ALBUQUERQUE -- Jesse Craig pitched a complete game shutout striking out five for BYU as it beat New Mexico 3-0 on Thursday night.

It was a defensive battle into the eighth with the teams deadlocked at 0-0. BYU (27-16, 11-5) started that inning with a lead off single courtesy of Leon Johnson, followed with a single by J.T. Musso that moved Johnson into scoring position. Shortstop Dan Vargas then loaded the bases by reaching on a fielder's choice.

"J.T.'s was actually a sacrifice situation, but they threw a fastball down the middle and he hit a line drive," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "They elected to get Johnson at third which was a mistake (on Vargas' bunt). One run was all we needed tonight with Jesse (Craig) on the mound."

Kent Walton was up next and hit a sacrifice fly to bring the runner in and give BYU the 1-0 edge.

The sudden offensive outburst knocked New Mexico's starting pitcher Stephen Smith out of the game. The next pitcher Bobby Moore walked two, the final walk bringing Musso in to score and make the lead 2-0.

In the ninth BYU added another run on a Vargas triple that brought Stephen Wells in to score and give BYU the 3-0 lead.

Johnson went 2-for-4 in the game along with scoring a run. Craig moves to 8-2 with the win.

"Jesse is such a kind guy off the field and is such a competitor when he takes the rubber," said Law. "He just handled (Jordan) Pacheco in that last at bat."

Jordan Pacheco got two of the Lobo's three hits off Craig during the game, but popped up to first base to end the game with a runner on second.

BYU was retired in order in the first two innings as the New Mexico (21-24, 7-9) defense held strong turning two double-plays. Luckily for the Cougars Craig was pitching well and did not give up any runs in that span.

In the third BYU was once again retired in order. In the fourth Walton finally got on base for the Cougars as he hit a lead off double to center field. He would advance to third on a fielder's choice, but BYU wasn't able to bring him as the score remained 0-0. The BYU defense aided by a double play retired the New Mexico side in the bottom frame.

With a man on first and third with one out in the fifth BYU was caught trying to steal home, resulting in Johnson advancing to second, but now the Cougars were down to their last out. Musso was up next and couldn't deliver as he struck out swinging.

Craig continued to look strong as he struck out two and forced another Lobo to ground out in the fifth.

New Mexico countered in the sixth with its ace Smith striking out the side in order, giving him nine strikeouts.

With the win, the Cougars extended their current winning streak to five games. This is their third streak this season of five or more wins. Their longest streak of the season is six games.

BYU and New Mexico face off again on Friday at 6 p.m. The Cougars' Jordan Muir (5-3, 5.84) will be up against the Lobos' Bobby LaFromboise (5-2, 3.32).

