SALT LAKE CITY -- Mountain West Conference tournament play opened with a 4-3 win for BYU over San Diego State Thursday afternoon.

Lance Beus, Josh Barrett and Ryan Chambers held the Aztecs in check all afternoon surrendering only five hits for the game. The Cougars improved to 38-17-1 with the victory. SDSU fell to 24-34.

BYU started the scoring in the bottom of the third inning when Chambers hit a towering solo home run off a full-count pitch. The homer was Chambers' 11th of the season. After two outs were recorded BYU scored again. Marcos Villezcas belted a double into the left-center gap. Villezcas scored two batters later on a RBI single by Jeff Hiestand. Brandon Taylor followed with a RBI double of his own.

The Cougars scored again in the fourth with two outs. The run came when Chambers doubled and was plated on a run-scoring-single by Sean McNaughton to push BYU's lead to 4-0. BYU head coach Vance Law said that the Cougars came through in the clutch like they have all season.

"We had a couple of clutch base hits but we've done that all year," he said. "I'm proud of how our guys battled nine innings and didn't give up when we had two outs, and so did San Diego State, that was a good ball game."

SDSU came back in the top of the fifth frame, narrowing the lead to 4-2. The runs came on two walks and two hits. The big blow was a two-run double by James Guerrero with two outs in the inning.

Pitching settled down in the late innings with both the Cougars and the Aztecs getting quality relief from their bullpens. Dan Bruckart came in for San Diego State and pitched four shut-out innings. Bruckart got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth. SDSU head coach Tony Gwynn said his pitchers did a good job in the loss.

"BYU is a really good offensive club and to hold them to four runs gave us a chance to win," Gwynn said.

Beus pitched well into the sixth inning when Josh Barrett came in and got BYU out of a two-on, two-out jam. Barrett pitched a perfect eighth inning to hold the lead for the Cougars. Law was happy with his team's pitching performance.

"Lance [Beus] dominated the strike zone," Law said. "He had great velocity today and did a great job for us."

In the top of the ninth, SDSU got a little help from two BYU errors. The Aztecs got a RBI single from Quintin Berry to cut the lead to 4-3. Chambers came in to get the final two outs of the ninth to earn his third save of the season. Chambers said that it was a fun game to play.

"It got a little too close there at the end," he said.

BYU will next face the winner of the Thursday afternoon game between No. 5 seed Utah and No. 1 seed UNLV Friday at 3 p.m. (MDT). All of BYU's tournament games will be carried live on both KOVO radio 960 AM and over the Internet.

