Third Place Secured

SALT LAKE -- A huge sixth inning Friday led BYU to a 14-7 victory over Utah.

The Cougars, now 29-26, secured at least third place in the Mountain West Conference with its 13-8 record. The victory over the Utes, 27-25 and 9-12, evens the series this season between the two teams.

After grabbing a 1-0 lead, BYU had to come-from-behind for the second day in a row. Mr. Jesse Craig, pitching his first game since getting married last Saturday, went above .500 for the first time this season, improving his record to 7-6.

The Cougars mounted the first significant threat of the game in the third when Blake Crosby led off with a single and stole second to start the cycle of men on second and first. It paid off in the form of the first run two outs later when Marcos Villescas lofted a single in shallow right center to score Casey Nelson.

Utah responded by loading the bases in the bottom of that frame with no outs. Bret Baldwin looped a two-run single to right-center. The Utes made it 4-1 that inning when BYU couldn't complete a double play.

BYU got two aboard in the fourth, but suffered two strikeouts and the two-out rally failed.

Every Ute had gotten on base by the time Eric King completed that feat when he hit a single to the right side in the fifth to put men on the corners with two outs. However, Craig pitched out of the jam by recording his second strikeout of the inning. His only other strikeouts to that point were a pair to open the first inning, the only frame when the Utes didn't have a baserunner.

Jeff Hiestand hit his third home run of the series, again to right field, in the sixth with one out to pull the Cougars within two. Kasey Ko drew his second consecutive walk and legged around the bases to score off Kent Walton's gap double. When Crosby was hit by Lucas Trinnaman's first offering, it opened the door for Utah's first reliever of the game.

"We challenged our guys to take Trinnaman off the hill," said BYU Coach Vance Law.

Nelson tied the game, 4-4, with a single out of the reach of the shortstop, still with one out in the sixth. Stetson Banks gave BYU it's regained lead with a double down the right field line to score Crosby. When Villezcas hit a bases loaded single, again past short, it scored two runs. Austin Carter scored off Ben Saylor's game-winning RBI, a single to left. The Cougars batted around with 10 consecutive BYU batters reaching base before Utah turned a double play to end the sixth, with the score 9-4 BYU.

"Hitting is contagious," said Villezcas. "We found our stroke late in the game."

"It seems like winning is contagious, too," added Hiestand.

Utah brought reliever No. 3 into the game in the seventh after BYU hit consecutive singles to lead off. Carter hit the payoff pitch to score two off his single to center, making it 11-4.

As the two teams meet in the finale on Saturday, much still is at stake. A BYU win gives second place with a tie-breaker advantage over San Diego State. A Utah win brings a rematch between BYU and the Utes in the first round of the MWC Tournament.

