PROVO -- Late-inning rallies again spelled disaster for BYU, as the Cougar bullpen continued to struggle in a 19-9 loss to UNLV on Saturday.

The bullpen woes continued for the Cougars, who gave up more hits in the fifth inning of today's contest than in the first and second games of the series combined. Six different hurlers saw time on the mound for BYU.

Saturday's loss moves the Cougars to 7-14 overall and 2-4 in Mountain West Conference play. The Rebels are now 19-8 overall and 5-1 in the conference.

"I don't think we can put the blame on any one thing," said Assistant Coach Ryan Roberts. "We missed plenty of offensive opportunities that could have helped us to put the game away, and we weren't able to hold the lead."

The BYU offense got on the board quickly, scoring three runs and batting around in the first inning. Doug Jackson began the inning with a single up the middle and was driven in on a double by Ranger Wiens. One out later, Kainoa Obrey, who has a team-high 11-game hitting streak, hammered a double off the 388-foot sign in left-center field to score Wiens. The third Cougar run came on a two-out based-loaded walk by Ryan Chambers, which allowed Obrey to score.

Jackson and Wiens ignited the Cougars again in the second, leading off the inning with back-to-back singles. And were able to put another run on the board when Jackson was able to tag up on a fly ball to left field by Brock Jacobsen, upping the lead to 4-0.

BYU starting pitcher, Ken Gravley, kept the Rebels at bay until the fifth, when second baseman Ryan Ruiz hit a two-run homer, cutting the lead in half. Three hitters later, UNLV took its first lead of the game when Patrick Dobson belted a three-run shot deep over the right-center field fence.

After tying the game up in the fifth, the Cougars put two more runs on the board in the sixth on a base-clearing triple by Wiens, which scored Jackson and catcher, Casey Cloward, again putting BYU up by two runs, 7-5.

UNLV rallied in the seventh, scoring four runs on five hits to take the lead, 9-7. The Rebels put the game out of reach by scoring another eight runs in the eighth, increasing the margin to 17-7.

The Cougars entered the final game of the series with a bullpen that had not seen action in more than a week because of back-to-back complete games pitched by Paul Jacinto and Jeff Mousser. Jacinto won game two giving up just one hit and one run, allowing six Rebels to reach base safely. Mousser sat down 19 straight Rebel hitters in the 6-5 loss in game one.

In the bottom of the eighth, Jacobsen belted a fastball into the trees past the center field fence for his fifth home run of the season, which ties him with Jake Stubblefield for the team lead. Stubblefield's 14-game hitting streak came to an end Saturday, as he was 0-5 in the game three loss.

Fernando Valenzuela, son of the former Dodger great, was 5-for-6 with two doubles and four RBI for the Rebels.

Attendance was 1,527 for game three.

Next week the Cougars will go on the road to face rivals Southern Utah in Cedar City and Utah at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City. Tuesday's doubleheader at SUU has been moved up to 11 a.m. Thursday's game at Utah to start a three-game series will begin at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast locally on KOVO 960 AM and webcast over the Internet through the link at www.byucougars.com.

