PROVO -- A nine-run seventh inning led BYU (19-13, 6-3) to a 16-9 win and a three game sweep of the UNLV Rebels (14-23, 3-6) Saturday afternoon at Larry H. Miller Field.
After Thursday's close slugfest and a tight game Friday night, Saturday's contest did not disappoint the 1,285 in attendance. The game was a back-and-forth, tight-fought contest that featured a number of big hits and an explosive seventh inning for BYU.
"It was outstanding baseball today," BYU coach Vance Law said. "We got big hits when needed. We're starting to play better baseball."
A number of players produced when needed to help BYU pull out the win. Kasey Ko was instrumental as he went four-for-four with three RBIs, including the eventual go-ahead sealer in the big seventh inning. Collin Fanning added three hits and four RBI's of his own, and Apana Nakayama drove in five runs and hit a two-run homer. Brandon Michon (1-0) came on in relief of starter Jordan Muir and pitched two and two-thirds innings with out giving a hit or run to pick up the victory.
The game opened with Cougar starter Muir putting the game's first two hitters down in order before the Rebels struck the first blow. UNLV's Keith Smith doubled with two outs and Efren Navarro followed with a two-run home run to give the Rebels the early 2-0 lead.
BYU responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Leon Johnson drew a lead-off walk and stole third base before coming into score on an Apana Nakayama groundout.
Neither team mounted much of a threat through the next inning and a half. The Cougars came back and took the lead in the bottom of the third. Johnson and Fanning started the inning with back-to-back singles and each advanced a base after a wild pitch. Nakayama followed with his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly that plated Johnson. A beautifully placed sacrifice bunt from Kent Walton scored Fanning and gave BYU the 3-2 edge after three.
UNLV regained the lead at 5-3 with three runs in the top of the fifth. The Rebels' Xavier Scruggs started the inning with a lead-off single and later came into score on a fielders choice from Calvin Bearmon. Two other UNLV players came into score during the three hit inning that saw both an error and a wild pitch from BYU.
The Cougars responded in kind and evened the score at five in the bottom of the inning. Johnson drew a walk to start the inning and came around on a Collin Fanning triple to right center.
The Rebels' retook a two-run lead at 7-5 off of pair of hits from Michael Brenly and Ryan Kowalski to start the sixth. Both came into score on a pair of sacrifice flies that that chase Muir out of the game after five and a third innings of work.
Steve Parker got BYU to within 7-6 in the the sixth. He came into score a short time later when Ko nailed a line drive double in the right-center field gap. The Cougars had more scoring opportunities in the inning after they put runners on second and third with just one down. A strikeout and a come backer to the pitcher, however, ended the threat.
After BYU's Michon put UNLV down in the top part of the seventh, the Cougars showcased a fireworks display in the bottom of the inning that resulted in nine BYU runs on four hits and busted the tight contest wide open. Fanning started the sparks by drawing a bases-empty walk to start to chase Rebel Starter Matt Hutchison out of the game. He then stole third on a Nakayama strikeout. After Walton drew a base on balls and Parker was hit to load up the bases, a Ko bloop single down the right field line scored Fanning and Walton to give the Cougars a brief one-run advantage.
The damage wasn't done from there though. Stephen Wells followed soon after with a triple down the right field line that brought in both Ko and Parker. Austin Hall was hit by a pitch and Johnson drew a walk to load up the bases. Fanning singled to center to score wells and Hall, but a bobble from UNLV's Kowalski allowed the fleet-footed Johnson to motor around from first and score. A few pitches later, Nakayama came back and delivered the inning's knock-out blow with a two-run homerun that put BYU up 15-7.
"We had a lot of clutch at bats that inning," Law said.
The Cougars got another run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 16-7. The Rebels managed a pair of runs in the top of the ninth but never mounted a serious threat as BYU sealed the victory.
The Cougars will take a break from conference play next week when they welcome Washington from Pac-10 to Miller Park for a pair of afternoon games Tuesday and Wednesday. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m. each day.
UNLV at Brigham Young Univ.
