Another Comeback For Sweep Of AFA

PROVO -- In another comeback game the BYU baseball team finished a three-game series sweep Saturday afternoon against Air Force, beating the Falcons 10-5.

The Cougars are now 12-10 on the season and 3-3 in the Mountain West Conference. BYU outplayed its opponent with 12 hits and 9 RBI. First baseman Kasey Ko hit the game-winning RBI in the seventh to solidify the Cougar victory.

"Our guys are playing with a great deal of confidence right now, and things worked out in our favor today," said BYU head coach Vance Law.

The game got underway late in the third inning as centerfielder Kent Walton hit a single to shallow right field, which allowed shortstop Brandon Relf to advance to third base. Relf then stole home to score the first run of the game, when a wild pitch got behind the Falcons'catcher.

The Cougars went on to score in the fourth inning when Musso hit a two-run RBI double down the third base line making it a 3-0 game against the Falcons.

At the top of the fifth, with Air Force at one out, BYU turned a grounder to shortstop into a double-play to end the inning and keeping the Falcons to only two hits on the game in the fifth. Leading off for the Cougars, Relf hit an inside the park homerun, the only hit of the inning for BYU, to make the Cougars lead 4-0.

The Falcons got their first run of the game early in the sixth inning, scoring off an error by the Cougars. Air Force went on to score two more runs, making it a 4-3 game. With no outs the Josh Meents hit a stand-up double to right field to score two more runs and take the 5-4 lead over the Cougars. With no outs and two on base relief pitcher Blake Torgeson came in to help shut down the Falcons' momentum.

BYU responded offensively when designated hitter Bryce Ayoso scored off a sacrifice fly, hit by McNaughton, to tie the game 5-5 at the end of the sixth.

A single hit by Ko in the seventh inning allowed Kent Walton to score and take the lead. The Cougars finished the inning leading the Falcons 10-5.

"Regaining the lead always pumps me up," Law said. "Even when Air Force Scored five runs I felt we would be able to bounce back, and that's what we did. This is a game we needed to have to help pull us for next week."

The Cougars will next face two-time defending national champion Oregon State early next week. The games will take place at Miller Park on Monday at 3 p.m. and Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Torgerson said the team is excited and looking forward to the series against the Beavers.

"The home crowd really gets us going," Torgerson said. "We have built some confidence at home for our hitters and pitchers. We feel that we can beat about anyone."