UNLV at Brigham Young Univ
Mar 22, 2003 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
UNLV 19 (19-8,5-1 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RUIZ 2b..................  5  1  3  3   0  1  2  5   0
 SHITANISHI ph/2b........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
JOHNSON 3b...............  6  4  5  2   0  0  0  1   1
NIELSEN rf...............  5  3  4  1   1  0  1  0   0
 BRAUN pr/rf.............  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   3
DOBSON lf................  5  3  2  4   1  0  2  0   2
VALENZUELA 1b............  6  3  5  4   0  0 10  0   0
VAN KIRK c...............  6  2  2  2   0  1  9  0   2
WHITE ss.................  4  2  2  0   1  0  1  3   0
D'ANGELO cf..............  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 URIEGAS cf..............  0  1  0  2   1  0  0  0   0
GHUTZMAN dh..............  4  0  0  0   1  2  0  0   0
 WICKMAN, Joe ph.........  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
VOSE p...................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 SCHEINBAUM p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 THOMPSON p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WATTS p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 47 19 24 18   5  5 27 11  11
Brigham Young Univ 9 (7-14,2-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JACKSON, Doug lf.........  5  3  3  0   0  0  4  1   1
 SEIL, Beau ph...........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
WIENS, Ranger ss.........  6  1  3  3   0  0  1  2   1
STUBBLEFIELD, Jake 1b....  5  1  0  0   0  2  6  0   0
OBREY, Kainoa 3b.........  4  2  2  1   1  2  0  2   0
JACOBSEN, Brock cf.......  1  1  1  3   3  0  1  0   0
ITRI, Rob 2b.............  3  0  1  0   2  1  4  2   4
CARSON, Clayton dh.......  5  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   1
CHAMBERS, Ryan rf........  4  0  1  1   1  1  6  0   1
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  2  1  0  0   1  0  3  0   3
 LAW, Tim ph.............  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WILKES, Adam c..........  1  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
GRAVLEY, Kenneth p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BERGERON, Michel p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BINGHAM, Anthony p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARNES, Clayton p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 DABO, Tyler p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 CHRISMAN, Jacob p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 38  9 12  8   8  9 27  7  11
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 000 050 482 - 19 24  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 310 012 020 -  9 12  1
-------------------------------------------
E - JOHNSON; WHITE; CHAMBERS. DP - UNLV 2; BYU Cougars 1. LOB - UNLV 11; BYU
Cougars 11. 2B - NIELSEN 3; DOBSON; VALENZUELA 2; WHITE; WIENS; OBREY;
CHAMBERS. 3B - WIENS. HR - RUIZ(7); DOBSON(6); JACOBSEN(5). HBP - JOHNSON;
WHITE; URIEGAS. SF - RUIZ; URIEGAS; JACOBSEN. SB - JOHNSON.
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
VOSE................  1.0  5  4  4  3  1  8 11
SCHEINBAUM..........  4.0  3  3  3  3  3 13 17
THOMPSON............  2.2  3  2  0  2  4 12 14
WATTS...............  1.1  1  0  0  0  1  5  5
Brigham Young Univ     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
GRAVLEY, Kenneth....  4.2  9  5  5  1  0 21 22
BERGERON, Michel....  1.2  5  4  4  1  2 11 12
BINGHAM, Anthony....  0.2  1  1  1  0  1  2  4
BARNES, Clayton.....  0.0  3  6  6  3  0  3  6
DABO, Tyler.........  1.0  2  1  1  0  1  4  5
CHRISMAN, Jacob.....  1.0  4  2  2  0  1  6  8
Win - THOMPSON (2-0).  Loss - BERGERON (1-2).  Save - None.
WP - VOSE; BARNES 2. HBP - by BINGHAM (URIEGAS); by BINGHAM (JOHNSON); by
CHRISMAN (WHITE).
Umpires - HP: Tom Chandler  1B: Blake Jensen  3B: John Cortez
Start: 2:02 pm   Time: 3:48   Attendance: 1527
Game notes:
Game 3 of 3
Next home game is April 7 vs. SUU, 4 p.m., this is new to the schedule
VOSE faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
SCHEINBAUM faced 2 batters in the 6th.
BINGHAM faced 1 batter in the 8th.
BARNES faced 6 batters in the 8th.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Play-by-Play
UNLV at Brigham Young Univ - Play-by-Play
Mar 22, 2003 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 000 050 482 - 19 24  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 310 012 020 -  9 12  1
-------------------------------------------
UNLV starters: 4/2b RUIZ; 45/3b JOHNSON; 36/rf NIELSEN; 5/lf DOBSON; 33/1b
   VALENZUELA; 16/c VAN KIRK; 7/ss WHITE; 1/cf D'ANGELO; 11/dh GHUTZMAN; 2/p
   VOSE;
Brigham Young Univ starters: 13/lf JACKSON; 8/ss WIENS; 33/1b STUBBLEFIELD;
   32/3b OBREY; 3/cf JACOBSEN; 21/2b ITRI; 23/dh CARSON; 22/rf CHAMBERS; 9/c
   CLOWARD; 19/p GRAVLEY;
UNLV - inning 1
   RUIZ popped up to 2b. JOHNSON singled up the middle. NIELSEN flied out to
   cf. JOHNSON stole second. DOBSON flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
   errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 1
   JACKSON singled to center field. WIENS doubled to left center, RBI;
   JACKSON scored. STUBBLEFIELD grounded out to ss. OBREY doubled to left
   center, RBI; WIENS scored. JACOBSEN walked; OBREY advanced to third on a
   wild pitch. ITRI walked; JACOBSEN advanced to second. CARSON struck out
   swinging. CHAMBERS walked, RBI; ITRI advanced to second; JACOBSEN
   advanced to third; OBREY scored. CLOWARD grounded out to p. 3 runs, 3
   hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
UNLV - inning 2
   VALENZUELA flied out to rf. VAN KIRK grounded out to 1b unassisted. WHITE
   grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 2
   JACKSON singled up the middle. WIENS singled to left field; JACKSON
