3b/p........  5  0  0  0   0  1  3  1   0
Zach Harris dh...........  3  0  0  0   1  2  0  0   0
 Jeff Horn 3b............  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
Josh Payne 1b............  3  1  1  0   0  0  7  1   1
 Kevin Sandberg ph/1b....  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  1   0
John Ray c...............  4  1  1  0   0  1  7  0   0
Adam Symons ss...........  1  0  0  0   0  0  2  5   0
Devin Warner rf..........  4  0  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
Chad Clark 2b............  3  0  1  0   0  0  3  3   0
Seth Gilleland p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Totals................... 35  2  6  1   1 10 27 12   8
Brigham Young Univ. 2
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth rf/cf......  3  1  1  0   1  0  2  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  0  1  1   0  0  1  2   0
 BANKS, Stetson pr/2b....  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
SAYLOR, Ben 1b/rf........  3  0  0  0   1  2  7  1   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
 BINGHAM, Anthony pr.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
WALTON, Kent lf..........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   4
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  2  0  1  0   0  0  0  2   0
 CARTER, Austin pr.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JOHNSON, Chris 3b.......  1  1  1  1   0  0  0  1   0
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 HIESTAND, Jeff ph/1b....  2  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  3  0  0  0   0  0  8  0   0
 BARNES, Clayton ph......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MUSSO, J.T. c...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
JOHNSON, Jason 2b........  2  0  0  0   0  0  2  3   1
 WORTHAM, Jake ph........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
 VARGAS, Daniel 2b/ss....  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  3  3   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARRETT, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 30  2  5  2   3  7 30 13   7
Score by Innings                      R  H  E
---------------------------------------------
Univ. No. Colorado.. 000 010 100 0 -  2  6  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 001 001 X -  2  5  1
---------------------------------------------
E - Garr; CRAIG. DP - BYU Cougars 1. LOB - UNC Bears 8; BYU Cougars 7. 2B -
Brockman. 3B - JOHNSON, S.. HR - JOHNSON, C.. HBP - Symons 2; Clark; CROSBY.
SH - Symons; MOLINA. SF - VILLEZCAS. SB - Symons; BANKS.
Univ. No. Colorado     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Seth Gilleland......  8.0  4  1  1  3  5 26 32
Brennan Garr........  1.0  1  1  1  0  2  4  4
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  7.0  5  2  1  1  6 25 29
ANDREWS, Cortland...  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  3
BARRETT, Josh.......  2.0  1  0  0  0  3  7  8
Win - None.  Loss - None.  Save - None.
HBP - by CRAIG (Clark); by CRAIG (Symons); by Gilleland (CROSBY); by BARRETT
(Symons).
Umpires - HP: Blyden Loutensock  1B: Randy Upton  3B: Jeff Richardson
Start: 7:06 pm   Time:   Attendance: 1426
Univ. No. Colorado at Brigham Young Univ. - Play-by-Play
Mar 24, 2006 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Score by Innings                      R  H  E
---------------------------------------------
Univ. No. Colorado.. 000 010 100 0 -  2  6  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 001 001 X -  2  5  1
---------------------------------------------
Univ. No. Colorado starters: 18/cf Tartler; 14/lf Saylor; 8/3b Garr; 22/dh Harris;
17/1b Payne; 5/c Ray; 3/ss Symons; 23/rf Warner; 6/2b Clark; 25/p Gilleland;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 26/rf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/1b SAYLOR;
33/dh KO; 9/lf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 1/cf MOLINA; 8/c NELSON; 15/2b JOHNSON, J.;
35/p CRAIG;
Univ. No. Colorado 1st - Tartler struck out looking. Saylor struck out
swinging. Garr grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - JOHNSON, S. walked. VILLEZCAS lined out to ss.
SAYLOR walked; JOHNSON, S. advanced to second. KO reached on a fielder's choice;
SAYLOR advanced to second, advanced to third on a throwing error by 3b; JOHNSON, S.
out at third 3b unassisted. WALTON reached on a fielder's choice; KO out at second
ss to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 2nd - Harris walked. Payne reached on a fielder's choice;
Harris out at second p to ss. Ray grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; Payne
out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - CROSBY grounded out to ss. MOLINA struck out
looking. NELSON flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 3rd - Symons out at first 1b to p. Warner grounded out to
