Ft. Worth, Texas (March 6, 2003) -- A great offensive performance by the top of the BYU line-up and excellent relief pitching helped the Cougars to a 7-6 baseball victory Thursday evening against TCU.

Shortstop Ranger Wiens and outfielder Doug Jackson led the Cougar offense, which scored seven runs off TCU ace, Jerome Clayton, now 2-1. Wiens, who leads the Cougars in batting average, was 4-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Jackson was 2-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

BYU, now 5-8, got a strong pitching performance from reliever Michel Bergeron (1-1), who missed the last month of play due to an injury. Bergeron earned his first win with five strong innings, giving up just four hits and one run, and pitching out of two bases-loaded jams. Bergeron had been sidelined the past month nursing tendonitis and made his first appearance since that time.

TCU, now 9-6, scored five runs in four innings off Cougar starter Jeff Mousser (3-0), who was last week's Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week. Mousser did not receive the decision.

The Cougars got on the board in the fourth inning. Wiens led off the inning with a single to centerfield, stole second base, and scored one out later on a single by Kainoa Obrey.

The BYU offense evened the score in the fifth. Jackson's one-out triple scored Casey Cloward, who had reached base on a fielder's choice. That triple tied Jackson for the BYU career record with 18 along with Stan Younger (1977-80), with Jackson doing it in in 160 games compared to Younger at 140 games.

Jackson later scored on Wiens' second single of the night. The Cougars scored their final run of the inning on an RBI-single to right center by Obrey, bringing the score to 4-4.

The Horned Frogs bounced back the next inning, scoring one run on a based-loaded single by catcher Justin Howard. Bergeron, who came in to replace Mousser with the bases still loaded and none out, stopped the TCU rally by retiring the next three batters to end the inning.

The Cougars put up another three runs in the sixth. After an RBI-triple by Casey Cloward tied the game at 5-5, Jackson laid down a surprise bunt to score Cloward and give the Cougars their first lead of the game. Jackson then stole second and scored on a single by Wiens.

TCU put runners into scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to score off Bergeron.

"I was especially pleased with Bergeron's pitching since he has been out nearly a month," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "It was just outstanding and it gave us a huge lift. I'm happy to have him back in the lineup."

The Cougars will be back in action against TCU tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. and again on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., CST.

