PROVO -- In the final of a three-game series versus No. 10 TCU, the BYU Cougars' long ball came up just short Saturday afternoon in 11 innings at Larry H. Miller Field.

“This was the kind of game that will only make us better as a team,” BYU head coach Vance Law said following the contest. “I was really pleased that we didn’t fold up after two terrible loses to this team previously and I thought we did extremely well today.”

Freshman pitcher Chris Capper and the BYU defense held the Horned Frogs scoreless through five innings while Alex Wolfe hit two home runs for the Cougars. Catcher Bryce Ayoso also scored two runs for BYU.

Still, the Cougars were unable to defeat conference leader TCU despite having the Horned Frogs on the ropes late in the game. Four BYU pitchers saw the field over the course of 11 innings.

After being defeated 12-1 on Friday, the Cougars came out surprisingly confidently in game three. With bases loaded BYU made a double play to send TCU to the field. The Horned Frogs returned the favor by making a double play of their own early in the bottom of the first inning to end the first with both teams scoreless.

The second and third innings ended the same way with neither team scoring.

Capper struck out two straight hitters in the fourth to lead the Cougar defense to prevent TCU from scoring once again.

As BYU headed to the plate, Dane Nielsen hit a fly ball that was caught for an out. However, on the following play Wolfe, whose home run was the lone Cougar run Friday, hit a home run to give BYU its first lead in the game and the series, 1-0. That belt tied Wolfe for the team lead for home runs this season.

In the fifth inning, Capper continued to hold TCU scoreless. The Horned Frogs finally found themselves on the scoreboard in the sixth as TCU lead hitter, Bryan Holaday, doubled off the wall and eventually scored off a Matt Curry double to tie the game at 1-1. A single later in the inning gave TCU its first lead of the game at 2-1. A 6-4-3 double play by the Cougars ended the Horned Frog’s turn at bat. BYU was held scoreless in the inning.

The seventh inning brought another run for TCU which in turn brought a new pitcher into the game for BYU as Kevin Sloan replaced Capper on the mound. Sloan struck out the first batter to take the plate but the second batter’s hit brought another run for TCU to give the Horned Frogs a 4-1 lead. Mark Anderson made another impressive sliding catch to end TCU’s reign at bat. The inning brought successful hitting for the Cougars which led to a Bryce Ayoso run to bring the score to 4-2.

In the first pitch of the eighth inning, the Horned Frog’s Curry hit a homer over the fence to give TCU a three run advantage. The Horned Frogs had little success the remainder of their time at bat. BYU refused to be defeated easily, as Stephen Wells hit a solo home run of his own to bring the Cougars within two runs of TCU with the score 5-3.

Both teams brought in relief pitchers late in the game to close the game. Tyler Lockwood came into the game for TCU but in his first inning on the mound, Lockwood gave up a home run as Wolfe retraced his previous home run to bring the score to 5-4. An 8-6-3-5 play after a hit by Ryan Bernal brought Ayoso home and tied the game at 5-5.

The eighth and ninth innings were scoreless for both teams. In the tenth Brandon Relf caught a fly ball and threw it home to prevent TCU from scoring. However, Relf overthrew Ayoso as the ball sailed over Ayoso’s head and the Horned Frogs scored to take a 6-5 lead.

As the Cougars took the plate for the final time, Wolfe led off for BYU and after four balls Wolfe walked to first. Wolfe would be the only Cougar to take base in the final inning.

The Cougars will return to action Thursday in the Deseret Duel against the University of Utah. The game will begin at 6:30 in Miller Park.

