PROVO -- Jesse Craig pitched six strong innings and BYU gave him plenty of run support on the way to an 11-2 victory over the Air Force Academy on Saturday.

Air Force (7-36, 0-17) got its lead-off man on in the third as Karl Bolt hit a single up the middle, but any pending threat was ended when BYU (25-16, 10-5) turned a double play. The Falcons had been nursing a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars finally got things going offensively in the third with a double to left by J.T. Musso. Austin Hall then ripped a single to right field followed by a deep triple by Kent Walton that brought both runners around to score and give BYU the 2-1 lead.

The Cougars weren't done there though. Stephen Wells stepped to the plate next with Walton on third and hit a bloop single that scored Walton and stretched the Cougars' lead to 3-1.

Craig, 7-2, picked up the win for BYU. Apana Nakayama hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, good for a team-high of nine on the year. BYU has now swept the season series with Air Force.

BYU started off slow in the first inning as the lead-off man hit a triple off of Craig and then scored on an error. The next two batters hit singles and then Craig settled down striking out two and forcing another Falcon to pop-out to first. Offensively the Cougars were only able to produce a single by Apana Nakayama.

The Cougars got into some trouble in the second as Craig hit the lead-off man and then the next Falcon batter hit a single to give Air Force a man on first and second. BYU was able to bounce back thanks in large part to a diving catch in foul territory by Leon Johnson for a key out that prevented Air Force from bringing any runners in to score. The Cougars went three up three down in the bottom of the inning.

Leon Johnson made another great play for BYU in the fourth as a ball was hit hard back to the left field wall and Johnson tracked the ball down helping the Cougars hold Air Force scoreless in the inning. Kasey Ko hit a lead-off double, but after back to back Cougars struck out, Musso stepped up to the plate and hit a single to score Ko and build the BYU lead to 4-1.

Despite an error in the fifth that led to Air Force getting a man on base, BYU was able to prevent any further damage turning another double play to get out of the inning.

Nakayama delivered fireworks for the fans in the bottom of the fifth as he hit a two-run home run to center. Later in the inning, Kasey Ko hit a single up the middle to bring in Steve Parker to score. A fielding error by Air Force gave BYU two more runs and a commanding 9-1 lead.

BYU added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Walton and Wells coming in to score and make the score 11-1.

Up next BYU will head across town to face Utah Valley State College on Tuesday May 1 in Orem at 7 p.m.

