Portland, Oregon (February 22, 2008)--Jonathan Cluff's 11th-inning double lifted BYU to a 4-2 season-opening victory Friday over the University of Portland.
Cluff's two-out poke went over the outstretched arms of the Pilot leftfielder to score Sean McNaughton, breaking a 2-2 deadlock. Cluff scored an insurance run when Provo sophomore Bryce Ayoso singled down the rightfield line.
Then it was up to sophomore southpaw reliever Brandon Michon to save the game for Blake Torgerson. Michon coaxed flyouts to outfielders McNaughton and Cluff and got a defensive stop from Steve Parker to preserve the victory.
Togerson pitched just under two innings of relief to gain the victory, spelling starter Jake Wortham in the ninth after the junior lefty surrendered only two hits. Wortham surpassed the 100-pitch count in the eighth and fended off Portland after giving up a lead-off walk and a sac-bunt. Portland lefty David Gruener, a transfer from Notre Dame, threw nine innings.
Defense kept the Cougars in the game, starting with a double play by Dan Vargas-Andrew Law and Kasey Ko to get out of a jam with two on to end the first inning.
Cougar Kent Walton got on with a bunt single and advanced on Law's sac bunt. The speedy Walton scored when McNaughton singled through the hole on the left side in the fourth inning.
Parker turned in a defensive gem when he dove to snag a liner at third in the fourth.
Ko led off the fifth with a double down the leftfield line and advanced to third when Cluff bunted a single to third, putting Cougars on the corners. A one-out bunt by J.T. Musso, the third bunt single of the game for BYU, scored Ko. When Vargas got hit by a pitch, it loaded the bases for BYU with a 2-0 lead, but the Pilots rallied to snuff any further damage.
Portland rebounded in the bottom of the fifth when Rocky Gale hit a one-out double to break up Wortham's no-hitter. The Pilots then executed a suicide squeeze bunt to score the tying run, 2-2.
The two teams square off for games two and three of the season on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m., PST. The games can be followed via livestats and live audio through links on www.byucougars.com.
BYU at Portland
Feb 22, 2008 at Portland, Ore. (Joe Etzel Field)
BYU 4 (1-0)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
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WALTON, Kent cf.......... 5 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 0
LAW, Andrew 2b........... 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 4
MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf...... 4 1 1 1 0 1 7 0 0
PARKER, Steve 3b......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0
KO, Kasey 1b............. 4 1 2 0 0 1 11 0 0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf....... 5 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 1
AYOSO, Bryce dh.......... 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
MUSSO, J.T. c............ 5 0 1 1 0 2 5 0 1
VARGAS, Dan ss........... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 0
WORTHAM, Jake p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
TORGERSON, Blake p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MICHON, Brandon p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 39 4 9 4 0 9 33 10 7
Portland 2 (0-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
HENRICKS, R 2b........... 4 0 1 0 1 1 2 2 1
WILTSHIRE, C cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0
CROWDER, P ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
KRAUSE, B cf............ 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1
POWELL, C 1b............. 3 0 0 0 2 0 13 1 0
CARPENTER, C dh.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
BROWN, E pr............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
KRAUS, B lf.............. 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
HOWARD, B pr............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PEARCE, A lf............ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MEIER, D rf.............. 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
ARMIJO, K 3b............. 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 2
GALE, R c................ 3 0 1 1 1 0 10 2 0
CULLEN, C ss............. 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 6 0
GRUENER, D p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LANGE, M p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
VARCE, Z p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 32 2 3 2 6 3 33 15 7
Score by Innings R H E
----------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 110 000 02 - 4 9 0
Portland............ 000 020 000 00 - 2 3 1
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E - VARCE, Z(1). DP - BY 1. LOB - BY 7; Portland 7. 2B - KO(1); CLUFF(1);
GALE, R(1). HBP - MCNAUGHTON; PARKER; VARGAS; MEIER, D. SH - LAW(1); KO(1);
CARPENTER, C(1); CULLEN, C 2(2). SB - WALTON(1); MCNAUGHTON(1). CS -
MCNAUGHTON(1).
BYU IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WORTHAM, Jake....... 8.0 2 2 2 4 3 23 30
TORGERSON, Blake.... 2.0 1 0 0 1 0 6 8
MICHON, Brandon..... 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 3 4
Portland IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
GRUENER, D.......... 9.0 6 2 2 0 6 30 34
LANGE, M............ 1.1 1 1 1 0 1 5 6
VARCE, Z............ 0.2 2 1 1 0 2 4 4
Win - TORGERSON (1-0). Loss - LANGE, M (0-1). Save - MICHON (1).
HBP - by GRUENER, D (VARGAS); by WORTHAM (MEIER, D); by GRUENER, D (PARKER); by
LANGE, M (MCNAUGHTON).
Umpires - HP: Todd Ellis 1B: Chris Thomas 2B: Mik Henderson
Start: 2:00 PM Time: 2:37 Attendance: 301
WORTHAM faced 1 batter in the 9th.
