SAN -- Extra innings went San Diego State's way, defeating BYU as it opened league play Thursday with a 5-4 victory in 14 innings.

Cory Vaughn hit a one-out homer to left field for the Aztec victory.

The Aztecs, now 8-7, tied the game in the seventh, four-all, with three runs coming from three bases on balls and two relievers.

BYU had base runners every inning except the eighth when it was retired in order. They had the potential game-winning run in scoring position in four of the final five innings.

The Cougars, now 7-8, loaded the bases in the ninth, but couldn't punch through a run. BYU gambled in the 10th, trying to score Andrew Law off a Dan Vargas double, but Law was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. In the 11th, BYU stranded two runners.

Reliever Blake Torgerson kept BYU in the game as he struck out three Aztecs in order in the combined eighth and ninth innings. Torgie added another strikeout with a runner on to close the ninth to force extra innings. He logged another K to start the 10th frame, struck out the first two in the 11th, the side in order in the 12th and the final two in the 13th for 12 strikeouts.

It was a pitchers' duel through six innings between BYU southpaw Jake Wortham and mainly SDSU righthander Stephen Strasburg, neither of whom got the decision. Wortham threw 106 pitches, while Torgerson threw 94 pitches.

Strasburg, who fanned eight, struck out two Cougars per inning in the first and second. Then in the third he struck out the side after Kent Walton advanced to second on a two-out single with an error from Strasburg. Wortham closed the first, third and fourth innings with a strikeout, ending a scoring threat in the third.

Vargas was responsible for the first two outs of the fourth when he started a double play. Vargas initiated a double play to get the Cougars out of a jam in the second inning.

J.T. Musso hit a two-out double to score Jonathan Cluff and put BYU up 1-0 in the fourth inning. Cluff had gotten on base with a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a stolen base.

In the fifth, BYU got its first two runners on second and third after Vargas singled and advanced to second on an error. Sean McNaughton scored from third on Steve Parker's groundout to first, giving BYU a 2-0 lead.

Brett Tanos hit a two-out solo homer to left field to get the Aztecs on the board in the fifth.

Cluff put BYU up 3-1 in the sixth when he scored from third on a double steal, his second stolen base of the inning, after singling and advancing on an error.

Vargas scored from third to put BYU up 4-1 in the seventh when the Aztec reliever tried a pickoff and his throw went awry at first.

The game was BYU's third extra inning affair of the year, having split a pair at the University of Portland to open the season. Cougars McNaughton, Bryce Ayoso and Cluff each tied the school record with seven at bats in a game.

The two teams meet again on Friday at 6 p.m., PDT, in a game broadcast live locally over 1400 AM KSRR Radio.