Apr 07, 2007 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
UNLV 9 (14-23,3-6 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BEAMON, C. rf............ 4 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
BONNELL, C. ph.......... 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
GAILEN, B. lf............ 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
MILLER, Chad ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SMITH, Keith 2b.......... 5 1 2 2 0 0 1 5 0
NAVARRO JR., 1b.......... 4 1 1 2 0 0 9 0 1
BOWMAN, W. ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
BRENLY, M. dh............ 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
KOWALSKI, R. cf.......... 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
SCRUGGS, X. 3b........... 3 1 2 1 0 0 0 3 1
BEUERLEIN, D c........... 2 2 0 1 1 0 7 1 0
WALKER, B. ss............ 3 0 1 0 0 0 5 3 1
FRIERSON, J. ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
HUTCHISON, M p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
GOODMAN, M. p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PUPO, Koji p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AASE, Kelby p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 35 9 9 8 3 2 24 14 4
Brigham Young Univ. 16 (19-13,6-3 MWC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Leon lf......... 2 4 1 0 3 0 4 0 2
FANNING, Collin rf....... 4 4 3 4 1 0 4 0 0
NAKAYAMA, Apana dh....... 4 1 1 5 0 1 0 0 0
WALTON, Kent 2b.......... 3 1 1 1 1 0 1 4 0
PARKER, Steve 3b......... 2 3 0 0 2 1 2 1 0
KO, Kasey 1b............. 4 1 4 3 0 0 8 0 0
BILLS, Thomas 1b........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MC KEEVER, Mike 1b...... 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0
WELLS, Stephen cf........ 4 1 1 2 1 0 2 0 0
MUSSO, J.T. c............ 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0
FRAMPTON, Chase ph...... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
GUENTHER, Wes c......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
HALL, Austin ss.......... 4 1 0 0 0 2 2 3 3
MUIR, Jordan p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MICHON, Brandon p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
BARNES, Clayton p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 31 16 12 15 9 7 27 10 5
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 200 032 002 - 9 9 3
Brigham Young Univ.. 102 021 91X - 16 12 2
-------------------------------------------
E - KOWALSKI, R. 2(4); WALKER, B.(13); WALTON(6); HALL(11). DP - LV 2. LOB -
LV 4; BYU Cougars 5. 2B - SMITH, Keith(9); KOWALSKI, R.(6); KO(7). 3B -
FANNING(2); WELLS(3). HR - NAVARRO JR.,(2); NAKAYAMA(7). HBP - PARKER; HALL.
SH - WALTON(1); MUSSO(3). SF - SCRUGGS, X.(2); BEUERLEIN, D(1); NAKAYAMA(2).
SB - GAILEN, B.(11); JOHNSON, L.(16); FANNING(13). CS - KOWALSKI, R.(4);
PARKER(1).
UNLV IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
HUTCHISON, M........ 6.0 7 7 7 6 5 20 29
GOODMAN, M.......... 0.1 1 3 3 1 1 2 4
PUPO, Koji.......... 0.2 3 5 5 1 1 5 7
AASE, Kelby......... 1.0 1 1 0 1 0 4 5
Brigham Young Univ. IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MUIR, Jordan........ 5.1 8 7 5 0 0 24 25
MICHON, Brandon..... 2.2 0 0 0 1 1 7 9
BARNES, Clayton..... 1.0 1 2 2 2 1 4 6
Win - MICHON (1-0). Loss - GOODMAN, M. (1-1). Save - None.
WP - HUTCHISON, M 2(9); MUIR 2(5). HBP - by GOODMAN, M. (PARKER); by PUPO, Koji
(HALL).
Umpires - HP: Kevin Sweeney 1B: Scott MacMurdo 3B: Jason Rogers
Start: 1:04 pm Time: 3:01 Attendance: 1285
Game notes:
Game 3 of 3 in Provo, UNLV won first game of 3 in Las Vegas
Movie Night at Miller Park is Thursday for "The Rookie", 7:30 p.m.
HUTCHISON, M faced 1 batter in the 7th.
UNLV starters: 38/rf BEAMON, C.; 22/lf GAILEN, B.; 14/2b SMITH, Keith; 35/1b NAVARRO
JR.,; 18/dh BRENLY, M.; 12/cf KOWALSKI, R.; 16/3b SCRUGGS, X.; 9/c BEUERLEIN, D;
10/ss WALKER, B.; 34/p HUTCHISON, M;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 14/lf JOHNSON, L.; 17/rf FANNING; 24/dh NAKAYAMA; 9/2b
WALTON; 5/3b PARKER; 22/1b KO; 1/cf WELLS; 10/c MUSSO; 18/ss HALL; 12/p MUIR;
UNLV 1st - BEAMON, C. popped up to ss. GAILEN, B. popped up to lf. SMITH,
Keith doubled to right field. SMITH, Keith advanced to third on a wild pitch.
NAVARRO JR., homered to center field, 2 RBI; SMITH, Keith scored. BRENLY, M. flied
out to cf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - JOHNSON, L. walked. FANNING flied out to rf.
JOHNSON, L. stole second. JOHNSON, L. advanced to third on a wild pitch. NAKAYAMA
grounded out to 2b, RBI; JOHNSON, L. scored. WALTON grounded out to ss. 1 run, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 2nd - KOWALSKI, R. flied out to lf. SCRUGGS, X. singled to left field.
BEUERLEIN, D flied out to lf. WALKER, B. grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - PARKER struck out swinging. KO singled up the
middle. WELLS walked; KO advanced to second. MUSSO struck out looking. HALL struck
out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 3rd - BEAMON, C. grounded out to ss. GAILEN, B. grounded out to 2b.