BYU starters: 9/cf WALTON; 6/2b LAW; 15/lf MCNAUGHTON; 5/3b PARKER; 22/1b KO; 8/rf
CLUFF; 11/dh AYOSO; 10/c MUSSO; 13/ss VARGAS; 28/p WORTHAM;
Portland starters: 7/2b HENRICKS, R; 29/cf WILTSHIRE, C; 34/1b POWELL, C; 10/dh
CARPENTER, C; 5/lf KRAUS, B; 28/rf MEIER, D; 4/3b ARMIJO, K; 18/c GALE, R; 35/ss
CULLEN, C; 23/p GRUENER, D;
BYU 1st - WALTON grounded out to ss. LAW fouled out to 1b. MCNAUGHTON flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 1st - HENRICKS, R walked. WILTSHIRE, C struck out swinging. POWELL,
C walked; HENRICKS, R advanced to second. CARPENTER, C grounded into double play ss
to 2b to 1b; POWELL, C out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - PARKER struck out looking. KO grounded out to 2b. CLUFF struck out
swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 2nd - KRAUS, B flied out to cf. MEIER, D popped up to ss. ARMIJO, K
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - AYOSO grounded out to 3b. MUSSO flied out to cf. VARGAS struck out
swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 3rd - GALE, R flied out to cf. CULLEN, C flied out to lf. HENRICKS,
R struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 4th - WALTON singled to third base, bunt. LAW grounded out to p, SAC,
bunt; WALTON advanced to second. MCNAUGHTON singled to left field, RBI; WALTON
scored. MCNAUGHTON out at second c to ss, caught stealing. PARKER grounded out to
ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 4th - WILTSHIRE, C grounded out to 2b. POWELL, C flied out to lf.
CARPENTER, C lined out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - KO doubled down the lf line. CLUFF singled to third base, bunt; KO
advanced to third. AYOSO popped up to 2b. MUSSO singled, RBI, bunt; CLUFF advanced
to second; KO scored. VARGAS hit by pitch; MUSSO advanced to second; CLUFF advanced
to third. WALTON reached on a fielder's choice; VARGAS advanced to second; MUSSO
advanced to third; CLUFF out at home 3b to c. LAW grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 3
hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Portland 5th - KRAUS, B flied out to lf. MEIER, D hit by pitch. ARMIJO, K
singled to right center; MEIER, D advanced to third. GALE, R doubled to left field,
RBI; ARMIJO, K advanced to third; MEIER, D scored. CULLEN, C out at first p to 2b,
SAC, bunt, RBI; GALE, R advanced to third; ARMIJO, K scored. HENRICKS, R grounded
out to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - MCNAUGHTON grounded out to ss. PARKER struck out swinging. KO
singled to center field. CLUFF reached on a fielder's choice; KO out at second ss to
2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Portland 6th - WILTSHIRE, C flied out to lf. POWELL, C grounded out to 1b
unassisted. CARPENTER, C grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - AYOSO grounded out to ss. MUSSO popped up to ss. VARGAS struck out
swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 7th - KRAUS, B grounded out to ss. MEIER, D lined out to lf. ARMIJO,
K grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - WALTON grounded out to 3b. LAW grounded out to ss. MCNAUGHTON
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Portland 8th - GALE, R walked. CULLEN, C grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; GALE,
R advanced to second. HENRICKS, R flied out to rf. CROWDER, P pinch hit for
WILTSHIRE, C. CROWDER, P lined out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - KRAUSE, B to cf for CROWDER, P. PARKER hit by pitch. KO grounded
out to c, SAC, bunt; PARKER advanced to second. CLUFF flied out to cf. AYOSO lined
out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Portland 9th - POWELL, C walked. TORGERSON to p for WORTHAM. CARPENTER, C
grounded out to 1b unassisted, SAC, bunt; POWELL, C advanced to second. KRAUS, B
walked. HOWARD, B pinch ran for KRAUS, B. MEIER, D fouled out to c. ARMIJO, K fouled
out to c. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 10th - PEARCE, A to lf for HOWARD, B. LANGE, M to p for GRUENER, D. MUSSO
struck out looking. VARGAS fouled out to 1b. WALTON singled up the middle. WALTON
stole second. LAW flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Portland 10th - GALE, R popped up to 1b. CULLEN, C lined out to lf. HENRICKS,
R singled up the middle. KRAUSE, B popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 11th - MCNAUGHTON hit by pitch. MCNAUGHTON stole second. PARKER out at
first 1b to p; MCNAUGHTON advanced to third. VARCE, Z to p for LANGE, M. KO struck
out swinging. CLUFF doubled to left field, RBI; MCNAUGHTON scored. AYOSO singled to
right field, RBI; CLUFF scored. AYOSO advanced to second on an error by p, failed
pickoff attempt, advanced to third. MUSSO struck out swinging. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
Portland 11th - MICHON to p for TORGERSON. POWELL, C flied out to lf.
CARPENTER, C walked. BROWN, E pinch ran for CARPENTER, C. PEARCE, A flied out to rf.
MEIER, D grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.