   advanced to second. SCHEINBAUM to p for VOSE. STUBBLEFIELD flied out to
   lf. OBREY walked; WIENS advanced to second; JACKSON advanced to third.
   JACOBSEN flied out to lf, SF, RBI; JACKSON scored. ITRI struck out
   swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV - inning 3
   D'ANGELO flied out to lf. GHUTZMAN walked. RUIZ singled to left field;
   GHUTZMAN advanced to second, out at second lf to 2b. JOHNSON flied out to
   lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 3
   CARSON grounded out to 2b. CHAMBERS flied out to cf. CLOWARD flied out to
   rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV - inning 4
   NIELSEN doubled to left field. DOBSON grounded out to 3b. VALENZUELA
   singled to right field; NIELSEN advanced to third. VAN KIRK grounded into
   double play ss to 2b to 1b; VALENZUELA out on the play. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0
   errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 4
   JACKSON reached on a fielding error by 3b. WIENS grounded into double
   play ss to 2b to 1b; JACKSON out on the play. STUBBLEFIELD struck out
   looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
UNLV - inning 5
   WHITE doubled to center field. D'ANGELO flied out to rf. GHUTZMAN
   grounded out to 2b; WHITE advanced to third. RUIZ homered to left center,
   2 RBI; WHITE scored. JOHNSON singled to left field. NIELSEN doubled to
   right center; JOHNSON advanced to third. DOBSON homered to right center,
   3 RBI; NIELSEN scored; JOHNSON scored. BERGERON to p for GRAVLEY.
   VALENZUELA singled to center field. VAN KIRK struck out looking. 5 runs,
   6 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 5
   OBREY singled to left field. JACOBSEN walked; OBREY advanced to second.
   ITRI singled, bunt; JACOBSEN advanced to second; OBREY advanced to third.
   CARSON grounded into double play 2b to 1b; ITRI out on the play; JACOBSEN
   advanced to third; OBREY scored. CHAMBERS struck out swinging. 1 run, 2
   hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 6
   WHITE grounded out to 3b. D'ANGELO flied out to lf. GHUTZMAN flied out to
   rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 6
   URIEGAS to cf for D'ANGELO. CLOWARD walked. JACKSON singled to left
   center; CLOWARD advanced to third. THOMPSON to p for SCHEINBAUM. WIENS
   tripled to right center, 2 RBI; JACKSON scored; CLOWARD scored.
   STUBBLEFIELD struck out swinging. OBREY struck out swinging. JACOBSEN
   walked. ITRI grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV - inning 7
   RUIZ struck out looking. JOHNSON singled up the middle. NIELSEN singled
   to left field; JOHNSON advanced to second. DOBSON walked; NIELSEN
   advanced to second; JOHNSON advanced to third. VALENZUELA doubled to left
   center, 2 RBI; DOBSON advanced to third; NIELSEN scored; JOHNSON scored.
   VAN KIRK reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop, RBI; DOBSON scored.
   WHITE singled to center field; VAN KIRK advanced to second; VALENZUELA
   advanced to third. BINGHAM to p for BERGERON. URIEGAS hit by pitch, RBI;
   WHITE advanced to second; VAN KIRK advanced to third; VALENZUELA scored.
   GHUTZMAN struck out looking. RUIZ singled to second base; URIEGAS out at
   second 2b unassisted. 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 7
   CARSON struck out swinging. CHAMBERS doubled to third base. LAW pinch hit
   for CLOWARD. LAW grounded out to 3b. JACKSON popped up to ss. 0 runs, 1
   hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 8
   WILKES to c for LAW. JOHNSON hit by pitch. BARNES to p for BINGHAM.
   NIELSEN walked; JOHNSON advanced to second. DOBSON doubled down the rf
   line, RBI; NIELSEN advanced to third; JOHNSON scored. VALENZUELA doubled
   to right center, 2 RBI; DOBSON scored; NIELSEN scored. VALENZUELA
   advanced to third on a wild pitch. VAN KIRK singled to shortstop, RBI;
   VALENZUELA scored. WHITE walked; VAN KIRK advanced to second. WHITE
   advanced to second on a wild pitch; VAN KIRK advanced to third. URIEGAS
   walked. DABO to p for BARNES. GHUTZMAN struck out swinging. RUIZ flied
   out to rf, SF, RBI; WHITE advanced to third; VAN KIRK scored. JOHNSON
   singled to right field, RBI; URIEGAS advanced to third; WHITE scored.
   NIELSEN doubled down the rf line, advanced to third on a throwing error
   by rf, RBI; JOHNSON scored; URIEGAS scored. BRAUN pinch ran for NIELSEN.
   DOBSON fouled out to rf. 8 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 8
   BRAUN to rf. WIENS grounded out to ss. STUBBLEFIELD reached on a fielding
   error by ss. OBREY struck out swinging. JACOBSEN homered to center field,
   2 RBI, unearned; STUBBLEFIELD scored, unearned. ITRI walked. WATTS to p
   for THOMPSON. CARSON grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 9
   CHRISMAN to p for DABO. VALENZUELA singled to left field. VAN KIRK
   singled to left field; VALENZUELA advanced to second. WHITE hit by pitch;
   VAN KIRK advanced to second; VALENZUELA advanced to third. URIEGAS flied
   out to lf, SF, RBI; VALENZUELA scored. WICKMAN, Joe pinch hit for
   GHUTZMAN. WICKMAN, Joe singled to right field; WHITE advanced to second;
   VAN KIRK advanced to third. SHITANISHI pinch hit for RUIZ. SHITANISHI
   lined out to ss. JOHNSON singled to right field, RBI; WICKMAN, Joe
   advanced to second; WHITE advanced to third; VAN KIRK scored. BRAUN
   struck out swinging. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ - inning 9
   SHITANISHI to 2b. CHAMBERS flied out to rf. WILKES singled up the middle.
   SEIL pinch hit for JACKSON. SEIL struck out looking. WIENS grounded out
   to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Home at last after 18 games, BYU's baseball team begins its season at Miller Park this Thursday when it hosts UNLV.

