LAS -- A four-run fifth inning and strong pitching helped lift BYU 8-7 over UNLV on Thursday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

After a 45-minute rain delay, the Cougars pounded out 12 hits to break a nine-game losing streak against last year's Mountain West Conference Champion. The win also ended a three-game BYU losing streak and improved its record to 14-22 and 4-6 in the MWC. UNLV dropped to 20-11 and 7-3, falling a half game behind San Diego State for first place in the conference.

"A win against UNLV feels really good," said BYU head coach Vance Law. "Our guys maintained their focus through the game. For the most part, I was really pleased with the way our guys performed tonight."

Patrick Wells (5-3) picked up his team-leading fifth win, allowing six runs on six hits in five innings. The junior transfer struck out and walked two.

Swinging at the first pitch to start the second, Jeff Hiestand tripled off the left field wall to begin a Cougar two-run drive and early 2-0 lead. The triple is the sophomore outfielder's first with BYU in 198 at-bats. Ben Saylor and Casey Cloward both hit RBI groundouts to score Hiestand and Brandon Taylor.

After Wells walked Eric Nielsen to lead off the bottom of the second, Ryan Ruiz tied the score with a two-run home run, his fifth of the year. The Rebels then took a 4-2 lead with a two-run single by Brent Johnson. With two hits in the game, Johnson tied UNLV's all-time hits record.

BYU knocked UNLV starter Matt Luca (5-3) out of the game in the fifth after scoring four two-out runs in the inning on five hits giving the Cougars a 7-4 lead. Taylor hit his eighth home run, a two-run shot scoring Saylor. Cloward then doubled in Ranger Wiens for his third RBI in the game.

The Rebels battled back to come within one run of the Cougars' lead with two runs in the fifth inning. BYU scored a ninth-inning insurance run off a wild pitch to lead by 8-6 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

"We kept battling back, and once we took the lead again, we continued to fight for it," Law said. "Our pitchers kept them off balance pretty well tonight. I hope this is the beginning of something good to happen for us."

Following two scoreless inning in relief by Nick Lemon(1-2), J.D Stambaugh (2-0) pitched the final two innings, allowing one unearned run in the ninth. The freshman southpaw picked up his first save after striking out CJ Ebarb to end the game with runners on first and second.

The Cougars play game two of a three-game series with UNLV at 6:30 p.m. (PST) on Friday. The game can be listened to live on KOVO 960 AM. Live stats and live audio are also available on the Internet through BYU baseball's schedule page at www.byucougars.com.