San Diego State at Brigham Young Univ.
May 26, 2005 at Salt Lake City, Utah
San Diego State 3 (24-34)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BERRY, Quintin cf........  5  1  2  1   0  0  4  0   0
UNGRICHT, Brock dh.......  4  0  1  0   1  0  0  0   0
GUERRERO, James ss.......  4  0  1  2   1  1  2  1   4
MCLINTOCK, Jake rf.......  4  0  0  0   0  1  3  0   3
ZAWADZKI, Lance 3b.......  4  0  1  0   0  3  0  0   0
MENDOZA, Curt lf.........  3  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   1
O'BRIEN, Tim 1b..........  4  0  0  0   0  0  4  0   0
 PERRY, Kevin pr.........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
SWAYDAN, Jordan c........  3  1  0  0   1  0  8  1   1
DESME, Grant 2b..........  2  0  0  0   1  1  2  3   0
 SCAPEROTTA, Joseph ph...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
DOUGLAS, Brett p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BRUCKART, Dan p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 33  3  5  3   5  6 24  6   9
Brigham Young Univ. 4 (38-17-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean 2b......  5  0  2  1   0  2  2  4   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  5  1  2  0   0  0  1  2   3
NAKAYAMA, Apana dh.......  2  1  1  0   2  0  0  0   0
 IORG, Seth lf...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
HIESTAND, Jeff rf........  4  0  1  1   1  2  3  0   4
TAYLOR, Brandon 3b.......  3  0  1  1   1  0  1  3   0
SAYLOR, Ben 1b...........  3  0  0  0   1  2 11  0   3
KNELL, Kory lf/cf........  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   2
CHAMBERS, Ryan cf/p......  3  2  2  1   0  0  2  0   0
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  3  0  1  0   0  1  5  1   0
BEUS, Lance p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 BARRETT, Joshua p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  4 11  4   5  8 27 12  12
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 000 020 001 -  3  5  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 003 100 00X -  4 11  2
-------------------------------------------
E - DESME; VILLEZCAS; TAYLOR. DP - SDS Aztecs 2. LOB - SDS Aztecs 9; BYU
Cougars 12. 2B - GUERRERO; VILLEZCAS; TAYLOR; CHAMBERS. HR - CHAMBERS(11).
HBP - SCAPEROTTA; NAKAYAMA; CLOWARD. SH - CHAMBERS.
San Diego State        IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
DOUGLAS, Brett......  4.0  7  4  3  2  3 17 20  92
BRUCKART, Dan.......  4.0  4  0  0  3  5 15 20  64
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
BEUS, Lance.........  6.2  4  2  2  5  5 24 29 119
BARRETT, Joshua.....  1.2  0  1  0  0  1  6  6  21
CHAMBERS, Ryan......  0.2  1  0  0  0  0  3  4  19
Win - BEUS (3-1).  Loss - DOUGLAS (2-4).  Save - CHAMBERS (3).
WP - DOUGLAS. HBP - by DOUGLAS (NAKAYAMA); by BRUCKART (CLOWARD); by CHAMBERS
(SCAPEROTTA). Pitches/strikes: DOUGLAS 92/54; BRUCKART 64/34; BEUS 119/66;
BARRETT 21/14; CHAMBERS 19/13.
Umpires - HP: Kelly Gonzales  1B: Joe Burleson  2B: Phil Gonzales  3B: Blake
Jensen  Start: 11 a.m.   Time: 2:35   Attendance:
San Diego State at Brigham Young Univ. - Play-by-Play
May 26, 2005 at Salt Lake City, Utah
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 000 020 001 -  3  5  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 003 100 00X -  4 11  2
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State starters: 23/cf BERRY; 25/dh UNGRICHT; 1/ss GUERRERO; 15/rf
MCLINTOCK; 5/3b ZAWADZKI; 24/lf MENDOZA; 20/1b O'BRIEN; 12/c SWAYDAN; 8/2b DESME;
35/p DOUGLAS;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 15/2b McNAUGHTON; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 24/dh NAKAYAMA;
16/rf HIESTAND; 3/3b TAYLOR; 25/1b SAYLOR; 12/lf KNELL; 22/cf CHAMBERS; 9/c CLOWARD;
14/p BEUS;
San Diego State 1st - BERRY grounded out to 2b (1-2). UNGRICHT grounded out
to p (1-0). GUERRERO walked (3-1). MCLINTOCK struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - McNAUGHTON singled to left field (0-0). VILLEZCAS
flied out to 2b (2-2). NAKAYAMA hit by pitch (3-2); McNAUGHTON advanced to second.
HIESTAND grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b (0-1); NAKAYAMA out on the play.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 2nd - ZAWADZKI struck out swinging (2-2). MENDOZA walked
(3-2). O'BRIEN reached on a fielder's choice (0-0); MENDOZA out at second 3b to 2b.
SWAYDAN flied out to cf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - TAYLOR flied out to cf (2-2). SAYLOR walked (3-2).
KNELL struck out swinging (0-2); SAYLOR out at first c to 1b, picked off. 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 3rd - DESME grounded out to ss (3-2). BERRY grounded out to
2b (3-1). UNGRICHT grounded out to ss (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - CHAMBERS homered to right field, RBI (3-2). CLOWARD
struck out looking (1-2). McNAUGHTON flied out to rf (1-2). VILLEZCAS doubled to
left center (2-1). NAKAYAMA walked (3-2). HIESTAND singled to right field, RBI
(2-2); NAKAYAMA advanced to third; VILLEZCAS scored. TAYLOR doubled down the lf
line, RBI (3-2); HIESTAND advanced to third; NAKAYAMA scored. SAYLOR struck out
swinging (1-2). 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 4th - GUERRERO struck out looking (3-2). MCLINTOCK flied out
to rf (1-0). ZAWADZKI singled to right center (0-0). MENDOZA fouled out to 1b (1-1).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - KNELL lined out to 2b (3-1). CHAMBERS doubled to
left center (0-2). CLOWARD lined out to ss (1-0). CHAMBERS advanced to third on a
wild pitch. McNAUGHTON singled to left field, RBI (2-2); CHAMBERS scored, unearned.
VILLEZCAS flied out to cf (3-1). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 5th - O'BRIEN flied out to lf (1-2). SWAYDAN walked (3-0).
DESME struck out swinging (2-2). BERRY singled through the right side (1-1); SWAYDAN
advanced to second. UNGRICHT walked (3-0); BERRY advanced to second; SWAYDAN
advanced to third. GUERRERO doubled down the lf line, 2 RBI (0-0); UNGRICHT advanced
to third; BERRY scored; SWAYDAN scored. MCLINTOCK grounded out to 1b unassisted
(2-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - BRUCKART to p for DOUGLAS. NAKAYAMA singled to
center field (1-0). HIESTAND struck out looking (1-2). TAYLOR flied out to cf (0-1).
SAYLOR struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 6th - ZAWADZKI struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b
(0-2). MENDOZA lined out to 2b, assist by p (1-2). O'BRIEN grounded out to 3b (3-1).
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - KNELL singled to second base, advanced to second on
a throwing error by 2b (0-0). CHAMBERS grounded out to p, SAC, bunt (0-0); KNELL
advanced to third. CLOWARD hit by pitch (2-2). McNAUGHTON struck out swinging (1-2).
VILLEZCAS grounded out to 2b (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 7th - SWAYDAN flied out to cf (2-2). DESME walked (3-0).
BERRY reached on a fielder's choice (0-1); DESME out at second 2b to ss. UNGRICHT
singled through the right side (3-1); BERRY advanced to third. BARRETT to p for
BEUS. GUERRERO grounded out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - NAKAYAMA flied out to cf (3-1). HIESTAND walked
(3-2). TAYLOR walked (3-0); HIESTAND advanced to second. SAYLOR flied out to rf
(0-0). KNELL flied out to rf (2-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 8th - MCLINTOCK flied out to rf (0-1). ZAWADZKI struck out
looking (3-2). MENDOZA flied out to lf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - CHAMBERS flied out to lf (1-1). CLOWARD singled to
right field (0-0). McNAUGHTON struck out swinging (1-2). VILLEZCAS singled up the
middle (1-0); CLOWARD advanced to third. NAKAYAMA walked (3-0); VILLEZCAS advanced
to second. HIESTAND struck out looking (2-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3
LOB.
San Diego State 9th - O'BRIEN reached on a throwing error by ss (2-2).
PERRY,KEV pinch ran for O'BRIEN. SWAYDAN lined out to 3b (1-0); PERRY,KEV advanced
to second on a throwing error by 3b. SCAPEROTTA pinch hit for DESME. CHAMBERS to p.
/  for BARRETT. IORG to lf for NAKAYAMA. KNELL to cf. SCAPEROTTA hit by pitch (2-2).
BERRY singled to left field, RBI (0-2); SCAPEROTTA advanced to second; PERRY,KEV
scored, unearned. UNGRICHT flied out to rf (1-1); SCAPEROTTA advanced to third.
GUERRERO grounded out to 2b (2-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 2 errors, 2 LOB.

