USAF ACADEMY -- Brandon Taylor tied an NCAA record hitting for his second cycle in less than a week as BYU took a 17-2 victory Thursday and a 7-7 game was suspended with the Air Force Academy.

Game two of the doubleheader was suspended due to darkness and will be concluded Saturday at noon (MDT) with BYU at bat in the 10th inning.

In game one, BYU and Air Force competed in 27-degree, snowy weather. BYU's record improved to 30-12-1 and 15-4 in the Mountain West Conference. Air Force dropped to 5-35 (0-19) with the loss.

Dave Horlacher struck out nine Falcons and Taylor belted a homer, a single, two doubles, and a triple to tie an NCAA record which is also held by former Cougar Spencer Oborn. Oborn's two cycles came in 1998 against AFA in back-to-back games at Provo. Taylor's ninth-inning triple went off the outfield wall at the Academy.

Taylor hit his 15th homer of the season on a full count in the second inning after being down in the count, 0-2. BYU then generated three runs in the second set up by Ben Saylor's double, Kory Knell's bunt and stolen base and Casey Cloward's sacrifice fly.

Saylor hit a three-run homer to start the third inning. Three more runs came that inning for BYU, two of which came off Jeff Hiestand's double with two out. Hiestand extended his team-leading hitting streak to 21 games.

Air Force got its first run off Polston's one-out homer in the third.

Taylor got his single in the fifth when he drove in Hiestand for one of BYU's three runs that inning. Taylor's second double of the game in the seventh drove in two more runs, making the score 15-2. The Cougars added one run in each of the eighth and ninth.

Game two of the doubleheader started out more competitive than game one with Air Force jumping on the scoreboard first with two runs in the first inning. BYU responded in the top of the second with a run when Saylor doubled and came around to score.

In the third inning, the Cougars scored three to open up a 4-2 lead. BYU used the long ball as Marcos Villezcas hit his second double of the game and scored when Apana Nakayama smoked a two-run home run. Taylor followed Nakayama with a solo shot, his second homer of the day and 16th of the season.

Air Force responded in its side of the third inning scoring two runs. Seth Iorg gave BYU the lead once again in the top of the fourth with a solo homer. The Falcons scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to give them a 6-5 advantage.

Air Force's pitcher Clayton Couch pitched six strong innings and left the game with the lead. Couch last faced the Cougars in last season's MWC Tournament. He pitched a complete game to beat BYU, 5-3, and end the Cougars' season.

When Couch left the game, BYU regained the lead in the top of the seventh. The Cougars scored on an RBI single by Nakayama and a passed ball to go ahead 7-6. Air Force again tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Price Paramore hit a RBI triple with two outs.

Relief pitching ruled the late innings as neither team scored through the ninth inning. The final game of the series will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game.

Both of the games will be carried live on KOVO radio 960 AM.