Brigham Young Univ. at UNLV
Apr 08, 2004 at Las Vegas (Earl E. Wilson)
Brigham Young Univ. 8 (14-22,4-6)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CHAMBERS, Ryan cf........  5  0  0  0   0  1  6  0   2
KNELL, Kory lf...........  5  1  1  0   0  2  0  0   0
ITRI, Rob dh.............  4  0  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
 LUCAS, Blair dh.........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HIESTAND, Jeff rf........  4  1  2  0   0  1  2  0   1
 BILLS, Kevin ph.........  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
SAYLOR, Ben 1b...........  3  2  2  2   1  0  3  3   0
TAYLOR, Brandon ss.......  4  2  3  2   1  0  3  2   0
WIENS, Ranger 3b.........  4  1  1  0   1  1  3  1   1
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  4  0  1  3   0  0  5  0   2
VEST, Wade 2b............  3  0  0  0   0  1  3  3   2
WELLS, Patrick p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 LEMON, Nick p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 STAMBAUGH,J.D. p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 36  8 12  7   4  7 27 12   8
UNLV 7 (20-11,7-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KOWALSKI dh..............  4  1  1  0   0  2  0  0   1
 BIRD dh.................  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
WHITE ss.................  5  1  0  0   0  0  1  2   2
JOHNSON cf...............  4  1  2  3   1  0  2  0   0
NIELSEN rf...............  1  2  0  0   3  0  1  1   0
RUIZ 2b..................  4  1  1  3   0  0  2  5   0
SOTO 3b..................  5  0  1  0   0  1  0  2   5
GILL 1b..................  1  0  0  0   2  0 12  1   0
 URIEGAS 1b..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BONNELL 1b..............  1  0  1  1   0  0  1  0   0
ROSS c...................  3  0  0  0   0  0  6  1   0
 PARRAZ pr...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 EBARB c.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 TELLAM c................  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
D'ANGELO lf..............  3  1  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
LUCA p...................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MINOR p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 SCHEINBAUM p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 33  7  8  7   6  5 27 14  10
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 020 140 001 -  8 12  3
UNLV................ 022 020 001 -  7  8  0
-------------------------------------------
E - TAYLOR 3(15). DP - BYU Cougars 2; UNLV 1. LOB - BYU Cougars 8; UNLV 10.
2B - HIESTAND(6); SAYLOR(5); WIENS(6); CLOWARD(2); JOHNSON(12);
D'ANGELO(13). 3B - HIESTAND(1). HR - TAYLOR(8); RUIZ(5). HBP - ITRI; VEST;
NIELSEN; GILL; D'ANGELO. SH - SAYLOR(1); ROSS(1). SF - RUIZ(2). SB -
TAYLOR(6); WIENS(10); VEST(9); NIELSEN(6). CS - D'ANGELO(1).
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WELLS, Patrick......  5.0  6  6  3  2  2 19 24
LEMON, Nick.........  2.0  0  0  0  4  2  5 10
STAMBAUGH,J.D.......  2.0  2  1  0  0  1  9 10
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
LUCA................  4.2  9  7  7  1  4 22 25
MINOR...............  3.1  3  1  1  1  3 13 14
SCHEINBAUM..........  1.0  0  0  0  2  0  1  4
Win - WELLS (5-3).  Loss - LUCA (5-3).  Save - STAMBAUGH (1).
WP - WELLS(3); SCHEINBAUM(4). HBP - by LUCA (VEST); by WELLS (GILL); by WELLS
(D'ANGELO); by LUCA (ITRI); by STAMBAUGH (NIELSEN). PB - CLOWARD(4); ROSS(3).
Umpires - HP: Kevin Deurgherty  1B: John Cortez  3B: Bran Hungerord
Start: 7:15 pm   Time: 3:38   Attendance: 649
Game: One of Three
 Play-by-Play
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 020 140 001 -  8 12  3
UNLV................ 022 020 001 -  7  8  0
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 22/cf CHAMBERS; 12/lf KNELL; 21/dh ITRI; 16/rf
   HIESTAND; 25/1b SAYLOR; 3/ss TAYLOR; 8/3b WIENS; 9/c CLOWARD; 5/2b VEST;
   4/p WELLS;
UNLV starters: 12/dh KOWALSKI; 7/ss WHITE; 45/cf JOHNSON; 36/rf NIELSEN;
   4/2b RUIZ; 6/3b SOTO; 46/1b GILL; 38/c ROSS; 21/lf D'ANGELO; 26/p LUCA;
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 1
   CHAMBERS grounded out to 2b. KNELL struck out swinging. ITRI struck out
   swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV - inning 1
   KOWALSKI struck out looking. WHITE flied out to cf. JOHNSON popped up to
   3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 2
   HIESTAND tripled to left field. SAYLOR grounded out to 2b, RBI; HIESTAND
   scored. TAYLOR singled to right field. WIENS walked; TAYLOR advanced to
   second. WIENS stole second; TAYLOR stole third. CLOWARD grounded out to
   2b, RBI; WIENS advanced to third; TAYLOR scored. VEST grounded out to 3b.
   2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 2
   NIELSEN walked. RUIZ homered to right center, 2 RBI; NIELSEN scored. SOTO
   singled to center field. GILL lined out to cf. ROSS hit into double play
   ss to 2b to 1b; SOTO out on the play. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 3
   CHAMBERS struck out swinging. KNELL popped up to 2b. ITRI singled to
   right field. HIESTAND struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 3
   D'ANGELO singled through the right side. KOWALSKI singled down the rf
   line, bunt; D'ANGELO advanced to second. WHITE reached on an error by ss;
   KOWALSKI advanced to second; D'ANGELO advanced to third. JOHNSON singled
   up the middle, 2 RBI; WHITE advanced to second; KOWALSKI scored,
   unearned; D'ANGELO scored. NIELSEN popped up to 2b. RUIZ flied out to cf.
   SOTO struck out swinging. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 4
   SAYLOR doubled to right center. TAYLOR singled to third base. WIENS
   grounded out to 1b unassisted; TAYLOR advanced to second; SAYLOR advanced
   to third. CLOWARD grounded out to 2b, RBI; TAYLOR advanced to third;
   SAYLOR scored. VEST hit by pitch. VEST stole second. CHAMBERS lined out
   to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV - inning 4
   GILL hit by pitch. ROSS hit into double play 2b to ss to 1b; GILL out on
   the play. D'ANGELO hit by pitch. D'ANGELO out at second p to 1b to ss,
   caught stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 5
   KNELL singled up the middle. ITRI hit by pitch; KNELL advanced to second.
   HIESTAND hit into double play 2b to ss to 1b; ITRI out on the play; KNELL
   advanced to third. SAYLOR singled to left field, RBI; KNELL scored.
   TAYLOR homered to left field, 2 RBI; SAYLOR scored. WIENS doubled to
   right center. MINOR to p for LUCA. CLOWARD doubled down the lf line, RBI;
   WIENS scored. VEST grounded out to p, bunt. 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1
   LOB.
UNLV - inning 5
   KOWALSKI out at first 1b to 2b to p. WHITE reached on an error by ss.
   JOHNSON doubled to right center, RBI; WHITE scored, unearned. NIELSEN
   walked. JOHNSON advanced to third on a wild pitch. RUIZ flied out to rf,
   SAC, RBI; JOHNSON scored. NIELSEN stole second. SOTO flied out to rf. 2
   runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 6
   CHAMBERS lined out to cf. KNELL struck out looking. ITRI grounded out to
   3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV - inning 6
   LEMON to p for WELLS. GILL walked. ROSS grounded out to p unassisted,
   bunt, SAC; GILL advanced to second. D'ANGELO struck out swinging.
   KOWALSKI struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 7
   HIESTAND doubled to left center. SAYLOR walked. TAYLOR popped up to 2b.
   SAYLOR advanced to second; HIESTAND advanced to third on a passed ball.
   WIENS struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. CLOWARD grounded out to
   1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV - inning 7
   WHITE flied out to cf. JOHNSON walked. NIELSEN walked; JOHNSON advanced
   to second. RUIZ reached on a fielder's choice; NIELSEN out at second 1b
   to ss; JOHNSON advanced to third. SOTO reached on a fielder's choice;
   RUIZ out at second p to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 8
   VEST struck out swinging. CHAMBERS out at first 1b to p. KNELL grounded
   out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV - inning 8
   GILL walked. STAMBAUGH to p for LEMON. URIEGAS to 1b for GILL. URIEGAS
   advanced to second on a passed ball. ROSS reached on a fielder's choice,
   bunt; URIEGAS out at third p to 3b. PARRAZ pinch ran for ROSS. D'ANGELO
   doubled to right field; PARRAZ advanced to third. BIRD to dh for
   KOWALSKI. BIRD grounded out to 3b. WHITE lined out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit,
   0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. - inning 9
   BONNELL to 1b for URIEGAS. EBARB to c for PARRAZ. ITRI singled to center
   field. LUCAS to dh for ITRI. SCHEINBAUM to p for MINOR. BILLS pinch hit
   for HIESTAND. BILLS walked; LUCAS advanced to second. SAYLOR grounded out
   to p, bunt, SAC; BILLS advanced to second; LUCAS advanced to third.
   TAYLOR walked. TAYLOR advanced to second; BILLS advanced to third; LUCAS
   scored on a wild pitch. WIENS flied out to rf; BILLS out at home rf to c.
   1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV - inning 9
   BILLS to rf. JOHNSON flied out to cf. NIELSEN hit by pitch. RUIZ flied
   out to cf. SOTO reached on an error by ss; NIELSEN advanced to third.
   BONNELL singled up the middle, RBI; SOTO advanced to second; NIELSEN
   scored, unearned. TELLAM to c for EBARB. TELLAM struck out swinging. 1
   run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.

