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PROVO -- With BYU’s 8-4 victory over UNLV at Larry H. Miller Field on Friday, the Cougars move to first place contention in the Mountain West Conference.

Technically, Air Force is in first place with a 1-0 record after beating defending champion TCU on Friday, but the Cougars improved to a 10-11 overall record and a 3-2 league mark.

The Cougars held the Rebels to no runs in the last two innings as they took the victory in the second-of-the-three-game series. With the loss, the Rebels are now 0-2 in league play and 14-10 overall.

“I couldn’t be more excited for these guys after tonight,” said BYU head coach Vance Law. “They’ve worked really hard for this. To me it’s been a long time since we had a complete game here. Our defense was great tonight and we were able to come out on top.”

Senior Sean McNaughton led the Cougars with two hits in five at-bats. Pitcher Matthew Neil threw his first complete game as a Cougar with seven strikeouts, one walk and threw 124 pitches.

The first inning remained fairly quiet for both teams until BYU got to the plate in the bottom of the inning. Junior Ryan Bernal tripled to left field, scoring both Alex Wolfe and Bryce Ayoso from second and first and second, respectively, to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Chase Frampton hit a single followed by Stephen Wells taking the walk from UNLV pitcher Chad Nading and giving the Cougars runners on first and second. Next up to bat was Sean McNaughton who hit a single to load the bases. A sacrifice fly ball by Brandon Relf was caught by UNLV centerfielder but scored Frampton as BYU increased its lead, 3-0.

The Cougar defense kept the Rebels scoreless through the top of the fourth inning until Scott Berke for the Rebels singled to bring home his teammates waiting on second and third, narrowing the gap, 3-2.

But the Cougars wouldn’t let UNLV stay close for long as they went on to score three more runs in the bottom of the fourth and put them back at a comfortable 6-2 advantage.

The Rebels ended a drought with two runs in the seventh while the Cougars found themselves unable to score, keeping the advantage at 6-4 with BYU as it headed into the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Relf doubled deep to hit the centerfield fence.

He advanced to third and scored on a wild pitch. Teammate Ayoso homered on full count as the next hitter to put the Cougars up 8-4 heading into the ninth.

“I know our guys will come out ready to play tomorrow again,” Law said. “They won’t give anything less than their best.”

The Cougars will play their last game of the three game series against UNLV on Saturday at Miller Field at 1 p.m.

