PROVO -- Freshman Jeff Stearman pitched a three hit shutout through eight innings Friday as BYU went a game ahead of San Diego State with a 17-5 victory.
Stearman, now 2-4, threw 129 pitches as the Aztecs weren't able to score until a five-run rally in the ninth. The remainder of the 1,398 fans at Larry H. Miller Field stood and applauded as Cougar cager Jake Chrisman pitched the final out.
"I could spot my fastball tonight and my slider is usually there," said Stearman. He surrendered a lead-off double in the first inning and didn't allow another hit until the sixth and seventh innings.
Meanwhile, BYU's bats were hot to the tune of 20 hits, aided by seven Aztec errors. The Cougars scored their initial run when Matt Carson drew a first inning walk and was doubled in by Kainoa Obrey.
Obrey was a perfect four-of-four before he was replaced after five innings at third base. Obrey was one of four Cougars who batted twice in the eight-run third when starter Rory Shortell was chased from the mound.
"I didn't expect this tonight, but hitting can be very contagious," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "We started early and didn't stop. Our players took what was given them. Stearman was outstanding all the way around."
Stearman, with the aid of defense like Seth King's diving lineout catch in the third, and a sixth inning double play turned by Cameron Coughlan, retired SDSU in order in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings.
Shane Belliston extended his team-high 18-game hitting streak in that third inning with a one-run single. But it was Doug Jackson's two-run single that got the scoring started in the third and extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Every Cougar starter got a hit, with the only homer coming from a Michael Davies' solo in the sixth. SDSU also got a solo homer from Ben Leuthard to lead off the ninth.
Aztec pitching coach Rusty Filter was ejected in the seventh inning after an argument at the mound with umpire Dan Perugini.
The victory improved BYU's record to 28-17 overall and a 16-7 mark for first place in the Mountain West Conference. SDSU falls to 27-19 and 15 8.
The two teams meet a final time on Saturday in a game televised live by KBYU (channel 11) and BYUTV at 1 p.m.
Game temperature was 83 degrees and dipped only to 76 on the thermometer by the end of the Cougar victory before 1,059 fans. BYU improves to 27-17 overall, while SDSU is 27-18 going into Friday's rematch at 6 p.m. Saturday's game at 1 p.m. Will be televised live by KBYU and byutv.
The remaining games will also be broadcast live over the Internet at
goaztecs.fansonly.com/sports/m basebl/sdsu-m-basebl-sched.html.
The Automated ScoreBook
San Diego State at Brigham Young Univ.
Apr 27, 2001 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
San Diego State 5 (27-19,15-8 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
LEE, Taber ss............ 5 0 2 2 0 0 2 2 1
LITTERAL, Andy lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEUTHARD, Ben lf........ 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 2
COTA, Carlo 2b........... 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 7 0
BOWLES, Darrell dh....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
PIERCE, Sean rf/cf....... 4 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1
AMAYA, Pilar 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1
COOK, Garrett 3b........ 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
MITCHELL, Rah-Miel cf.... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
HILL, Josh ph/rf........ 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
EMBREY, Rielly 1b........ 3 1 0 0 1 1 11 0 0
MANFRED, Brian c......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
PERDUE, Troy c.......... 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 0
SHORTELL, Rory p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
HARTSHORN, Chris p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FIEDLER, Erik p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 34 5 7 5 3 6 24 9 6
Brigham Young Univ. 17 (28-17,16-7 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JACKSON, Doug lf......... 3 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 0
WHITLEY, Aaron lf....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0
BELLISTON, Shane cf...... 6 2 3 2 0 1 1 0 3
CARSON, Matt rf.......... 5 2 2 2 1 0 3 0 2
OBREY, Kainoa 3b......... 4 1 4 2 0 0 0 2 0
PERRY, Tyler ph/3b...... 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
HIESTAND, Jeff dh........ 5 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
KING, Seth ss............ 3 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 1
HALES, Brad ss.......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
WIRRICK, Michael 1b...... 3 2 2 0 0 0 8 1 2
LAW, Tim 1b............. 3 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 0
DAVIES, Michael c........ 5 2 3 3 1 0 5 1 2
COUGHLAN, Cameron 2b..... 4 2 1 0 1 1 2 5 0
STEARMAN, Jeff p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CHRISMAN, Jake p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 46 17 20 14 7 5 27 10 12
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 000 000 005 - 5 7 7
Brigham Young Univ.. 128 003 21X - 17 20 1
-------------------------------------------
E - LEUTHARD 2; PIERCE; MITCHELL; EMBREY 2; PERDUE; HALES. DP - SDSU 1;
Cougars 1. LOB - SDSU 6; Cougars 12. 2B - LEE; COOK; CARSON; OBREY 2;
COUGHLAN. HR - LEUTHARD(3); DAVIES(4). HBP - LITTERAL. SB - LITTERAL;
HIESTAND. CS - AMAYA.
San Diego State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SHORTELL, Rory...... 3.0 12 11 11 5 2 20 25
HARTSHORN, Chris.... 3.1 6 5 3 1 2 17 18
FIEDLER, Erik....... 1.2 2 1 0 1 1 9 10
Brigham Young Univ. IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
STEARMAN, Jeff...... 8.2 6 5 1 3 6 32 36
CHRISMAN, Jake...... 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 2 2
Win - STEARMAN (2-4). Loss - SHORTELL (6-2). Save - None.
WP - HARTSHORN; STEARMAN 2. HB - STEARMAN.
Umpires - Home:Dan Perugini 1st:Mik Hendrickson 3rd:Joe Burleson
Start: 6:01 Time: 3:08 Attendance: 1398
Game notes:
Game two of three