BYU at Air Force (Game 1)
Apr 29, 2005 at USAF Academy, Colo. (Falcon Field)
BYU 17 (30-12-1,15-5 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  6  0  2  2   0  2  3  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  0  0  1   1  0  0  1   0
 RELF, Brandon ss........  1  1  1  1   1  0  0  2   0
NAKAYAMA, Apana dh.......  5  2  1  0   1  0  0  0   3
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  2  3  3   0  0  4  0   1
 IORG, Seth lf...........  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
TAYLOR, Brandon 3b.......  6  3  5  4   0  0  2  4   2
SAYLOR, Ben lf...........  6  2  2  3   0  1  4  0   2
KNELL, Kory rf...........  2  2  1  0   1  0  0  0   0
 SLOAN, Kevin rf.........  3  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   0
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  2  1  1  1   0  0  5  0   0
 AYOSO, Bryce c..........  2  0  0  0   0  0  5  0   0
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  5  4  4  0   0  1  1  1   0
HORLACHER, Dave p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HEID, Tyler p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 47 17 20 15   4  5 27  9   8
Air Force 2 (5-35,0-18 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
LAMSON, Reid cf..........  3  0  0  0   1  3  2  0   0
JEFFERS, Troy lf.........  4  1  2  0   0  1  2  0   0
SMITH, Dustin ss.........  4  0  1  1   0  0  3  3   0
BOLT, Karl 1b............  4  0  0  0   0  1  8  2   1
PARAMORE, Price dh.......  4  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   1
DeROHAN, Nathan 3b.......  3  0  1  0   1  0  1  2   0
SALAZAR, Geno 2b.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  2   2
POLSTON, Jon c...........  3  1  1  1   0  0  4  0   1
 MEENTS, Josh c..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
MUSSER, Matt rf..........  3  0  0  0   0  2  4  0   0
FUGLER, Travis p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MEYERS, John p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 YAMAMOTO p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 GARRISON, Mike p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  2  5  2   2  9 27  9   5
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 046 030 211 - 17 20  1
Air Force........... 001 001 000 -  2  5  2
-------------------------------------------
E - TAYLOR(9); JEFFERS; SMITH(5). DP - Cougars 1. LOB - Cougars 8; Falcons
5. 2B - TAYLOR 2(14); SAYLOR(18); JEFFERS(9). 3B - TAYLOR(3). HR -
TAYLOR(15); SAYLOR(6); POLSTON(2). SF - CLOWARD(3). SB - KNELL(7);
JEFFERS(4).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
HORLACHER, Dave.....  8.0  5  2  2  1  9 28 29
HEID, Tyler.........  1.0  0  0  0  1  0  4  5
Air Force              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
FUGLER, Travis......  2.0  9  7  7  0  0 14 15
MEYERS, John........  3.0  7  6  6  2  2 16 18
YAMAMOTO............  2.0  1  2  2  2  2  7  9
GARRISON, Mike......  2.0  3  2  0  0  1 10 10
Win - HORLACHER (5-2).  Loss - FUGLER (2-5).  Save - None.
BK - MEYERS(1). PB - MEENTS(8).
Umpires - HP: Ted Bergquist  1B: Chad McCardell  3B: Dom Butry
Start: 1 p.m.   Time: 2:36   Attendance:
Game notes:
First Pitch Temperature: 27 degrees with 20 degree windchill
BYU at Air Force (Game 1) - Play-by-Play
Apr 29, 2005 at USAF Academy, Colo. (Falcon Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 046 030 211 - 17 20  1
Air Force........... 001 001 000 -  2  5  2
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 1/cf MOLINA; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 24/dh NAKAYAMA; 16/1b HIESTAND; 3/3b
TAYLOR; 25/lf SAYLOR; 12/rf KNELL; 9/c CLOWARD; 6/2b LAW; 11/p HORLACHER;
Air Force starters: 1/cf LAMSON; 12/lf JEFFERS; 15/ss SMITH; 13/1b BOLT; 10/dh
PARAMORE; 8/3b DeROHAN; 2/2b SALAZAR; 14/c POLSTON; 7/rf MUSSER; 17/p FUGLER;
BYU 1st - MOLINA grounded out to 3b. VILLEZCAS grounded out to 2b. NAKAYAMA
singled up the middle. HIESTAND flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 1st - LAMSON walked. JEFFERS grounded into double play 3b to 2b to
1b; LAMSON out on the play. SMITH fouled out to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 2nd - TAYLOR homered to right center, RBI. SAYLOR doubled to left center.
KNELL singled to third base, bunt; SAYLOR advanced to third. CLOWARD flied out to
lf, SF, RBI; SAYLOR scored. KNELL stole second. LAW singled through the left side;
KNELL advanced to third. MOLINA singled to center field, RBI; LAW advanced to third;
KNELL scored. VILLEZCAS reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; MOLINA out at second 1b
to ss; LAW scored. NAKAYAMA reached on a fielder's choice; VILLEZCAS out at second
ss to 2b. 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - BOLT struck out swinging. PARAMORE struck out swinging.
DeROHAN flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - HIESTAND singled to left field. TAYLOR doubled to center field;
HIESTAND advanced to third. SAYLOR homered to right center, 3 RBI; TAYLOR scored;
HIESTAND scored. MEYERS to p for FUGLER. KNELL walked. KNELL advanced to second on a
balk. CLOWARD singled to shortstop; KNELL advanced to third. LAW singled; CLOWARD