UNLV at BYU
Mar 26, 2010 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
UNLV 4 (14-10,0-2 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
THOMAS, Cash rf..........  4  0  0  0   0  1  3  0   0
FRIERSON, Jarred cf......  3  1  1  0   1  1  3  0   0
BEUERLEIN, Drew 1b.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  5  1   0
BAYARDI, Brandon lf......  4  2  2  0   0  0  3  1   0
KRETCHMER, Kyle dh.......  4  0  1  2   0  2  0  0   0
FEINER, Travis 2b........  4  1  1  0   0  1  3  3   1
CLARK, Nolan c...........  3  0  1  0   0  0  4  0   0
ARNOLD, RJ 3b............  4  0  2  1   0  1  0  1   0
JIMENEZ, Richie ss.......  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  4   4
SINGER, Stephen p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 NADING, Chad p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 LEE, Jared p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 34  4  8  3   1  7 24 11   5
BYU 8 (10-11,3-2 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  5  0  2  0   0  0  0  0   2
RELF, Brandon ss/2b......  4  2  2  1   0  0  1  8   0
WOLFE, Alex 3b...........  4  1  2  1   1  1  1  0   2
AYOSO, Bryce c...........  3  2  2  1   1  0  7  0   0
BERNAL, Ryan 1b..........  4  0  2  2   1  1 11  1   2
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   4
FRAMPTON, Chase dh.......  4  1  2  0   0  0  0  0   0
 GUENTHER, Wes dh........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
NIELSEN, Dane 2b.........  3  1  1  0   0  1  1  3   0
 HALL, Austin ss.........  2  0  0  0   0  0  2  3   2
WELLS, Stephen cf........  2  1  1  1   2  0  1  0   0
NEIL, Matthew p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 37  8 15  6   5  4 27 15  12
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 000 200 200 -  4  8  4
BYU................. 210 300 02X -  8 15  1
-------------------------------------------
E - FEINER, T. 2(4); JIMENEZ, R. 2(7); WOLFE(6). DP - LV 2; Cougars 2. LOB -
LV 5; Cougars 12. 2B - BAYARDI, B.(10); FEINER, T.(4); RELF(5); BERNAL(3).
3B - BAYARDI, B.(3). HR - AYOSO(4). HBP - CLARK, Nolan; AYOSO. SF - RELF(1).
SB - RELF(2).
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SINGER, Stephen.....  3.2  9  6  2  2  2 19 22
NADING, Chad........  3.2  4  2  2  3  2 14 18
LEE, Jared..........  0.2  2  0  0  0  0  4  4
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
NEIL, Matthew.......  9.0  8  4  3  1  7 34 36
Win - NEIL (3-2).  Loss - SINGER, S. (1-3).  Save - None.
WP - NADING, Chad(2). HBP - by NADING, Chad (AYOSO); by NEIL (CLARK, Nolan).
Umpires - HP: Ray Leible  1B: Asa Howard  3B: Kevin Daughterty
Start: 6:32 pm   Time: 2:49   Attendance: 630
Weather: windy,flurries, 41 degrees
Game: BY-LV2
Play-by-Play
                               2010 BYU Baseball
                           UNLV at BYU - Play-by-Play
               Mar 26, 2010 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 000 200 200 -  4  8  4
BYU................. 210 300 02X -  8 15  1
-------------------------------------------
UNLV starters: 40/rf THOMAS, Cash; 6/cf FRIERSON, J.; 9/1b BEUERLEIN, D; 24/lf
BAYARDI, B.; 36/dh KRETCHMER; 20/2b FEINER, T.; 21/c CLARK, Nolan; 2/3b ARNOLD,
RJ; 5/ss JIMENEZ, R.; 33/p SINGER, S.;
BYU starters: 15/lf McNAUGHTON; 4/ss RELF; 18/3b WOLFE; 11/c AYOSO; 10/1b
BERNAL; 8/rf CLUFF; 30/dh FRAMPTON; 16/2b NIELSEN; 5/cf WELLS; 36/p NEIL;
UNLV 1st - THOMAS, Cash grounded out to 2b. FRIERSON, J. struck out
looking. BEUERLEIN, D struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON flied out to lf. RELF singled, out at second lf to
ss to 2b. WOLFE singled to shortstop. AYOSO reached on a fielding error by ss;
WOLFE advanced to second. BERNAL doubled to left center, advanced to third, 2
RBI; AYOSO scored, unearned; WOLFE scored, unearned. CLUFF fouled out to rf.
2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
UNLV 2nd - BAYARDI, B. lined out to 3b. KRETCHMER struck out swinging.
FEINER, T. grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - FRAMPTON singled to center field. NIELSEN struck out swinging.
WELLS walked; FRAMPTON advanced to second. McNAUGHTON singled to pitcher; WELLS
advanced to second; FRAMPTON advanced to third. RELF flied out to cf, SF, RBI;
McNAUGHTON advanced to second; WELLS advanced to third; FRAMPTON scored. WOLFE
struck out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 3rd - CLARK, Nolan grounded out to ss. ARNOLD, RJ singled to left
field. JIMENEZ, R. grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; ARNOLD, RJ out on
the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - AYOSO walked. BERNAL grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b;
