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PROVO -- Alex Wolfe hit a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday to lift BYU to a 9-7 victory over Utah at Larry H. Miller Field.

“That was a fun game,” said BYU head coach Vance Law. “Wins and losses take care of themselves when we go out and play well.”

Senior reliever Kevin Sloan preserved his perfect record; going just over one inning to record his sixth win of the season. The right-hander struck out one and allowed one hit in front of a season-high crowd of 1,279.

The Cougars (17-19 overall and 5-8 in the Mountain West Conference) jumped out to an early lead on a two-out, RBI single from junior Ryan Bernal. Bernal was 2-for-3 on the night with four RBI and a three-run home run, while playing left field for the first time since junior college.

Joining Bernal in changing positions were senior Brandon Relf, who played second base instead of shortstop, junior Dane Nielsen, who moved from second to third and sophomore Austin Hall, who was at short instead of third.

Wolfe continued his hot streak, going 4-for-4, with two RBI, including the game-winner on a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth off of Ute pitcher Zach Adams, whom he coached last summer. Wolfe raised his batting average from .321 to .340 in his performance.

“It’s the Utes,” Wolfe said. “You’ve got to beat these guys.”

With the victory, the Cougars avenged last year’s Mountain West Conference tournament loss to the Utes.

The three-game series of the Deseret First Duel continues Friday and Saturday at 6:00 and 1:00 p.m., respectively. The Friday night game will be broadcast live on BYU-TV.