After being involved in three-straight sweeps and ending on the winning side only once, BYU looks to rebound with a three-game series at UNLV beginning Thursday.

The Cougars' record fell to 13-22 and 3-6 in the Mountain West Conference after being swept by New Mexico last week. Besides sweeping a three-game series at the University of Utah, BYU has lost seven games since a six-game winning streak ended in the Pepsi-Johnny Quik Classic championship game at Fresno, Calif.

The series in Las Vegas will conclude a nine-game road trip for the Cougars who have played 32 of their first 35 games on the road. BYU will conclude the season by playing 13 of its final 19 games at home beginning with a three-game series against San Diego State on April 15.

Patrick Wells (4-3, 5.37) will get the opening-series start for the Cougars on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. (PST). Paul Jacinto (0-7, 5.68), who pitched a complete-game seven hitter last week but failed to pick up his first win in a 1-0 loss to New Mexico, will start on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (PST). Justin Su'a (2-1, 4.72) will start in Saturday's game at 2 p.m. (PST).

Entering the UNLV series with a .245 team batting average, Jeff Hiestand leads BYU with a .312 percentage. In conference play, Brandon Taylor and Ryan Chambers lead the team with a .425 and .400 batting averages.

The Cougars are 0-3 against UNLV this year after being swept at home by the Rebels in March. The last BYU win against UNLV came in the MWC Tournament on May 24, 2002. Since then, the Cougars have lost nine straight to the Rebels.

UNLV enters the series with a 20-10 record. The Rebels are tied with San Diego State in the MWC with a 7-2 conference record and are four games ahead of fourth-place BYU in the standings.

All three BYU-UNLV games can be listened to live on KOVO 960 AM and Saturday's game is also available on DirectTV and the Dish Network through the BYU Radio channel and over the Internet. All three games can also be followed live with Gametracker and live audio. Links to the webcasts and audio casts can be found on BYU baseball's schedule page at www.byucougars.com.