SMITH, Keith fouled out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - JOHNSON, L. singled up the middle. FANNING singled
to shortstop; JOHNSON, L. advanced to second. FANNING advanced to second; JOHNSON,
L. advanced to third on a wild pitch. NAKAYAMA flied out to lf, SF, RBI; FANNING
advanced to third; JOHNSON, L. scored. WALTON grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt, RBI;
FANNING scored. PARKER walked. PARKER out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 2
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 4th - NAVARRO JR., grounded out to 1b unassisted. BRENLY, M. grounded
out to ss. KOWALSKI, R. reached on a fielding error by 2b. KOWALSKI, R. out at
second c to 2b, caught stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - KO singled to left field. WELLS grounded into
double play 2b to ss to 1b; KO out on the play. MUSSO struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 5th - SCRUGGS, X. singled to left field. BEUERLEIN, D reached on a
fielding error by ss; SCRUGGS, X. advanced to second. WALKER, B. singled to left
field; BEUERLEIN, D advanced to second; SCRUGGS, X. advanced to third. BEAMON, C.
reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; WALKER, B. out at second 2b to ss; BEUERLEIN, D
advanced to third; SCRUGGS, X. scored, unearned. GAILEN, B. singled through the
right side, RBI; BEAMON, C. advanced to third; BEUERLEIN, D scored. GAILEN, B. stole
second. GAILEN, B. advanced to third; BEAMON, C. scored on a wild pitch, unearned.
SMITH, Keith grounded out to ss. NAVARRO JR., grounded out to 2b. 3 runs, 3 hits,
1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - HALL grounded out to 3b. JOHNSON, L. walked.
FANNING tripled to right center, RBI; JOHNSON, L. scored. NAKAYAMA grounded out to
2b, RBI; FANNING scored. WALTON singled, out at second rf to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits,
0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 6th - BRENLY, M. singled to center field. KOWALSKI, R. doubled down the
lf line; BRENLY, M. advanced to third. SCRUGGS, X. flied out to rf, SF, RBI;
KOWALSKI, R. advanced to third; BRENLY, M. scored. MICHON to p for MUIR. BEUERLEIN,
D flied out to rf, SF, RBI; KOWALSKI, R. scored. WALKER, B. lined out to 3b. 2
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - PARKER walked. KO doubled to right center, RBI;
PARKER scored. WELLS reached on a fielding error by ss. MUSSO out at first 3b to 2b,
SAC, bunt; WELLS advanced to second; KO advanced to third. HALL struck out looking.
JOHNSON, L. grounded out to p. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
UNLV 7th - BEAMON, C. grounded out to p, bunt. GAILEN, B. flied out to lf.
SMITH, Keith flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - FANNING walked. GOODMAN, M. to p for HUTCHISON, M.
NAKAYAMA struck out swinging; FANNING stole second. WALTON walked. PARKER hit by
pitch; WALTON advanced to second; FANNING advanced to third. KO singled down the rf
line, 2 RBI; PARKER advanced to second; WALTON scored; FANNING scored. PUPO, Koji to
p for GOODMAN, M.. WELLS tripled down the rf line, 2 RBI; KO scored; PARKER scored.
MUSSO struck out swinging. HALL hit by pitch. JOHNSON, L. walked; HALL advanced to
second. FANNING singled to center field, advanced to second on a fielding error by
cf, 3 RBI; JOHNSON, L. scored; HALL scored; WELLS scored. NAKAYAMA homered to right
field, 2 RBI; FANNING scored. WALTON popped up to ss. 9 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 0
LOB.
UNLV 8th - BILLS to 1b for KO. MC KEEVER to 1b for BILLS. NAVARRO JR.,
grounded out to 2b. BRENLY, M. struck out looking. KOWALSKI, R. walked. SCRUGGS, X.
popped up to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - AASE, Kelby to p for PUPO, Koji. PARKER reached on
a fielding error by cf, advanced to third. MC KEEVER walked. WELLS grounded into
double play 2b to ss to 1b; MC KEEVER out on the play; PARKER scored, unearned.
FRAMPTON pinch hit for MUSSO. FRAMPTON singled to center field. HALL grounded out to
2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
UNLV 9th - GUENTHER to c for FRAMPTON. BARNES to p for MICHON. BEUERLEIN, D
walked. FRIERSON, J. pinch hit for WALKER, B.. FRIERSON, J. flied out to cf.
BONNELL, C. pinch hit for BEAMON, C.. BONNELL, C. walked; BEUERLEIN, D advanced to
second. MILLER, Chad pinch hit for GAILEN, B.. MILLER, Chad grounded out to 1b
unassisted; BONNELL, C. advanced to second; BEUERLEIN, D advanced to third. SMITH,
Keith singled to right field, 2 RBI; BONNELL, C. scored; BEUERLEIN, D scored.
BOWMAN, W. pinch hit for NAVARRO JR.,. BOWMAN, W. struck out swinging. 2 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.