AYOSO out on the play. CLUFF flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
UNLV 4th - THOMAS, Cash grounded out to p unassisted. FRIERSON, J.
singled to second base. BEUERLEIN, D flied out to cf. BAYARDI, B. doubled to
right field; FRIERSON, J. advanced to third. KRETCHMER singled to center field,
2 RBI; BAYARDI, B. scored; FRIERSON, J. scored. FEINER, T. struck out looking.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - FRAMPTON flied out to lf. NIELSEN singled, advanced to second
on a fielding error by ss. WELLS singled to right field, RBI; NIELSEN scored.
McNAUGHTON grounded out to 2b; WELLS advanced to second. RELF reached on a
throwing error by 2b; WELLS scored, unearned. RELF stole second. WOLFE singled
to right field, RBI; RELF scored, unearned. AYOSO singled to left field; WOLFE
advanced to second. NADING, Chad to p for SINGER, S.. BERNAL walked; AYOSO
advanced to second; WOLFE advanced to third. CLUFF struck out looking. 3
runs, 4 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB.
UNLV 5th - CLARK, Nolan flied out to rf. ARNOLD, RJ struck out swinging.
JIMENEZ, R. grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - FRAMPTON flied out to rf. NIELSEN out at first 1b to p. WELLS
popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 6th - RELF to 2b. HALL to ss for NIELSEN. THOMAS, Cash struck out
looking. FRIERSON, J. grounded out to 2b. BEUERLEIN, D grounded out to 2b. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - McNAUGHTON singled to left field. RELF grounded into double
play 2b to ss to 1b; McNAUGHTON out on the play. WOLFE walked. AYOSO hit by
pitch; WOLFE advanced to second. BERNAL struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 7th - BAYARDI, B. tripled to right field. KRETCHMER struck out
swinging. FEINER, T. reached on a fielding error by 3b; BAYARDI, B. scored.
CLARK, Nolan singled to right field; FEINER, T. advanced to third. ARNOLD, RJ
reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; CLARK, Nolan out at second 1b to ss;
FEINER, T. scored, unearned. JIMENEZ, R. reached on a fielder's choice; ARNOLD,
RJ out at second ss to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - CLUFF grounded out to ss. FRAMPTON singled to left field. HALL
reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b;
FRAMPTON out at second 3b to 2b. WELLS walked. McNAUGHTON flied out to cf. 0
runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
UNLV 8th - THOMAS, Cash grounded out to 2b. FRIERSON, J. walked.
BEUERLEIN, D grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; FRIERSON, J. out on the
play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - RELF doubled to right center. WOLFE flied out to lf; RELF
advanced to third. RELF scored on a wild pitch. AYOSO homered to center field,
RBI. LEE, Jared to p for NADING, Chad. BERNAL singled to center field. CLUFF
singled to left field; BERNAL advanced to second. GUENTHER to dh for FRAMPTON.
GUENTHER flied out to cf; BERNAL advanced to third. HALL grounded out to p.
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 9th - BAYARDI, B. flied out to rf. KRETCHMER grounded out to ss.
FEINER, T. doubled to left field. CLARK, Nolan hit by pitch. ARNOLD, RJ singled
to left field; CLARK, Nolan advanced to second; FEINER, T. advanced to third.
JIMENEZ, R. grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Home again, this time it is BYU’s baseball team’s first league games in Provo as it hosts UNLV in a three-game series starting Thursday.

BYU, 8-11 overall and 1-2 in Mountain West Conference action, hosts UNLV, 14-8, in the Rebels’ first league games.

The probable BYU pitching rotation will be freshman Chris Capper (1-0, 2.16) and sophomore Matthew Neil (2-2, 5.62) for Thursday and Friday’s games which both start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s likely pitcher for the Cougars at Miller Park will be freshman Chunner Nyberg (0-2, 10.12) with a start time of 1 p.m.

The Cougars are fresh off a 5-4 upset over then No. 4 TCU in the final game against the MWC defending champion. Among those to keep an eye on are senior Sean McNaughton, who leads the team with a 12-game hitting streak.

The confines of Miller Park proved friendly earlier this month when BYU won two of three games against Washington. In that three-game series with Washington, the Cougars improved their batting average from .299 to .329 and Alex Wolfe ended up being named the West Region Player of the Week and MWC Player of the Week when he belted three of BYU’s eight homers in that series.