The Cougars, 6-12 overall and 1-2 in the Mountain West Conference, start a three-game series with UNLV, 16-7 and 3-0, on Thursday at 7 p.m. Junior Jeff Mousser (3-1, 5.11) is scheduled to start the 2003 home campaign on the mound.

The Rebels are the only MWC team that has been receiving votes in national polls. BYU is scheduled to throw Paul Jacinto (1-4, 4.89) against UNLV in Friday's game at 7 p.m. Game time has changed for Saturday's contest to 2 p.m., because of the BYU Spring Football Game at noon and Ken Gravley (1-1, 5.92) is the anticipated starter.

"After what seems like two months on the road, it is nice to finally be home," says Coach Vance Law, who leads BYU into its second full season at Larry H. Miller Field. "We start defending our championship at home. They are a good team and are off to a good start, so we have our work cut out."

Among the hot Cougar batters are Rob Itri, Jake Stubblefield and Doug Jackson. Itri improved his batting average to .325 by batting .667 in last week's action. Stubblefield batted .538 last week, while Jackson was .533.

In last week's series at New Mexico, Jackson broke the BYU career triples record by hitting a pair to boost his total to 20. Jackson's five triples this season is half-way to the school season record of 10.

This week's UNLV games are the first of 17 hosted by the Cougars this season at Larry H. Miller Field where they have a 24-12 record the past two years. The three games will be broadcast live over KOVO Radio (960 AM), with Thursday and Friday's games making the inaugural appearance also as live audiocasts on the Internet. For links to those games, please visit www.byucougars.com.

Following the series with UNLV, BYU plays next week at Southern Utah before returning to league play at the University of Utah.