Brigham Young at San Diego State
Mar 13, 2008 at San Diego, Calif. (Tony Gwynn Stadium)
Brigham Young 4 (7-8,0-1 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  7  1  1  0   0  3  2  0   1
VARGAS, Dan ss...........  6  1  3  0   1  2  0  4   1
WALTON, Kent cf..........  6  0  2  0   0  1  2  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  6  0  2  1   1  2  1  1   2
AYOSO, Bryce dh..........  7  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  0  0  0   4  1  8  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  7  2  2  0   0  3  4  0   7
MUSSO, J.T. c............  5  0  2  1   1  0 17  0   0
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  5  0  1  0   0  2  6  5   3
 RELF, Brandon ph/2b.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
WORTHAM, Jake p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WARD, Michael p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 TORGERSON, Blake p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 53  4 13  2   7 14 40 11  17
San Diego State 5 (8-7,1-0 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Glover, Brandon cf.......  6  0  1  0   0  2  5  0   1
Hanzawa, Troy ss.........  5  0  0  0   1  1  0  2   0
Romero, Nick 3b..........  6  0  1  0   0  3  1  4   1
Green, Garett 2b.........  5  1  0  0   1  3  1  3   1
Vaughn, Cory rf..........  6  2  3  1   0  1  1  0   0
Johnson, Cameron lf......  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 Castro, Erik ph/c.......  2  1  0  0   1  2  6  0   0
Tanos, Brett dh..........  4  1  2  2   1  1  0  0   0
Ruddy, Bubba c...........  2  0  0  0   0  0  9  0   0
 Colwell, Pat ph/lf......  3  0  1  2   0  2  3  1   1
Willeford, Mike 1b.......  5  0  1  0   0  1 15  0   1
Strasburg, Stephen p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Kaufman, Shane p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 Pullen, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 McLaughlin, James p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Reed, Addison p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 46  5  9  5   4 17 42 12   5
Score by Innings                           R  H  E
--------------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 111 100 000 00 -  4 13  0
San Diego State..... 000 010 300 000 01 -  5  9  4
--------------------------------------------------
Note: 1 out, 0 runners LOB when the game ended.
E - GREEN; RUDDY; STRASBURG; KAUFMAN. DP - BYU 3. LOB - BYU 17; SDSU 5. 2B -
VARGAS; MUSSO. HR - VAUGHN(2); TANOS(1). HBP - MUSSO; LAW. SH - WALTON. SB -
VARGAS; CLUFF 3; MUSSO; LAW 2.
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WORTHAM, Jake.......  6.1  4  3  3  2  5 21 23
WARD, Michael.......  0.0  0  1  1  2  0  0  2
TORGERSON, Blake....  7.0  5  1  1  0 12 25 25
San Diego State        IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Strasburg, Stephen..  6.0  8  3  1  2  8 26 28
Kaufman, Shane......  2.1  2  1  1  2  1  8 11
Pullen, Brandon.....  0.0  0  0  0  1  0  0  1
McLaughlin, James...  2.1  2  0  0  2  1  8 11
Reed, Addison.......  3.1  1  0  0  0  4 11 12
Win - REED (2-0).  Loss - TORGERSON (2-2).  Save - None.
HBP - by MCLAUGHLIN (LAW); by REED (MUSSO). PB - CASTRO.
Umpires - HP: John Ausmus  1B: Blake Jensen  3B: Rich Padilla
Start: 6:05 pm   Time: 4:22   Attendance: 485
WARD faced 2 batters in the 7th.
PULLEN faced 1 batter in the 9th.
Brigham Young starters: 15/lf MCNAUGHTON; 13/ss VARGAS; 9/cf WALTON; 5/3b
PARKER; 11/dh AYOSO; 22/1b KO; 8/rf CLUFF; 10/c MUSSO; 6/2b LAW; 28/p WORTHAM;
San Diego State starters: 24/cf GLOVER; 1/ss HANZAWA; 5/3b ROMERO; 6/2b GREEN;
21/rf VAUGHN; 11/lf JOHNSON,C; 12/dh TANOS; 40/c RUDDY; 9/1b WILLEFORD; 37/p
STRASBURG;
Brigham Young 1st - MCNAUGHTON struck out swinging. VARGAS struck out
looking. WALTON singled up the middle. PARKER grounded out to 1b unassisted.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 1st - GLOVER grounded out to 2b. HANZAWA flied out to
cf. ROMERO struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 2nd - AYOSO flied out to rf. KO struck out swinging. CLUFF
singled up the middle. MUSSO singled to left field; CLUFF advanced to second.
LAW struck out looking. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 2nd - GREEN grounded out to ss. VAUGHN singled to left
center. JOHNSON,C grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; VAUGHN out on the
play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 3rd - MCNAUGHTON struck out looking. VARGAS struck out
swinging. WALTON singled, advanced to second on an error by p. PARKER struck
out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 3rd - TANOS grounded out to 2b. RUDDY grounded out to
2b. WILLEFORD singled through the left side. GLOVER struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 4th - AYOSO flied out to cf. KO walked. CLUFF reached on a
fielder's choice; KO out at second 3b to 2b. CLUFF stole second. MUSSO doubled
to left field, RBI; CLUFF scored. LAW lined out to 1b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 4th - HANZAWA walked. ROMERO grounded into double play
ss to 2b to 1b; HANZAWA out on the play. GREEN struck out swinging. 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 5th - MCNAUGHTON singled up the middle. VARGAS singled,