#10 TCU Horned Frogs at BYU
Apr 17, 2010 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
TCU Horned Frogs 6 (27-7,8-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RIVERA, Brance rf/cf.....  4  0  1  0   1  2  2  0   1
HOLADAY, Bryan c.........  6  1  3  1   0  0  7  0   0
COATS, Jason lf..........  5  0  0  0   1  0  2  0   2
CURRY, Matt 1b...........  4  2  2  2   1  0 13  3   2
ELANDER, Josh dh.........  4  0  2  1   1  1  0  0   2
FEATHERSTON, Taylor ss...  4  0  0  0   1  1  3  3   0
PENA, Jerome 2b..........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  5   0
SCHULTZ, Aaron cf/3b.....  4  1  1  0   1  0  1  2   2
WITTE, Jantzen 3b........  4  1  1  1   0  1  1  3   0
 PHARR, Jimmie ph........  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 VonTUNGELN, Kyle pr/cf..  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JORDAN, Zac rf..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MAXWELL, Steven p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 LOCKWOOD, Tyler p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MERCK, Kaleb p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 40  6 11  5   6  6 33 18   9
BYU 5 (16-19,4-8 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RELF, Brandon ss.........  5  0  0  0   0  2  0  4   0
NIELSEN, Dane 2b.........  5  0  1  0   0  0  7  6   0
WOLFE, Alex 1b...........  4  2  3  2   1  0  9  0   0
AYOSO, Bryce c...........  4  2  2  0   0  0  6  2   1
BERNAL, Ryan dh..........  5  0  2  1   0  2  0  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  0  0  0   0  1  4  0   1
ANDERSON, Mark lf........  4  0  1  0   0  0  4  0   0
HALL, Austin 3b..........  4  0  1  0   0  0  0  3   1
WELLS, Stephen cf........  4  1  1  1   0  2  2  0   1
CAPPER, Chris p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 SLOAN, Kevin p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 McKNIGHT, David p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 SHUTT, Justin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 40  5 11  4   1  7 33 16   4
Score by Innings                       R  H  E
----------------------------------------------
TCU Horned Frogs.... 000 002 210 01 -  6 11  1
BYU................. 000 100 130 00 -  5 11  3
----------------------------------------------
E - RIVERA(2); RELF 2(19); NIELSEN(8). DP - TCU 2; Cougars 3. LOB - TCU 9;
Cougars 4. 2B - HOLADAY(12); CURRY(15); WITTE(5); PHARR(8); BERNAL(7). HR -
CURRY(9); WOLFE 2(9); WELLS(2). HBP - PENA. SH - RIVERA(4); AYOSO(2). CS -
ELANDER(7).
TCU Horned Frogs       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
MAXWELL, Steven.....  7.0  8  3  3  0  5 27 27  80
LOCKWOOD, Tyler.....  0.2  2  2  2  0  0  4  4  14
MERCK, Kaleb........  3.1  1  0  0  1  2  9 11  37
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
CAPPER, Chris.......  6.1  7  4  4  2  4 25 27  88
SLOAN, Kevin........  1.2  2  1  1  1  1  6  8  36
McKNIGHT, David.....  1.1  1  0  0  3  0  4  7  30
SHUTT, Justin.......  1.2  1  1  0  0  1  5  6  29
Win - MERCK (2-1).  Loss - SHUTT (3-5).  Save - None.
HBP - by SLOAN (PENA). Inherited runners/scored: MERCK 1/1; SLOAN 1/1; SHUTT
1/0. Pitches/strikes: MAXWELL 80/54; LOCKWOOD 14/11; MERCK 37/22; CAPPER 88/59;
SLOAN 36/21; McKNIGHT 30/13; SHUTT 29/17.
Umpires - HP: Asa Howard  1B: Ray Belfiore  3B: Bradley Hungerford
Start: 1:06 pm   Time: 3:02   Attendance: 1098
Weather: Partly cloudy,sunny,69 degrees
MAXWELL faced 1 batter in the 8th.
TCU Horned Frogs 1st - RIVERA singled to shortstop (1-1). HOLADAY
singled, bunt (0-1); RIVERA advanced to second. COATS flied out to lf (0-1).
CURRY walked (3-2); HOLADAY advanced to second; RIVERA advanced to third.
ELANDER grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b (2-0); CURRY out on the play.
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 1st - RELF struck out swinging (1-2). NIELSEN singled up the middle
(0-2). WOLFE singled to left field (0-1); NIELSEN advanced to second. AYOSO
grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b (0-0); WOLFE out on the play. 0
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 2nd - FEATHERSTON grounded out to 3b (0-1). PENA
grounded out to 2b (0-2). SCHULTZ flied out to lf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - BERNAL struck out looking (2-2). CLUFF flied out to lf (1-2).
ANDERSON grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 3rd - WITTE struck out swinging (1-2). RIVERA reached
on a fielding error by 2b (2-1). HOLADAY flied out to lf (1-2). COATS flied out
to rf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - HALL grounded out to 3b (2-0). WELLS struck out swinging
(2-2). RELF grounded out to 3b (1-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 4th - CURRY grounded out to 3b (1-1). ELANDER struck
out swinging (1-2). FEATHERSTON struck out swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 4th - NIELSEN flied out to lf (1-0). WOLFE homered to center field,
RBI (0-1). AYOSO grounded out to p (1-1). BERNAL flied out to rf (0-0). 1
run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 5th - PENA grounded out to 2b (0-0). SCHULTZ singled to
center field (1-2). WITTE grounded out to 3b (1-0); SCHULTZ advanced to second.