Brigham Young at TCU
Mar 06, 2003 at Fort Worth, Texas (Lupton Stadium)
Brigham Young 7 (5-8)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JACKSON, Doug lf.........  5  2  2  2   0  0  1  0   0
WIENS, Ranger ss.........  5  2  4  2   0  0  2  4   0
STUBBLEFIELD, Jake 1b....  4  0  1  0   0  1  5  1   0
 LAW, Tim 1b.............  1  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   1
OBREY, Kainoa 3b.........  4  0  2  2   0  1  0  0   1
ITRI, Rob 2b.............  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
 VEST, Wade 2b...........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
JACOBSEN, Brock cf.......  3  0  0  0   1  1  4  0   0
CHAMBERS, Ryan rf........  4  0  0  0   0  0  5  0   2
KNELL, Kory dh...........  4  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  4  2  1  1   0  1  6  1   0
MOUSSER, Jeff p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
 BERGERON, Michel p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 38  7 11  7   1  6 27  7   5
TCU 6 (9-8)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Elkouri ss...............  5  1  1  1   1  0  1  3   4
Meeks lf.................  5  0  2  1   0  1  2  1   2
Trofholz cf..............  4  1  1  0   0  2  5  1   1
Duncan, J. rf............  3  2  1  0   2  0  1  0   0
Settle 3b................  4  1  3  2   0  0  1  1   0
Neuman 1b................  5  0  2  0   0  0  9  1   4
Hatcher c................  5  0  1  2   0  0  6  1   2
Bratton dh...............  5  1  2  0   0  2  0  0   0
 Moses pr................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Lewis 2b.................  4  0  1  0   0  0  1  4   0
 Stephens ph.............  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Jerome p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Totals................... 41  6 14  6   3  5 27 13  13
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 133 000 -  7 11  1
TCU................. 030 111 000 -  6 14  1
-------------------------------------------
E - WIENS(3); Neuman(1). DP - TCU 1. LOB - BYU 5; TCU 13. 2B -
STUBBLEFIELD(3); Settle(5). 3B - JACKSON(1); CLOWARD(1); Meeks(1). HBP -
Trofholz; Settle. SB - JACKSON(1); WIENS 2(3). CS - Trofholz(2).
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MOUSSER, Jeff.......  4.0 10  5  2  2  2 22 25
BERGERON, Michel....  5.0  4  1  1  1  3 19 21
TCU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Jerome..............  9.0 11  7  5  1  6 38 39
Win - BERGERON (1-1).  Loss - Jerome (2-1).  Save - None.
WP - BERGERON 2(4); Jerome(1). HBP - by MOUSSER (Trofholz); by BERGERON
(Settle).
Umpires - HP: Scott Johnston  1B: Dale Hanks  3B: Marc Lewis
Start: 6:35 pm   Time: 2:55   Attendance: 797
MOUSSER faced 4 batters in the 5th.
Play-by-Play
Brigham Young at TCU - Play-by-Play
Mar 06, 2003 at Fort Worth, Texas (Lupton Stadium)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 000 133 000 -  7 11  1
TCU................. 030 111 000 -  6 14  1
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young starters: 13/lf JACKSON; 8/ss WIENS; 33/1b STUBBLEFIELD; 32/3b
   OBREY; 21/2b ITRI; 3/cf JACOBSEN; 22/rf CHAMBERS; 12/dh KNELL; 9/c
   CLOWARD; 35/p MOUSSER;
TCU starters: 10/ss Elkouri; 15/lf Meeks; 25/cf Trofholz; 7/rf Duncan, J.;
   24/3b Settle; 34/1b Neuman; 16/c Hatcher; 35/dh Bratton; 1/2b Lewis; 21/p
   Jerome;
Brigham Young - inning 1
   JACKSON flied out to cf. WIENS grounded out to 2b. STUBBLEFIELD doubled
   down the rf line. OBREY grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
   LOB.
TCU - inning 1
   Elkouri grounded out to ss. Meeks flied out to lf. Trofholz flied out to
   cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 2
   ITRI grounded out to p. JACOBSEN walked. CHAMBERS flied into double play
   cf to 1b; JACOBSEN out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU - inning 2
   Duncan, J. reached on a fielding error by ss, advanced to second. Settle
   doubled to right center, RBI; Duncan, J. scored, unearned. Neuman out at
   first 1b to p; Settle advanced to third. Hatcher grounded out to ss, RBI;
   Settle scored, unearned. Bratton singled to left field. Lewis singled to
   right field; Bratton advanced to second. Elkouri singled up the middle,
   RBI; Lewis advanced to second; Bratton scored, unearned. Meeks grounded
   out to ss. 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 3
   KNELL struck out swinging. CLOWARD flied out to cf. JACKSON flied out to
   rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU - inning 3
   Trofholz hit by pitch. Trofholz out at second c to ss, caught stealing.
   Duncan, J. singled to shortstop. Settle flied out to rf. Neuman singled
   to left center; Duncan, J. advanced to third. Hatcher flied out to rf. 0
   runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 4
   WIENS singled to center field. WIENS stole second. STUBBLEFIELD struck
   out swinging. OBREY singled to left field, RBI; WIENS scored. OBREY
   advanced to second on a wild pitch. ITRI reached on a fielder's choice.
   JACOBSEN reached on a fielder's choice; ITRI advanced to second; OBREY
   out at third c to 3b. CHAMBERS flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors,
   2 LOB.
TCU - inning 4
   Bratton struck out looking. Lewis grounded out to p unassisted, bunt.
   Elkouri walked. Meeks tripled to right center, RBI; Elkouri scored.
   Trofholz struck out swinging. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 5
   KNELL reached on a fielding error by 1b. CLOWARD reached on a fielder's
   choice; KNELL out at second ss unassisted. JACKSON tripled down the rf
   line, RBI; CLOWARD scored, unearned. WIENS singled through the right
   side, RBI; JACKSON scored. WIENS stole second. STUBBLEFIELD grounded out
   to ss; WIENS advanced to third. OBREY singled to right center, RBI; WIENS
   scored, unearned. ITRI struck out looking. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1
   LOB.
TCU - inning 5
   Duncan, J. walked. Settle singled to right center; Duncan, J. advanced to
   second. Neuman singled to left field; Settle advanced to second; Duncan,
   J. advanced to third. Hatcher singled to right center, RBI; Neuman
   advanced to second; Settle advanced to third; Duncan, J. scored. VEST to
   2b for ITRI. BERGERON to p for MOUSSER. Bratton struck out swinging.
   Lewis popped up to ss. Elkouri flied out to rf. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors,
   3 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 6
   JACOBSEN out at first 1b to p. CHAMBERS grounded out to 2b. KNELL singled
   through the right side. CLOWARD tripled to left field, RBI; KNELL scored.
   JACKSON singled, bunt, RBI; CLOWARD scored. JACKSON stole second. WIENS
   singled to left field, out at second lf to ss to 2b, RBI; JACKSON scored.
   3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU - inning 6
   Meeks struck out swinging. Trofholz singled to left field. Duncan, J.
   grounded out to 1b unassisted; Trofholz advanced to second. Settle
   singled to center field, RBI; Trofholz scored. Settle advanced to second
   on a wild pitch. Neuman grounded out to 1b unassisted. 1 run, 2 hits, 0
   errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 7
   STUBBLEFIELD flied out to lf. OBREY struck out looking. VEST grounded out
   to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU - inning 7
   LAW to 1b for STUBBLEFIELD. Hatcher grounded out to p, bunt. Bratton
   grounded out to ss. Lewis flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
   LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 8
   JACOBSEN struck out. CHAMBERS grounded out to 2b. KNELL flied out to cf.
   0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU - inning 8
   Elkouri flied out to rf. Meeks singled to right field. Trofholz struck
   out swinging. Duncan, J. walked; Meeks advanced to second. Settle hit by
   pitch; Duncan, J. advanced to second; Meeks advanced to third. Neuman
   flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 9
   CLOWARD struck out looking. JACKSON flied out to lf. WIENS singled up the
   middle. LAW grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU - inning 9
   Hatcher flied out to cf. Bratton singled to center field. Moses pinch ran
   for Bratton. Stephens pinch hit for Lewis. Moses advanced to second on a
   wild pitch. Stephens fouled out to c. Elkouri flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1
   hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