advanced to second on an error by 2b; MCNAUGHTON advanced to third. WALTON
popped up to 1b. PARKER grounded out to 2b, RBI; VARGAS advanced to third;
MCNAUGHTON scored, unearned. AYOSO grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 5th - VAUGHN lined out to 2b. JOHNSON,C struck out
looking. TANOS homered to left field, RBI. RUDDY flied out to rf. 1 run, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 6th - KO flied out to cf. CLUFF singled to pitcher. CLUFF
stole second, advanced to third on an error by c. MUSSO walked. MUSSO stole
second; CLUFF stole home, unearned. LAW struck out swinging. MCNAUGHTON
grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 6th - WILLEFORD popped up to 2b. GLOVER struck out
swinging. HANZAWA flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 7th - KAUFMAN to p for STRASBURG. VARGAS singled to left
field. VARGAS stole second. WALTON struck out swinging. PARKER singled to left
field; VARGAS advanced to third. PARKER advanced to second on an error by p,
failed pickoff attempt; VARGAS scored. AYOSO grounded out to 2b; PARKER
advanced to third. KO walked. CLUFF flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error,
2 LOB.
San Diego State 7th - ROMERO flied out to lf. GREEN walked. VAUGHN
singled to center field; GREEN advanced to second. WARD to p for WORTHAM.
CASTRO pinch hit for JOHNSON,C. CASTRO walked; VAUGHN advanced to second; GREEN
advanced to third. TANOS walked, RBI; CASTRO advanced to second; VAUGHN
advanced to third; GREEN scored. TORGERSON to p for WARD. COLWELL pinch hit for
RUDDY. COLWELL singled up the middle, 2 RBI; TANOS advanced to second; CASTRO
scored; VAUGHN scored. WILLEFORD grounded into double play p to 3b to 1b; TANOS
out on the play. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 8th - CASTRO to c. COLWELL to lf. MUSSO fouled out to 1b.
LAW lined out to p. MCNAUGHTON grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
San Diego State 8th - GLOVER flied out to lf. HANZAWA lined out to 2b.
ROMERO singled to center field. GREEN struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 9th - VARGAS walked. WALTON grounded out to p, SAC, bunt;
VARGAS advanced to second. PULLEN to p for KAUFMAN. PARKER walked. MCLAUGHLIN
to p for PULLEN. AYOSO grounded out to p; PARKER advanced to second; VARGAS
advanced to third. KO intentionally walked. CLUFF struck out swinging. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
San Diego State 9th - VAUGHN struck out swinging. CASTRO struck out
swinging. TANOS singled up the middle. COLWELL struck out looking. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 10th - MUSSO flied out to lf. LAW hit by pitch. MCNAUGHTON
flied out to lf. VARGAS doubled to left field; LAW advanced to third, out at
home lf to c. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 10th - WILLEFORD struck out swinging. GLOVER lined out
to 2b. HANZAWA flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 11th - WALTON flied out to cf. PARKER singled up the
middle. AYOSO fouled out to 3b. PARKER advanced to second on a passed ball. KO
walked. REED to p for MCLAUGHLIN. CLUFF struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 11th - ROMERO struck out swinging. GREEN struck out
looking. VAUGHN grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 12th - MUSSO grounded out to 3b. LAW singled up the
middle. LAW stole second. MCNAUGHTON struck out swinging; LAW stole third.
VARGAS grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 12th - CASTRO struck out swinging. TANOS struck out
looking. COLWELL struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 13th - WALTON grounded out to ss. PARKER struck out
looking. AYOSO grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 13th - WILLEFORD flied out to rf. GLOVER singled down
the rf line. HANZAWA struck out swinging. ROMERO struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 14th - KO flied out to lf. CLUFF struck out swinging.
MUSSO hit by pitch. RELF pinch hit for LAW. RELF flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 14th - RELF to 2b. GREEN flied out to rf. VAUGHN homered
to left field, RBI. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Both host San Diego State and BYU bring 7-7 records into the start of Mountain West Conference action when the two teams begin a three-game series on Thursday.

The Aztecs were picked third in the preseason MWC poll, while the Cougars were selected second. Thursday and Friday's games will be at 6 p.m. PDT and Saturday's game will be at 1 p.m.

The probable starters for BYU at San Diego on the mound are: Jake Wortham (1-1, 7.66), Jordan Muir (1-1, 2.70) and Tyler Westensee (1-0, 2.45).

The games at San Diego State will be carried live on Radio 1400 AM (KSRR) with Brent Norton calling the action for his 18th season with BYU.

Following the BYU-SDSU series, the Cougars return to host Kansas State in a two-game series which starts on Tuesday.

The second game time of the BYU-Kansas State game (Wed., March 19) has been changed to noon MDT. The second game time of the BYU-Oregon State game (Tues., March 25) has been changed to 1 p.m. MDT.

For more information, please look at the PDF file at the beginning of this article.