ss. Clark hit by pitch. Tartler struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - JOHNSON, J. grounded out to 2b. JOHNSON, S. fouled
out to rf. VILLEZCAS popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 4th - Saylor struck out swinging. Garr grounded out to 3b.
Harris struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - Brockman to lf for Saylor. SAYLOR out at first 1b
to p. KO grounded out to 3b. WALTON grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 5th - Payne singled to right field. Ray popped up to p.
Symons hit by pitch; Payne advanced to second. Warner reached on a throwing error by
p; Symons advanced to third; Payne scored, unearned. Clark popped up to p. Tartler
reached on a fielder's choice; Warner out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 1
error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - CROSBY singled through the left side. MOLINA out at
first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; CROSBY advanced to second. NELSON grounded out to 2b;
CROSBY advanced to third. JOHNSON, J. grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 6th - Brockman doubled down the lf line. Garr flied out to
rf; Brockman advanced to third. Harris struck out swinging. Payne grounded out to p.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - JOHNSON, S. tripled down the rf line. VILLEZCAS
flied out to cf, SF, RBI; JOHNSON, S. scored. SAYLOR struck out swinging. KO
grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 7th - Ray singled to center field. Symons grounded out to
p, SAC, bunt; Ray advanced to second. Warner singled to left field, RBI; Ray scored.
Clark singled up the middle; Warner advanced to second. Tartler grounded out to 2b;
Clark advanced to second; Warner advanced to third. Brockman flied out to lf. 1
run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - WALTON struck out swinging. CROSBY hit by pitch.
HIESTAND pinch hit for MOLINA. CARTER pinch ran for CROSBY. HIESTAND singled to left
field; CARTER advanced to second. NELSON popped up to 2b. WORTHAM pinch hit for
JOHNSON, J.. WORTHAM struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 8th - JOHNSON, S. to cf. SAYLOR to rf. JOHNSON, C. to 3b
for CARTER. HIESTAND to 1b. VARGAS to 2b for WORTHAM. ANDREWS to p for CRAIG. Garr
flied out to cf. Harris flied out to lf. Sandberg pinch hit for Payne. Sandberg
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - Sandberg to 1b. Gorman to lf for Brockman. JOHNSON,
S. grounded out to ss. VILLEZCAS singled up the middle. BANKS pinch ran for
VILLEZCAS. SAYLOR struck out swinging; BANKS stole second. KO walked. BINGHAM pinch
ran for KO. WALTON reached on a fielder's choice; BINGHAM advanced to second; BANKS
out at third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 9th - BANKS to 2b. VARGAS to ss. BARRETT to p for ANDREWS.
Ray struck out swinging. Symons hit by pitch. Symons stole second. Warner singled to
right field; Symons advanced to third. Clark popped up to 2b. Tartler reached on a
fielder's choice; Warner out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 9th - Garr to p. Horn to 3b for Harris. /  for Gilleland.
JOHNSON, C. homered to left center, RBI. HIESTAND struck out swinging. BARNES pinch
hit for NELSON. BARNES out at first 1b to p. VARGAS struck out swinging. 1 run, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. No. Colorado 10th - MUSSO to c for BARNES. Gorman grounded out to ss.
Garr struck out swinging. Horn struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.

A rematch Tuesday between BYU and Southern Utah has been rescheduled until Wednesday at 3 p.m., due to snow and a wet field at Miller Park.

The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday evening and will be the first meeting between the two baseball teams in Provo this season.

BYU, 7-12 overall, hosts Southern Utah, 9-6, with the Cougars holding a 2-1 advantage from games earlier this month in Cedar City.

"They are a much improved team and have a couple of pitchers who can give us fits," said BYU Coach Vance Law.

While BYU's pitcher is unannounced for Tuesday, the Cougars will use their regular rotation later in the week when Northern Colorado, 7-14, starts a three-game series on Thursday. Patrick Wells (2-3, 5.27) and Jesse Craig (1-5, 3.82) will take the mound in the 7 p.m. games on Thursday and Friday. Brandon Christiansen (3-0, 4.24) is schedule to pitch on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Cougars have won seven of their last 11 games and gave Law his 200th victory last week. None of this week's games will be broadcast over KOVO Radio, but all will be carried live via the CSTV video link on byucougars.com.

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