Air Force Academy at Brigham Young Univ.
Apr 28, 2007 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Air Force Academy 2 (7-36,0-17 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DERBIGNY, Chay lf........  5  1  1  0   0  0  2  0   2
RANDHAWA, K.J. ss........  5  0  1  0   0  1  4  1   2
BOLT, Karl rf............  4  0  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
ALEXANDER, Matt dh.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
SALAZAR, Geno 2b.........  3  0  0  0   0  1  3  5   0
 McBRIDE, Tyler ph/2b....  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   0
GENTRY, Addison 1b.......  4  1  2  0   0  1  9  0   2
GRIGGS, Jason 3b.........  3  0  1  1   0  0  0  2   0
MEENTS, Josh c...........  2  0  2  0   0  0  4  2   0
 KELTER, Erol ph/c.......  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   1
HALL, Shea cf............  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   2
PETRO, Jake p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 TEACH, Adam p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 RICHARDSON, Daniel p....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 RUVOLO, Mike p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 PETERSON, Joe p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 36  2 10  1   0  8 24 13   9
Brigham Young Univ. 11 (25-16,10-5 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WALTON, Kent 2b..........  3  3  1  2   1  0  1  4   1
FANNING, Collin rf.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
NAKAYAMA, Apana lf.......  5  1  2  2   0  2  3  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  3  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   1
 FRAMPTON, Chase ph/3b...  0  0  0  0   2  0  0  0   0
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  2  2  1   0  0  6  1   0
 BILLS, Thomas ph/1b.....  2  0  1  1   0  0  3  0   1
WELLS, Stephen cf........  5  1  2  2   0  0  3  0   0
 JOHNSON, Jason dh.......  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 MC KEEVER, Mike ph......  1  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   1
JOHNSON, Leon dh/rf......  4  1  0  0   0  1  2  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  1  2  1   0  0  6  0   0
 GUENTHER, Wes ph/c......  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
HALL, Austin ss..........  4  1  2  0   0  0  1  3   2
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 STAMBAUGH, J.D. p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 PEREZ, Jacob p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 36 11 13  9   4  5 27 10   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Air Force Academy... 100 000 010 -  2 10  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 003 152 00X - 11 13  2
-------------------------------------------
E - RANDHAWA(13); SALAZAR(11); WALTON(12); CRAIG(3). DP - AFA Falcons 1; BYU
Cougars 2. LOB - AFA Falcons 9; BYU Cougars 6. 2B - GENTRY(10); KO(13);
WELLS(6); MUSSO(7). 3B - DERBIGNY(3); WALTON(6). HR - NAKAYAMA(9). HBP -
GRIGGS; MEENTS; WALTON. SB - GRIGGS(10); PARKER(4); JOHNSON, L.(18). CS -
NAKAYAMA(3); WELLS(5).
Air Force Academy      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
PETRO, Jake.........  4.1 10  8  7  1  3 22 23
TEACH, Adam.........  0.2  0  1  0  1  0  3  4
RICHARDSON, Daniel..  0.1  2  2  2  1  1  3  5
RUVOLO, Mike........  1.2  1  0  0  0  0  5  5
PETERSON, Joe.......  1.0  0  0  0  1  1  3  4
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  6.0  8  1  0  0  4 25 27
STAMBAUGH, J.D......  1.0  0  0  0  0  2  3  3
MICHON, Brandon.....  1.0  2  1  1  0  2  5  5
PEREZ, Jacob........  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3
Win - CRAIG (7-2).  Loss - PETRO (3-8).  Save - None.
HBP - by CRAIG (GRIGGS); by CRAIG (MEENTS); by RICHARDSON (WALTON).
Umpires - HP: Blyden Loutensock  1B: Ray Leible  3B: Ron Ridd
Start: 1:03 pm   Time: 2:56   Attendance: 1150
Air Force Academy starters: 5/lf DERBIGNY; 1/ss RANDHAWA; 13/rf BOLT; 30/dh
ALEXANDER; 2/2b SALAZAR; 24/1b GENTRY; 17/3b GRIGGS; 8/c MEENTS; 4/cf HALL; 26/p
PETRO;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 9/2b WALTON; 17/rf FANNING; 24/lf NAKAYAMA; 5/3b
PARKER; 22/1b KO; 1/cf WELLS; 14/dh JOHNSON, L.; 10/c MUSSO; 18/ss HALL; 35/p CRAIG;
Air Force Academy 1st - WELLS to cf for FANNING. JOHNSON, J. to dh for WELLS.
JOHNSON, L. to rf. DERBIGNY tripled to center field, scored on a throwing error by
2b, unearned. RANDHAWA singled up the middle. BOLT singled to left field; RANDHAWA
advanced to second. ALEXANDER struck out swinging. SALAZAR popped up to 1b. GENTRY
struck out swinging. 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - WALTON grounded out to 3b. WELLS flied out to lf.
NAKAYAMA singled to right field. PARKER grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 2nd - GRIGGS hit by pitch. MEENTS singled to left field;
GRIGGS advanced to second. HALL struck out swinging. DERBIGNY fouled out to rf.
RANDHAWA out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - KO grounded out to p. JOHNSON, J. grounded out to