BYU at NEW MEXICO
May 03, 2007 at Albuquerque, N.M. (Isotopes Park)
BYU 3 (27-16,11-5)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WALTON, Kent 2b..........  4  0  1  1   0  2  2  4   1
FANNING, Collin rf.......  3  0  0  0   1  2  2  0   0
NAKAYAMA, Apana lf.......  3  0  0  0   1  0  2  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  1  0  0  1   3  0  0  0   1
KO, Kasey 1b.............  4  0  0  0   0  1 12  0   3
WELLS, Stephen cf........  4  1  2  0   0  1  2  0   1
JOHNSON, Leon dh.........  4  1  2  0   0  0  0  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  4  1  1  0   0  2  5  2   1
VARGAS, Dan ss...........  4  0  1  1   0  2  2  6   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 31  3  7  3   5 10 27 14   7
NEW MEXICO 0 (21-24,7-9)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
FOOTE cf.................  2  0  0  0   1  0  4  0   0
RUSSELL lf...............  4  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   1
PACHECO 2b...............  4  0  2  0   0  0  0  4   1
STOVALL 1b...............  3  0  0  0   0  0  7  2   1
HIBBITTS dh..............  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HOLLICK 3b...............  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
MCDONALD c...............  3  0  0  0   0  0 12  1   0
COURCHA rf...............  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
GRACEY ss................  3  0  0  0   0  0  3  2   0
SMITH, S p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 MOORE p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WATKINS p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 28  0  3  0   1  5 27 11   3
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 021 -  3  7  2
NEW MEXICO.......... 000 000 000 -  0  3  0
-------------------------------------------
E - PARKER(13); VARGAS(9). DP - BYU 3; LOBOS 2. LOB - BYU 7; LOBOS 3. 2B -
WALTON(15); WELLS(7). 3B - VARGAS(3). SH - FOOTE(5). SF - WALTON(5). SB -
WELLS(2); FOOTE(25).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  9.0  3  0  0  1  5 28 30
NEW MEXICO             IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SMITH, S............  7.2  5  2  2  3  9 25 29
MOORE...............  0.0  0  0  0  2  0  0  2
WATKINS.............  1.1  2  1  1  0  1  6  6
Win - CRAIG (8-2).  Loss - SMITH, S (5-7).  Save - None.
Umpires - HP: Jason Rogers  1B: Gus Rodriguez  3B: Ryan West
Start: 6:07 pm   Time: 2:31   Attendance: 255
Game notes:
ID-484183
MOORE faced 2 batters in the 8th.
BYU 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; 13/ss VARGAS; 35/p CRAIG;
NEW MEXICO starters: 12/cf FOOTE; 3/lf RUSSELL; 1/2b PACHECO; 34/1b STOVALL; 15/dh
HIBBITTS; 10/3b HOLLICK; 19/c MCDONALD; 2/rf COURCHA; 7/ss GRACEY; 23/p SMITH, S;
BYU 1st - WALTON struck out swinging. FANNING walked. NAKAYAMA grounded into
double play p to ss to 1b; FANNING out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
NEW MEXICO 1st - FOOTE grounded out to p. RUSSELL struck out swinging.
PACHECO singled up the middle. STOVALL grounded out to c. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - PARKER walked. KO grounded into double play 1b to ss to 1b; PARKER
out on the play. WELLS struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 2nd - HIBBITTS flied out to rf. HOLLICK singled through the right
side. MCDONALD grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; HOLLICK out on the play.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - JOHNSON, L. grounded out to 2b. MUSSO struck out swinging. VARGAS
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 3rd - COURCHA flied out to cf. GRACEY out at first p to ss to 1b.
FOOTE walked. FOOTE stole second. RUSSELL flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - WALTON doubled to center field. FANNING struck out looking.
NAKAYAMA grounded out to 2b; WALTON advanced to third. PARKER flied out to cf to
left center. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 4th - PACHECO singled up the middle. STOVALL flied out to rf.
HIBBITTS grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; PACHECO out on the play. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - KO grounded out to 2b. WELLS doubled to left center. JOHNSON, L.
singled to pitcher; WELLS advanced to third. JOHNSON, L. advanced to second on the
throw; WELLS out at home p to 1b to c. MUSSO struck out swinging. 0 runs, 2 hits,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 5th - HOLLICK struck out swinging. MCDONALD grounded out to ss.
COURCHA struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - VARGAS struck out swinging. WALTON struck out swinging. FANNING
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 6th - GRACEY lined out to ss. FOOTE grounded out to 2b. RUSSELL
flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - NAKAYAMA grounded out to 2b. PARKER walked. KO grounded out to c;
PARKER advanced to second. WELLS flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
NEW MEXICO 7th - PACHECO reached on an error by 3b. STOVALL grounded into
double play ss to 2b to 1b; PACHECO out on the play. HIBBITTS grounded out to ss.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - JOHNSON, L. singled up the middle. MUSSO singled to left field;
JOHNSON, L. advanced to second. VARGAS reached on a fielder's choice; MUSSO advanced
to second; JOHNSON, L. advanced to third. WALTON flied out to cf to right center,
SF, RBI; JOHNSON, L. scored. FANNING fouled out to c. MOORE to p for SMITH, S.
NAKAYAMA walked; VARGAS advanced to second; MUSSO advanced to third. PARKER walked,
RBI; NAKAYAMA advanced to second; VARGAS advanced to third; MUSSO scored. WATKINS to
p for MOORE. KO struck out swinging. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 8th - HOLLICK flied out to cf. MCDONALD fouled out to 1b. COURCHA
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 9th - WELLS singled to pitcher. WELLS stole second. JOHNSON, L. popped up
to ss. MUSSO flied out to cf. VARGAS tripled to right field, RBI; WELLS scored.
WALTON flied out to lf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
NEW MEXICO 9th - GRACEY reached on an error by ss. FOOTE grounded out to c,
SAC, bunt; GRACEY advanced to second. RUSSELL struck out swinging. PACHECO popped up
to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

A bus trip to New Mexico brings a three-game series starting for BYU's second-place baseball team.

The Cougars, 26-16 overall and 10-5 in the Mountain West Conference, take on New Mexico, 21-23 and 7-8.

Facing off in Thursday's game at 6 p.m., will be BYU's Jesse Craig (7-2, 3.20) against the Lobos' Stephen Smith (5-6, 7.31). Friday's game, also at 6 p.m., has Cougar Jordan Muir (5-3, 5.84) against Bobby LaFromboise (5-2, 3.32). Saturday's game at 1 p.m., features lefties Jake Wortham (5-4, 5.08) for BYU and Jacob Norton (4-6, 6.28) for UNM.

BYU got good news with Collin Fanning returning to the lineup. The team's number two base-stealer missed last Saturday's game with a possible hairline fracture, which was later determined to be a shin splint. However, utility player Jason Johnson is out indefinitely following a surgical procedure this week from an injury in practice.

All of this week's games can be heard live locally on KOVO (960 AM) radio.

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