Brigham Young Univ. at Univ. of Utah
May 19, 2006 at Salt Lake City, Utah (Franklin Covey Field)
Brigham Young Univ. 14 (29-26,13-8 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Austin lf........  5  1  2  2   0  0  1  0   0
 NIELSEN, Dane ph........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  6  2  3  3   0  0  3  4   1
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  6  0  1  1   0  1  6  0   2
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  3  1  2  2   1  1  6  0   0
 JOHNSON, Seth rf........  1  1  1  0   1  0  1  0   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  1  1  1   3  0  0  0   1
WALTON, Kent cf..........  6  2  3  1   0  2  3  0   2
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  3  1  3  0   0  0  0  2   0
 VARGAS, Daniel ph.......  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  1   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  2  1  1   1  2  4  1   4
 MUSSO, J.T. c...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   0
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  2  1  1   0  1  0  5   0
 JOHNSON, Jason 2b.......  1  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 WORTHAM, Jake p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 43 14 19 12   7  7 27 14  10
Univ. of Utah 7 (27-25,9-12 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KHOURY ss................  5  1  1  0   0  2  4  2   0
BALDWIN 2b...............  4  0  1  2   0  2  2  2   0
 MITCHELL ph.............  0  1  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
BROSSMAN 1b..............  5  2  2  2   0  0  3  2   0
KING dh..................  3  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 STRINGHAM dh............  2  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
WELSH cf.................  5  1  3  1   0  1  7  0   2
KEMP 3b..................  4  0  1  0   1  0  1  0   2
MOZELESKI rf.............  4  0  1  1   0  0  2  0   1
FRANK c..................  2  1  0  0   1  1  5  4   2
 BELL c..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
SHIMADA lf...............  1  1  0  0   1  0  0  0   1
 TUMMOLO ph..............  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
TRINNAMAN p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 KRAUSE p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HEDMAN p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 CHRISTENSEN p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 37  7 11  7   4  7 27 11   8
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 001 008 212 - 14 19  2
Univ. of Utah....... 004 000 012 -  7 11  1
-------------------------------------------
E - VARGAS(7); BANKS(9); KHOURY(12). DP - Utah Utes 2. LOB - BYU Cougars 10;
Utah Utes 8. 2B - HIESTAND(12); WALTON(10); BANKS(3); BROSSMAN(17). HR -
HIESTAND(12). HBP - CROSBY. SH - FRANK(6). SB - CARTER(14); CROSBY(2);
BANKS(18); BROSSMAN(11). CS - KO(2); WELSH(3).
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  6.0  6  4  4  2  4 23 26
WORTHAM, Jake.......  2.0  2  1  1  1  1  8  9
ANDREWS, Cortland...  1.0  3  2  1  1  2  6  7
Univ. of Utah          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
TRINNAMAN...........  5.1  5  5  5  4  5 20 25
KRAUSE..............  0.2  8  6  6  0  0  9  9
HEDMAN..............  2.0  2  1  0  3  2  7 10
CHRISTENSEN.........  1.0  4  2  1  0  0  7  7
Win - CRAIG (7-6).  Loss - TRINNAMAN (3-4).  Save - None.
WP - ANDREWS(1); HEDMAN(2). HBP - by TRINNAMAN (CROSBY). PB - FRANK(8).
Umpires - HP: Kelly Gonzales  1B: Mik Hendrickson  3B: Blake Jensen
Start: 11:34 am   Time: 3:38   Attendance: 438
Brigham Young Univ. at Univ. of Utah - Play-by-Play
May 19, 2006 at Salt Lake City, Utah (Franklin Covey Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 001 008 212 - 14 19  2
Univ. of Utah....... 004 000 012 -  7 11  1
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 6/lf CARTER; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b
HIESTAND; 33/dh KO; 9/cf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS; 35/p CRAIG;
Univ. of Utah starters: 2/ss KHOURY; 8/2b BALDWIN; 18/1b BROSSMAN; 34/dh KING; 1/cf
WELSH; 16/3b KEMP; 22/rf MOZELESKI; 10/c FRANK; 3/lf SHIMADA; 20/p TRINNAMAN;
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - CARTER popped up to 2b. VILLEZCAS flied out to cf.
SAYLOR lined out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 1st - KHOURY struck out swinging. BALDWIN struck out swinging.
BROSSMAN grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - HIESTAND walked. KO grounded into double play 1b to
ss to p; HIESTAND out on the play. WALTON struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 2nd - KING flied out to rf. WELSH grounded out to 2b. KEMP
singled up the middle. MOZELESKI reached on a fielder's choice, out at second 2b to
ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - CROSBY singled to center field. CROSBY stole
second. NELSON walked. BANKS reached on a fielder's choice, bunt; NELSON advanced to
second; CROSBY out at third p to 3b. CARTER flied out to cf. VILLEZCAS singled to