Air Force at Brigham Young Univ.
Mar 22, 2008 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Air Force 5 (7-12,0-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Nathan 2b........  3  1  1  0   1  1  1  2   0
RANDHAWA, K.J. ss........  3  1  1  0   0  0  1  2   0
DERBIGNY, Chay rf........  4  1  1  2   0  0  3  0   0
GENTRY, Addison 1b.......  4  0  1  2   0  0  6  0   1
ALEXANDER, Matt dh.......  4  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
ALLEN, Jake cf...........  2  0  0  0   1  0  3  0   0
 McBRIDE, Tyler ph.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
WALKER, Daniel lf........  3  0  0  0   0  1  5  0   0
MEENTS, Josh c...........  3  1  1  0   0  0  3  1   0
 MAYO, Parker c..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
McMAHON, Jon 3b..........  3  1  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
MILLER, David p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARATTINO, Matt p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ABT, Jeff p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 RUVOLO, Michael p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 LASWELL, Gregg p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 30  5  5  4   2  2 24  6   1
Brigham Young Univ. 10 (12-10,3-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  0  1  3   0  1  5  0   2
RELF, Brandon ss.........  3  2  2  1   2  0  3  1   1
WALTON, Kent cf..........  4  1  2  0   1  1  6  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   3
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  2  1  1   2  0  8  1   2
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  2  2  0   0  0  0  0   1
AYOSO, Bryce dh..........  2  2  0  0   1  1  0  0   0
 HERMOSILLO, Kiko ph.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  0  2  3   0  0  2  2   0
 NACAPOY, Chad c/ph......  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  4  1  1  1   1  0  1  4   2
AMERSON, Sean p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 TORGERSON, Blake p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 34 10 12  9   7  3 27 11  11
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Air Force........... 000 005 000 -  5  5  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 001 211 50X - 10 12  1
-------------------------------------------
E - RANDHAWA(7); RELF(3). DP - BYU Cougars 1. LOB - AF 1; BYU Cougars 11. 2B
- GENTRY(5); MEENTS(1); MUSSO(4). HR - RELF(1). HBP - RANDHAWA; PARKER;
AYOSO. SF - MCNAUGHTON(2); MUSSO(2). SB - MCNAUGHTON(11); CLUFF(11);
AYOSO(7). CS - CARTER(3); ALEXANDER(1); WALTON(1).
Air Force              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MILLER, David.......  5.0  4  5  5  6  3 18 25
BARATTINO, Matt.....  1.1  4  3  3  0  0  7  8
ABT, Jeff...........  0.1  3  2  2  0  0  3  5
RUVOLO, Michael.....  1.0  1  0  0  1  0  5  6
LASWELL, Gregg......  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
AMERSON, Sean.......  5.0  4  5  4  2  1 18 21
TORGERSON, Blake....  3.0  1  0  0  0  1  9  9
MICHON, Brandon.....  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3
Win - TORGERSON (3-2).  Loss - BARATTINO (0-2).  Save - None.
WP - MILLER, D.(3); ABT 2(2). HBP - by MILLER, D. (PARKER); by AMERSON
(RANDHAWA); by ABT (AYOSO). BK - TORGERSON(1).
Umpires - HP: Lew Carleton  1B: Wes Hamilton  3B: John Cortez
Start: 1:03 pm   Time: 2:39   Attendance: 1229
Game notes:
Monday's game is at 3 p.m., not 2 p.m.
AMERSON faced 5 batters in the 6th.
MILLER, D. faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Air Force starters: 15/2b CARTER; 1/ss RANDHAWA; 5/rf DERBIGNY; 24/1b GENTRY;
21/dh ALEXANDER; 4/cf ALLEN, J.; 2/lf WALKER; 8/c MEENTS; 20/3b McMAHON; 23/p
MILLER, D.;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 15/lf MCNAUGHTON; 4/ss RELF; 9/cf WALTON; 5/3b
PARKER; 22/1b KO; 8/rf CLUFF; 11/dh AYOSO; 10/c MUSSO; 6/2b LAW; 25/p AMERSON;
Air Force 1st - CARTER grounded out to 2b. RANDHAWA singled to center
field. DERBIGNY flied out to cf. GENTRY grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - MCNAUGHTON struck out swinging. RELF walked.
WALTON flied out to cf. PARKER hit by pitch; RELF advanced to second. KO flied
out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - ALEXANDER grounded out to 2b. ALLEN, J. out at first 1b
to p. WALKER struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - CLUFF flied out to rf. AYOSO grounded out to
ss. MUSSO fouled out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 3rd - MEENTS flied out to cf. McMAHON grounded out to 3b.
CARTER singled to left field. CARTER out at second c to ss, caught stealing.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - LAW popped up to ss. MCNAUGHTON grounded out
to 2b. RELF walked. WALTON singled to right field; RELF advanced to third.
WALTON advanced to second; RELF scored on a wild pitch. WALTON out at third c
to 3b, caught stealing. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 4th - RANDHAWA flied out to lf. DERBIGNY popped up to ss.
GENTRY flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - PARKER grounded out to 2b. KO walked. CLUFF
singled up the middle; KO advanced to second. AYOSO struck out swinging. MUSSO
doubled down the lf line, 2 RBI; CLUFF scored; KO scored. LAW walked.
MCNAUGHTON flied out to cf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 5th - ALEXANDER flied out to lf. ALLEN, J. walked. WALKER
grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; ALLEN, J. out on the play. 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - RELF homered to left field, RBI. WALTON struck
out looking. PARKER grounded out to 1b unassisted. KO walked. CLUFF reached on
a fielder's choice; KO out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 6th - MEENTS doubled to center field. McMAHON reached on a
throwing error by ss, advanced to second; MEENTS scored. CARTER walked.
RANDHAWA hit by pitch; CARTER advanced to second; McMAHON advanced to third.
DERBIGNY singled to center field, 2 RBI; RANDHAWA advanced to second; CARTER
scored; McMAHON scored, unearned. TORGERSON to p for AMERSON. DERBIGNY advanced
to second; RANDHAWA advanced to third on a balk. GENTRY doubled to right field,
2 RBI; DERBIGNY scored; RANDHAWA scored. ALEXANDER reached on a fielder's
choice; GENTRY out at third p to 3b. ALEXANDER out at second c to ss, caught
stealing. ALLEN, J. grounded out to 2b. 5 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - AYOSO walked. BARATTINO to p for MILLER, D..
AYOSO stole second. MUSSO singled, bunt; AYOSO advanced to third. LAW popped up
to rf. MCNAUGHTON flied out to lf, SF, RBI; MUSSO advanced to second; AYOSO
scored. RELF fouled out to lf. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 7th - WALKER flied out to cf. MEENTS flied out to cf. McMAHON
grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - MAYO to c for MEENTS. WALTON singled to center
field. PARKER grounded out to 1b unassisted; WALTON advanced to second. KO
singled to left field, RBI; WALTON scored. CLUFF singled through the right
side; KO advanced to third. ABT to p for BARATTINO. CLUFF stole second. AYOSO
hit by pitch. MUSSO flied out to lf, SF, RBI; CLUFF advanced to third; KO
scored. LAW singled through the left side, RBI; AYOSO advanced to second; CLUFF
scored. LAW advanced to second; AYOSO advanced to third on a wild pitch.
MCNAUGHTON singled through the left side, 2 RBI; LAW scored; AYOSO scored.
MCNAUGHTON stole second. RELF singled to shortstop; MCNAUGHTON advanced to
third. RELF advanced to second on a wild pitch. RUVOLO to p for ABT. WALTON
walked. PARKER flied out to lf. 5 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Air Force 8th - CARTER struck out looking. RANDHAWA flied out to cf.
DERBIGNY flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - KO flied out to cf. CLUFF grounded out to 3b.
HERMOSILLO pinch hit for AYOSO. HERMOSILLO reached on a throwing error by ss.
NACAPOY to c for MUSSO. NACAPOY pinch hit. NACAPOY singled to left field;
HERMOSILLO advanced to second. LASWELL to p for RUVOLO. LAW flied out to lf.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Air Force 9th - NACAPOY to c. MICHON to p for TORGERSON. GENTRY grounded
out to 1b unassisted. ALEXANDER flied out to lf. McBRIDE pinch hit for ALLEN,
J.. McBRIDE flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.