This week's three-game series at TCU is the last chance BYU's baseball team has before starting league action.

BYU, 4-8, begins this Thursday at TCU, who is 9-5 with two more games prior to hosting the Cougars at Fort Worth, Texas. Jeff Mousser (3-0, 1.86), the reigning Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week is scheduled to start that first game at 6:30 p.m. CST.

The other probable BYU starters are Paul Jacinto (0-4, 4.43) for Friday evening and southpaw freshman Ken Gravley (1-0, 3.45) for Saturday afternoon.

"Our depth has suffered because of a couple of injuries," says BYU Coach Vance Law. Most recent among those injuries is reserve catcher Mike Weingarten who broke a couple of bones in his hand during practice last week. Law is getting transfer pitcher Mike Bergeron back on the travel squad after he has missed nearly a month because of injury.

Shortstop Ranger Wiens is now the batting average leader among the starters at .372. Jake Stubblefield, who tops the team with a six-game hitting streak, is tied with Kainoa Obrey for the team lead at three home runs apiece.

The Cougars finished 2-2 in last week's Banana Belt Tournament where it lowered their earned run average from 7.77 to 6.39.

Both the Cougars and Horned Frogs have moved to different conferences since they last met as members of the Western Athletic Conference in 1998-99 at Provo. BYU is now in the Mountain West Conference, while TCU is now in Conference USA. TCU leads the series, 4-1.

Next week BYU begins Mountain West Conference play in a three-game series at New Mexico.

The games this week can be accessed through audiocasts and livestats via links on www.byucougars.com.