center field, RBI; BANKS advanced to third; NELSON scored. SAYLOR popped up to ss.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 3rd - FRANK walked. SHIMADA walked; FRANK advanced to second.
KHOURY singled to center field; SHIMADA advanced to second; FRANK advanced to third.
BALDWIN singled to center field, 2 RBI; KHOURY advanced to third; SHIMADA scored;
FRANK scored. BROSSMAN reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; BALDWIN out at second 2b
to ss; KHOURY scored. KING flied out to cf. BROSSMAN stole second. WELSH singled up
the middle, RBI; BROSSMAN scored. WELSH out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 4
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - HIESTAND struck out looking. KO walked. WALTON
struck out swinging. CROSBY singled to left field; KO advanced to second. NELSON
flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 4th - KEMP grounded out to ss. MOZELESKI reached on an error by
2b. FRANK grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; MOZELESKI advanced to second. SHIMADA lined
out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - BANKS struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
CARTER popped up to rf. VILLEZCAS flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Univ. of Utah 5th - KHOURY flied out to cf. BALDWIN struck out swinging.
BROSSMAN singled to right field. KING singled through the right side; BROSSMAN
advanced to third. WELSH struck out swinging. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - SAYLOR struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
HIESTAND homered to right field, RBI. KO walked. WALTON doubled to left center, RBI;
KO scored. CROSBY hit by pitch. KRAUSE to p for TRINNAMAN. NELSON singled through
the left side, RBI; CROSBY advanced to second; WALTON scored. BANKS doubled down the
rf line, RBI; NELSON advanced to third; CROSBY scored. CARTER singled to pitcher.
VILLEZCAS singled to left center, 2 RBI; CARTER advanced to third; BANKS scored;
NELSON scored. SAYLOR singled to center field, RBI; VILLEZCAS advanced to second;
CARTER scored. HIESTAND doubled down the rf line, RBI; SAYLOR advanced to third;
VILLEZCAS scored. KO popped into double play ss to 2b to c; SAYLOR out on the play.
8 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 6th - KEMP grounded out to p. MOZELESKI flied out to cf. FRANK
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - WALTON singled, bunt. CROSBY singled to right
field; WALTON advanced to second. HEDMAN to p for KRAUSE. NELSON struck out
swinging. BANKS reached on a fielder's choice; CROSBY out at second 2b to ss; WALTON
advanced to third. BANKS stole second. CARTER singled to center field, 2 RBI; BANKS
scored; WALTON scored. CARTER stole second. VILLEZCAS out at first 1b to p. 2
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 7th - WORTHAM to p for CRAIG. SAYLOR to 1b. JOHNSON, S. to rf
for HIESTAND. TUMMOLO pinch hit for SHIMADA. TUMMOLO grounded out to ss. KHOURY
grounded out to ss. BALDWIN grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - TUMMOLO to lf. SAYLOR flied out to lf. JOHNSON, S.
walked. KO walked; JOHNSON, S. advanced to second. KO out at second c to 2b, caught
stealing; JOHNSON, S. advanced to third. JOHNSON, S. scored on a passed ball,
unearned. WALTON singled to left field. VARGAS pinch hit for CROSBY. WALTON advanced
to second on a wild pitch. VARGAS walked. NELSON struck out looking. 1 run, 1
hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 8th - VARGAS to 3b. MUSSO to c for NELSON. BROSSMAN grounded
out to 3b. STRINGHAM to dh for KING. STRINGHAM grounded out to 2b. WELSH singled
through the left side. KEMP walked; WELSH advanced to second. MOZELESKI singled
through the right side, RBI; KEMP advanced to second; WELSH scored. FRANK struck out
swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 9th - BELL to c for FRANK. CHRISTENSEN to p for HEDMAN.
JOHNSON, J. to 2b for BANKS. JOHNSON, J. pinch hit. JOHNSON, J. singled to right
field. NIELSEN pinch hit for CARTER. NIELSEN flied out to cf. VILLEZCAS singled
through the left side; JOHNSON, J. advanced to second. SAYLOR lined out to cf.
JOHNSON, S. singled to shortstop; VILLEZCAS advanced to third; JOHNSON, J. advanced
to third, scored on a throwing error by ss. KO singled through the left side, RBI;
JOHNSON, S. advanced to second; VILLEZCAS scored, unearned. WALTON flied out to cf.
2 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 9th - NIELSEN to lf. JOHNSON, J. to 2b. ANDREWS to p for
WORTHAM. TUMMOLO struck out swinging. KHOURY struck out looking. MITCHELL pinch hit
for BALDWIN. MITCHELL walked. BROSSMAN doubled down the lf line, advanced to third
on a throwing error by 3b, RBI; MITCHELL scored. STRINGHAM singled to left field,
RBI; BROSSMAN scored, unearned. STRINGHAM advanced to second on a wild pitch. WELSH
singled to left field; STRINGHAM advanced to third. KEMP flied out to rf. 2 runs,
3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.