2b. JOHNSON, L. grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force Academy 3rd - BOLT singled up the middle. ALEXANDER grounded into
double play 2b to ss to 1b; BOLT out on the play. SALAZAR grounded out to 2b. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - MUSSO doubled to left field. HALL singled to right
field; MUSSO advanced to third. WALTON tripled to right field, 2 RBI; HALL scored;
MUSSO scored. WELLS singled to second base, RBI; WALTON scored. WELLS out at second
c to ss, caught stealing. NAKAYAMA reached on a fielding error by 2b. NAKAYAMA out
at second c to ss, caught stealing. PARKER struck out swinging. 3 runs, 4 hits, 1
error, 0 LOB.
Air Force Academy 4th - GENTRY flied out to rf. GRIGGS out at first p to ss
to 1b. MEENTS hit by pitch. HALL singled to center field; MEENTS advanced to second.
DERBIGNY grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - KO doubled down the rf line. JOHNSON, J. struck out
swinging. JOHNSON, L. struck out swinging. MUSSO singled to center field, RBI; KO
scored. HALL lined out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 5th - RANDHAWA reached on a fielding error by p. BOLT
grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; RANDHAWA out on the play. ALEXANDER flied
out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - WALTON walked. WELLS grounded out to 2b; WALTON
advanced to second. NAKAYAMA homered to center field, 2 RBI; WALTON scored. PARKER
singled to left field. PARKER stole second. KO singled up the middle, RBI; PARKER
scored. MC KEEVER pinch hit for JOHNSON, J.. TEACH to p for PETRO. MC KEEVER walked;
KO advanced to second. JOHNSON, L. reached on a fielder's choice; MC KEEVER out at
second 2b to ss; KO advanced to third. JOHNSON, L. stole second. MUSSO reached on a
fielding error by ss; JOHNSON, L. scored, unearned; KO scored, unearned. HALL popped
up to 2b. 5 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 6th - SALAZAR struck out swinging. GENTRY singled to
pitcher. GRIGGS flied out to cf. MEENTS singled to left field; GENTRY advanced to
second. HALL flied out to lf. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - RICHARDSON to p for TEACH. WALTON hit by pitch.
WELLS doubled down the rf line, RBI; WALTON scored. NAKAYAMA struck out swinging.
FRAMPTON pinch hit for PARKER. FRAMPTON walked. BILLS pinch hit for KO. BILLS
singled up the middle, RBI; FRAMPTON advanced to second; WELLS scored. RUVOLO to p
for RICHARDSON. MC KEEVER grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; BILLS out on the
play. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 7th - FRAMPTON to 3b. BILLS to 1b. STAMBAUGH to p for
CRAIG. DERBIGNY popped up to 1b. RANDHAWA struck out swinging. BOLT struck out
swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - JOHNSON, L. grounded out to 1b unassisted. GUENTHER
pinch hit for MUSSO. GUENTHER flied out to cf. HALL singled to left field. WALTON
flied out to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 8th - GUENTHER to c. MICHON to p for STAMBAUGH. ALEXANDER
grounded out to 2b. McBRIDE pinch hit for SALAZAR. McBRIDE struck out swinging, out
at first c to 1b. GENTRY doubled to left field. GRIGGS singled to left field, RBI;
GENTRY scored. KELTER pinch hit for MEENTS. GRIGGS stole second. KELTER struck out
looking. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - McBRIDE to 2b. KELTER to c. PETERSON to p for
RUVOLO. WELLS grounded out to ss. NAKAYAMA struck out swinging. FRAMPTON walked.
BILLS reached on a fielder's choice; FRAMPTON out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force Academy 9th - PEREZ to p for MICHON. HALL flied out to cf. DERBIGNY
flied out to lf. RANDHAWA flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Rotation for BYU's starting pitchers has changed as the Cougars ready to host the Air Force Academy this week.

Senior Jesse Craig (6-2, 3.43) will now be pitching on Saturday at 1 p.m.. He had been BYU's lead-off and middle pitcher in previous weeks, but will now return to the Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for games.

The Cougars take their 22-16 record (7-5 in the Mountain West) into this Thursday's three-game homestand against Air Force (7-33 and 0-14) in a contest that has been pushed back one hour to 7 p.m., because of Vice President Dick Cheney's graduation visit.

Cougar Apana Nakayama is the current team member who is graduating this semester. Nakayama, an outfielder, is graduating in sociology. Former BYU baseball players graduating include: Joshua Barrett, communications; Anthony Bingham, political science; Jeff Hiestand, health science; Adrian Molina, sociology; James Platt, exercise science; and Patrick Wells, health science.

Sophomore pitchers Jordan Muir (4-3, 6.38) will start Thursday's game and Jake Wortham (4-4, 5.44), a lefty,will start Friday's game at 6 p.m.

Shortstop Danny Vargas returned to the starting lineup last week after a month's absence from a knee injury. The Cougars are in a third-place tie with Utah in the Mountain West Conference standings.

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