Utah at BYU
Apr 22, 2010 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Utah 7 (18-17,6-7 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
YAGI, Tyler 2b...........  5  1  4  2   0  0  3  1   0
CORNU, Rick rf...........  4  0  2  2   0  1  3  0   0
KUROCZKO, Nick 3b........  5  2  1  1   0  1  0  1   2
CRON, C.J. 1b............  5  1  2  0   0  0  8  0   2
WALKER, Devin dh.........  3  0  0  2   0  0  0  0   0
 REED, Josh pr...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
GUMESON, Nik lf..........  5  0  3  0   0  0  0  0   0
SHARRAR, Jo Jo c.........  5  1  1  0   0  0  8  0   2
BELTRAN, Michael ss......  4  1  0  0   1  1  1  2   4
BLANC, Cooper cf.........  2  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
WHATCOTT, Jordan p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  2   0
 DUKE, Brock p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ADAMS, Zach p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 38  7 14  7   1  3 24  6  10
BYU 9 (17-19,5-8 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RELF, Brandon 2b.........  4  2  1  0   1  0  1  2   0
NIELSEN, Dane 3b.........  5  2  2  0   0  1  0  4   0
WOLFE, Alex 1b...........  4  3  4  2   0  0 10  1   0
AYOSO, Bryce c...........  5  1  2  1   0  1  4  1   1
McNAUGHTON, Sean dh......  2  0  0  1   2  1  0  0   1
BERNAL, Ryan lf..........  3  1  2  4   1  1  1  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  3  0  1  0   0  0  4  0   2
HALL, Austin ss..........  4  0  1  0   0  3  1  3   0
WELLS, Stephen cf........  4  0  0  0   0  1  5  0   4
NEIL, Matthew p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 SHUTT, Justin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 SLOAN, Kevin p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  2   0
 McKNIGHT, David p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 34  9 13  8   4  8 27 14   8
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UU.................. 002 002 300 -  7 14  0
BYU................. 200 000 43X -  9 13  2
-------------------------------------------
E - NIELSEN(9); HALL(6). DP - UT 1. LOB - UT 10; Cougars 8. 2B - CRON(7);
GUMESON(4); WOLFE(9). 3B - YAGI(1). HR - KUROCZKO(6); BERNAL(10). HBP -
WALKER; WOLFE; CLUFF. SH - CORNU(2); BLANC 2(4). SF - WALKER(1);
McNAUGHTON(2). CS - YAGI(4).
UU                     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
WHATCOTT, Jordan....  6.0  7  2  2  3  6 23 27 115
DUKE, Brock.........  1.2  4  6  6  1  1  8 11  43
ADAMS, Zach.........  0.1  2  1  1  0  1  3  3  15
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
NEIL, Matthew.......  5.1  7  4  3  1  1 22 24  71
SHUTT, Justin.......  1.1  5  3  3  0  0  8  9  42
SLOAN, Kevin........  1.1  1  0  0  0  1  4  6  20
McKNIGHT, David.....  1.0  1  0  0  0  1  4  5  23
Win - SLOAN (6-0).  Loss - DUKE (0-2).  Save - McKNIGHT (6).
WP - WHATCOTT(3); NEIL(2). HBP - by WHATCOTT (CLUFF); by DUKE (WOLFE); by
McKNIGHT (WALKER). Inherited runners/scored: ADAMS 2/2; SHUTT 1/0; SLOAN 2/0.
Pitches/strikes: WHATCOTT 115/74; DUKE 43/25; ADAMS 15/10; NEIL 71/50; SHUTT
42/27; SLOAN 20/12; McKNIGHT 23/13.
Umpires - HP: John Cortez  1B: Mik Hendrickson  3B: Jason Rogers
Start: 6:29 pm   Time: 3:01   Attendance: 1279
Weather: 54 degrees, partly cloudy
UU 1st - YAGI singled to right field (0-0). CORNU struck out looking
(0-2). YAGI out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. KUROCZKO flied out to cf
(2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 1st - RELF singled up the middle (2-2). NIELSEN fouled out to 1b
(1-0). WOLFE singled to right field (2-2); RELF advanced to third. AYOSO struck
out swinging (1-2). WOLFE advanced to second; RELF scored on a wild pitch.
McNAUGHTON walked (3-2). BERNAL singled to left field, RBI (0-0); McNAUGHTON
advanced to second; WOLFE scored. CLUFF grounded out to 1b unassisted (3-1).
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UU 2nd - CRON flied out to cf (1-1). WALKER grounded out to 3b (1-0).
GUMESON grounded out to ss (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - HALL struck out swinging (0-2). WELLS grounded out to 1b
unassisted (3-2). RELF fouled out to 1b (0-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
UU 3rd - SHARRAR reached on a fielding error by 3b (1-1). BELTRAN walked
(3-1); SHARRAR advanced to second. BLANC grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt (1-1);
BELTRAN advanced to second; SHARRAR advanced to third. YAGI singled to right
field, RBI (0-2); BELTRAN advanced to third; SHARRAR scored, unearned. CORNU
singled to first base, RBI (0-0); YAGI advanced to second; BELTRAN scored.
KUROCZKO flied out to rf (0-1); YAGI advanced to third. CRON reached on a
fielder's choice (0-1); CORNU advanced to third; YAGI out at home p to ss to c.
2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
BYU 3rd - NIELSEN struck out swinging (0-2). WOLFE singled up the middle
(2-2). AYOSO lined into double play p to 1b (2-0); WOLFE out on the play. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UU 4th - WALKER flied out to cf (0-0). GUMESON flied out to rf (1-0).
SHARRAR singled to left center (0-1). BELTRAN grounded out to 3b (3-1). 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - McNAUGHTON flied out to 2b (3-2). BERNAL walked (3-2). BERNAL
out at first p to 1b, picked off. CLUFF singled to second base (1-1). HALL
singled to right field (1-2); CLUFF advanced to second. WELLS struck out
swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UU 5th - BLANC fouled out to rf (1-1). YAGI flied out to cf (0-2). CORNU
flied out to 1b (1-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - RELF lined out to 2b (2-2). NIELSEN flied out to rf (0-1).
WOLFE singled to left field (2-2). AYOSO reached on a fielder's choice (1-2);
WOLFE out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UU 6th - KUROCZKO homered to left center, RBI (1-1). CRON doubled to
right field (1-1). CRON advanced to third on a wild pitch. WALKER grounded out
to 2b, RBI (1-0); CRON scored. GUMESON doubled down the lf line (1-1). SHUTT to
p for NEIL. SHARRAR grounded out to ss (2-2); GUMESON advanced to third.
BELTRAN grounded out to 3b (0-1). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - McNAUGHTON walked (3-2). BERNAL struck out swinging (1-2).
CLUFF hit by pitch (1-0); McNAUGHTON advanced to second. HALL struck out
swinging (0-2). WELLS reached on a fielder's choice (1-2); CLUFF out at second
2b to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UU 7th - BLANC singled to center field (2-2). YAGI tripled to center
field, RBI (1-1); BLANC scored. CORNU singled to left center, RBI (1-0); YAGI
scored. KUROCZKO reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); CORNU out at second 2b to
ss. CRON singled down the lf line (1-1); KUROCZKO advanced to third. WALKER
flied out to cf, SF, RBI (3-2); KUROCZKO scored. GUMESON singled to center
field (3-1); CRON advanced to third. SLOAN to p for SHUTT. SHARRAR grounded out
to p (2-1). 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 7th - DUKE to p for WHATCOTT. RELF grounded out to 3b (2-1). NIELSEN
singled to left field (1-1). WOLFE hit by pitch (2-0); NIELSEN advanced to
second. AYOSO singled to right field (0-0); WOLFE advanced to second; NIELSEN
advanced to third. McNAUGHTON flied out to rf, SF, RBI (1-1); NIELSEN scored.
BERNAL homered to right field, 3 RBI (2-2); AYOSO scored; WOLFE scored. CLUFF
grounded out to ss (2-2). 4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UU 8th - BELTRAN reached on a fielding error by ss (0-0). BLANC out at
first 1b to p, SAC, bunt (1-1); BELTRAN advanced to second. YAGI singled to
second base (1-0); BELTRAN advanced to third. CORNU grounded out to p, SAC,
bunt (1-1); YAGI advanced to second. KUROCZKO struck out swinging (3-2). 0
runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
BYU 8th - HALL struck out swinging (1-2). WELLS flied out to rf (2-0).
RELF walked (3-2). NIELSEN singled through the left side (1-0); RELF advanced
to third. ADAMS to p for DUKE. WOLFE doubled down the rf line, 2 RBI (2-2);
NIELSEN scored; RELF scored. AYOSO singled to center field, RBI (2-1); WOLFE
scored. McNAUGHTON struck out swinging (1-2). 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
UU 9th - McKNIGHT to p for SLOAN. CRON flied out to lf (2-2). WALKER hit
by pitch (3-2). REED pinch ran for WALKER. GUMESON singled to left field (3-1);
REED advanced to second. SHARRAR flied out to rf (2-2); REED advanced to third.
BELTRAN struck out swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Standings, bragging rights and pride are on the line this week as BYU's baseball team hosts Utah in the only three games the teams have during the regular season.