advanced to second. MOLINA singled to center field, RBI; LAW advanced to second;
CLOWARD advanced to third; KNELL scored. VILLEZCAS flied out to lf. NAKAYAMA popped
up to 1b. HIESTAND singled to right field, 2 RBI; MOLINA advanced to third; LAW
scored; CLOWARD scored. TAYLOR grounded out to ss. 6 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
Air Force 3rd - SALAZAR grounded out to 3b. POLSTON homered to left field,
RBI. MUSSER struck out looking. LAMSON struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 4th - SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted. KNELL flied out to rf.
CLOWARD flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 4th - JEFFERS doubled to right center. SMITH reached on a fielder's
choice; JEFFERS out at third ss to 3b. BOLT popped up to c. PARAMORE grounded out to
3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - LAW singled to first base. MOLINA struck out swinging. VILLEZCAS
walked; LAW advanced to second. NAKAYAMA reached on a fielder's choice; VILLEZCAS
out at second 1b to ss; LAW advanced to third. HIESTAND singled, advanced to second,
RBI; NAKAYAMA scored; LAW scored. TAYLOR singled, advanced to second on an error by
lf, RBI; HIESTAND scored. SAYLOR struck out swinging. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
Air Force 5th - RELF to ss for VILLEZCAS. IORG to lf for HIESTAND. SAYLOR to
1b. SLOAN to rf for KNELL. AYOSO to c for CLOWARD. DeROHAN flied out to cf. SALAZAR
grounded out to ss. POLSTON grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 6th - YAMAMOTO to p for MEYERS. SLOAN popped up to 2b. AYOSO grounded out
to ss. LAW struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 6th - MUSSER struck out swinging. LAMSON struck out swinging.
JEFFERS singled to center field. JEFFERS stole second. SMITH singled to right field,
RBI; JEFFERS scored. BOLT flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - MOLINA struck out looking. RELF walked. NAKAYAMA walked; RELF
advanced to second. IORG flied out to rf. TAYLOR doubled to left center, 2 RBI;
NAKAYAMA scored; RELF scored. SAYLOR flied out to cf. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 7th - PARAMORE struck out swinging. DeROHAN singled through the
left side. SALAZAR flied out to rf. POLSTON grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - GARRISON to p for YAMAMOTO. MEENTS to c for POLSTON. SLOAN grounded
out to 3b. AYOSO popped up to 3b. LAW singled to right center. MOLINA reached on a
fielding error by ss; LAW advanced to second. RELF singled to center field, RBI;
MOLINA advanced to second; LAW scored, unearned. NAKAYAMA reached on a fielder's
choice; RELF out at second 2b to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Air Force 8th - MUSSER grounded out to p. LAMSON struck out looking. JEFFERS
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 9th - IORG flied out to cf. TAYLOR tripled to right center. TAYLOR scored
on a passed ball, unearned. SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted. SLOAN struck out
looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 9th - HEID to p for HORLACHER. SMITH flied out to rf. BOLT reached
on a throwing error by 3b. PARAMORE popped up to 3b. DeROHAN walked; BOLT advanced
to second. SALAZAR flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Game 2, Suspended after 9 innings
BYU   013   100   200-7 9 1         
AFA   202   110   100-7 10 0
Christiansen, Jensen (5), Barrett (7) and Nelson. Couch, Pratt (7), Brown (8) and Polston
WP-     LP-
2B-Villezcas 2 (B), Saylor (B), Salazar (A)
3B-Paramore (A)
HR-Nakayama (B), Taylor (B), Iorg (B), Kasel (A)

For the second consecutive week BYU's baseball team is on the road now that final exams are done.

This week the Cougars, 28-11-1 and 14-4 in the Mountain West Conference, are in Colorado. They play non-conference games on Tuesday and Wednesday at Greeley, Colo., before returning to league action at the Air Force Academy on Thursday.

Dave Horlacher (4-2, 3.84) is scheduled to start the three-game series in Thursday's 2 p.m., matchup. On Friday at 2 p.m., Brandon Christiansen (3-0, 4.58) is scheduled to take the hill. On Saturday, freshman Blake Torgerson (5-2, 5.77) will be on the mound for the game at 1 p.m.

The games at the University of Northern Colorado are the last non-league games outside Utah for the Cougars in the regular season. The Cougars are hopeful the next time they journey out of the Beehive State for non-league games will be in June's NCAA post-season tournament, but first they must take care of business to maintain a league-leading lead.

UNLV is now tied with BYU at 14-4 atop the MWC standings, so the three-game series at Air Force is important to the Cougars.

The Cougars are nursing some injuries, the latest of which is another thumb injury. This time it is Ryan Chambers, who jammed his thumb sliding into third base last week at Utah. Still out of the lineup is freshman Sean McNaughton, who didn't make the trip to Colorado because of his broken thumb.

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.