Good news and bad news came out of last week's regular season finish at San Diego as BYU readies to play Thursday in the Mountain West Conference Tournament at Salt Lake City.

The good news: the Cougars earned the No. 2 seed with a solid second-place finish in the league and on Thursday will play the highest remaining seed out of Wednesday's tourney games at 11 a.m.

The bad news: outfielder Adrian Molina is out for the remainder of the season. The junior from San Diego received permission to remain behind from the team last week in order to participate in a family baptism. Molina suffered a broken hand in a car accident when he was knocked unconscious.

BYU, 37-17-1 overall and 21-9 in the MWC, finished two games behind first-place UNLV, who also received a first-round bye in this week's league tourney. The Cougars' starting pitcher for Thursday's game is TBA, depending on the opponent.

Lefty Lance Beus (2-1, 5.50) presents a number of problems for some opponents. Junior Dave Horlacher (5-2, 3.99) has been BYU's starter for the past 14 weekends. The Cougars have three pitchers each with six victories: Matt Jensen (6-1, 2.53), Justin Su'a (6-2, 4.89) and Blake Torgerson (6-2, 6.46).

This year's BYU team has been a part of 13 broken records on the national, league and school scene. Brandon Taylor has three of those records to his credit, Jensen has two, Horlacher, Molina and Casey Cloward each own a record and the Cougar team has set three records.

If BYU wins on Thursday, its next game would be Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. If the Cougars lose on Thursday morning, they would play again that night at 7 p.m. in the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tourney.

The Cougars are hopeful of a good showing at the tourney. The tourney champion gets the league's automatic berth to next week's NCAA Regionals. BYU has submitted a bid to host one of those regionals starting next Thursday. If the Cougars falter in securing the automatic berth, they are hopeful their record is worthy of at at-large selection in tourney action that could start next Friday.

The Cougars have a 13-8 record in the MWC Tournament. BYU lost its first two games last year when the tourney was in Las Vegas; posted a 2-2 mark in 2003 at Albuquerque; won the tourney in 2002 in Provo; won the tourney in 2001 at San Diego; and had a 2-2 record in 2000 at Las Vegas.

A multi-page release can be found by downloading the PDF file at the top of this story, which gives a detailed analysis of the Cougars.