On Thursday BYU, now 16-19 overall and 4-8 in the Mountain West Conference, hosts the Utes at 6:30 p.m. Friday's contest starts at 6 p.m., because it is the only game of the three to be televised live by BYUtv. Saturday's tilt starts at 1 p.m.

Utah brings an 18-16 overall record and a 6-6 league mark into the series. In addition to MWC standings, at stake is the baseball portion of the Deseret First Duel. While BYU has claimed the overall Duel with its insurmountable 40-14 lead, the Cougars are hoping to defend the baseball portion of that Duel which they have won the past two years.

"This is a big series and we need to get back on track again and play the way which we are capable," said BYU coach Vance Law.

Law has tweaked BYU's pitching rotation for the series. Sophomore Matthew Neil (3-4, 5.81) will be the Cougars' first pitcher in the rotation. The game two starter has changed to freshman lefty Mark Anderson (1-0, 6.08). Saturday's starter will be freshman Chris Capper (2-0, 5.31).

BYU reliever David McKnight is graduating this week in recreation management. Others graduating this week include former players J.T. Musso, Collin Fanning and Kiko Hermosillo. McKnight is one of 45 players named to the midseason watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.

For more infomation please see the multi-page PDF document at the top of this page.

Deseret First Duel
Standings to Date
BYU                   44
Utah                  15.5
BYU Points Thus Far
Women's Soccer         6
Football              10
Women's Basketball    10
Men's Basketball      10
Women's Swimming       1
Softball               3
Men's Baseball         3
Men's Tennis           1
Utah Points Thus Far
Women's Volleyball      6
Men's Swimming          1
Women's Gymnastics      6
Women's Tennis          1
Men's Baseball          1.5
Contests Remaining
Softball                1.5
Deseret First Duel Prior Years
2007-08 BYU  (BYU won baseball 38-26 in runs, series tied 2-2)
2008-09 Utah (BYU won baseball, 5 games to 1)
2009-10 BYU (BYU won baseball, 2 games to 1)