RIVERA struck out swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - CLUFF flied out to rf (3-2). ANDERSON grounded out to 2b
(0-1). HALL singled to left center (1-0). WELLS struck out swinging (2-2). 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 6th - HOLADAY doubled to left field (0-0). COATS flied
out to rf (1-1). CURRY doubled down the rf line, RBI (2-1); HOLADAY scored.
ELANDER singled to shortstop, RBI (1-1); CURRY scored. FEATHERSTON grounded
into double play ss to 2b to 1b (0-0); ELANDER out on the play. 2 runs, 3
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - RELF struck out looking (3-2). NIELSEN flied out to cf (0-0).
WOLFE popped up to ss (1-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 7th - PENA flied out to cf (3-2). SCHULTZ walked (3-1).
WITTE doubled down the lf line, RBI (1-0); SCHULTZ scored. SLOAN to p for
CAPPER. RIVERA struck out swinging (2-2). HOLADAY singled to right center, RBI
(1-2); WITTE scored. COATS flied out to lf (1-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
BYU 7th - AYOSO singled to right field (0-0). BERNAL singled to right
field (1-1); AYOSO advanced to third. CLUFF grounded into double play 3b to 2b
to 1b (1-0); BERNAL out on the play; AYOSO scored. ANDERSON singled to right
field, advanced to second on a fielding error by rf (0-0). HALL out at first 1b
to p (2-2). 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 8th - CURRY homered to center field, RBI (0-0). ELANDER
walked (3-2). ELANDER out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. FEATHERSTON
grounded out to ss (2-2). PENA hit by pitch (3-2). SCHULTZ flied out to rf
(2-1). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - WELLS homered to center field, RBI (0-1). LOCKWOOD to p for
MAXWELL. RELF grounded out to p (1-1). NIELSEN lined out to 2b (1-2). WOLFE
homered to center field, RBI (0-2). AYOSO singled up the middle (1-2). MERCK to
p for LOCKWOOD. BERNAL doubled to left center, out at third cf to ss to 1b to
3b, RBI (0-0); AYOSO scored. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 9th - McKNIGHT to p for SLOAN. WITTE flied out to rf
(0-0). RIVERA walked (3-2). HOLADAY reached on a fielding error by ss (1-0);
RIVERA advanced to second. COATS walked (3-0); HOLADAY advanced to second;
RIVERA advanced to third. CURRY lined into double play 2b unassisted (1-0);
HOLADAY out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
BYU 9th - CLUFF struck out looking (3-2). ANDERSON grounded out to 2b
(1-2). HALL grounded out to ss (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 10th - ELANDER singled, out at second 2b to p (3-2).
FEATHERSTON walked (3-2). SHUTT to p for McKNIGHT. PENA struck out swinging
(3-2). SCHULTZ reached on a fielder's choice (2-1); FEATHERSTON out at first 2b
to 1b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 10th - WELLS popped up to ss (2-2). RELF grounded out to 2b (1-0).
NIELSEN fouled out to 1b (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 11th - PHARR pinch hit for WITTE. PHARR doubled to left
center (3-2). VonTUNGELN pinch ran for PHARR. RIVERA out at first p to 2b, SAC,
bunt (0-0); VonTUNGELN advanced to third. HOLADAY reached on a fielder's
choice, out at second ss to c to 2b (2-0); VonTUNGELN scored on a throwing
error by ss, unearned. COATS flied out to cf (2-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 0
LOB.
BYU 11th - SCHULTZ to 3b. VonTUNGELN to cf. RIVERA to cf. JORDAN to rf
for VonTUNGELN. WOLFE walked (3-1). AYOSO out at first 1b to p, SAC, bunt;
WOLFE advanced to second. BERNAL struck out swinging (1-2). CLUFF grounded out
to 3b (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Prior to hosting No. 11 TCU, BYU’s baseball team first hosts Kansas State in a two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Cougars, now 14-16 overall and 4-5 in the Mountain West Conference, hosts KSU, 23-6, on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., and again on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Wednesday’s game is free admission for BYU students with ID due to Reading Day for Final Exams.

The probable BYU pitcher for Tuesday is southpaw Mark Anderson (1-0, 5.85), who showed significant improvement last week when he threw 124 pitches against Washington State in a win at Provo. He will face righthander Kayvon Bahramzadeh (0-1, 5.52). The starters for Wednesday’s games are yet to be announced.

Following the series with the Wildcats, BYU returns to league action in a three-game series against TCU starting Thursday. All of the BYU-TCU games will be televised live nationally by BYUtv with Jarom Jordan and Gary Sheide.

The Cougars are in a logjam with TCU, UNLV, Utah and San Diego State who are separated by one game in the standings. The defending champion Horned Frogs, who started the week at 23-7 overall and 5-3 in the MWC, won two of the three games last month in Ft. Worth when they were ranked No. 4.

BYU is currently batting .321, up from last week’s .318 and .306 when it started league play last month in Provo, after being at .318 going into the first meeting with TCU.

For more information, please see PDF release at the top of this page.