STOCKTON -- The lead wasn't enough again, as BYU fell to Pacific in the final game of a three-game baseball series Saturday, 4-3.

Cougar starter Brandon Christiansen pitched well in his first game of the season, going seven innings while only giving up one run on four hits and walking one; but BYU's relievers couldn't hold onto the lead. Nine batters went to the plate against four different Cougar pitchers in the eighth for Pacific, now 5-1, while scoring three runs off three hits and three walks.

BYU, now 0-3, did see some good action from the plate by a number of players. Second baseman Daniel Vargas picked up his first college hit with a homerun to left off starter Jake Wild (2-0) leading off in the third. BYU catcher Casey Nelson also had a hot afternoon at the plate, going two for four with two doubles and a run scored. Freshman Kasey Ko, who started at first base for the Cougars, went two for four in the game with two singles to finish the series three for eight.

Looking to get things rolling, Ko led off the second inning with a single to right field. After Chris Johnson grounded into a fielder's choice to retire Ko at second, the Cougar third baseman stole second on a strikeout pitch to Kent Walton and then advanced to third on an over throw by the catcher.

The Vargas homerun tied the game at two in the top of the third, after Tiger rightfielder Matt Berezay hit a homerun to lead off the second. The Cougars turned their second double play of the series to end the inning with two-men left stranded.

After getting on base after hitting an infield single, Kent Walton advanced to second on an overthrow to first by pitcher Wild. Walton then scored from second on a double by Casey Nelson, beating the throw to home to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead, only their second lead of the series.

After Ramon Glasgow led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, Christiansen was able to get the Tigers to ground into their second double play of the day, third of the series for the Cougars.

Christiansen settled down after the homerun to Berezay and retired 18 of the next 22 batters, giving up no runs on four hits while striking out four in that stretch.

Nelson led off the seventh with his second double of the day to left field. With Nelson on second Vargas laid a sacrifice bunt down the right field line to move Nelson over to third. With the runner on third and one out, the Tigers brought in reliever Curtis Pasma who BYU saw in game one. Pinch hitting for Austin Carter, Blake Crosby took a one-one pitch to left field for a double, driving in Nelson to putting the Cougars up three-one.

Ko led off the eighth with a single to left before Adrian Molina came in to pinch run him. With Walton hitting Molina stole second for the third BYU stolen base of the day and seventh of the series, before Nelson grounded to third to end the inning.

BYU looked poised to make a game of it in the ninth. Leading off the top of the inning, Vargas was hit by a pitch before being bunted over to second by Crosby. With one out Villezcas then hit a sac grounder to third to move Vargas over. With Vargas still on third Ben Saylor struck out on a two-two pitch to end the game.

The Cougars return home to ready for a flight to San Jose State next Thursday for the start of a three-game series.

BYU Cougars at Pacific Tigers
              Feb 11, 2006 at Stockton, Calif. (Stockton Ballpark)
BYU Cougars 3 (0-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Austin dh........  1  0  0  0   2  0  0  0   2
 CROSBY, Blake ph........  1  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  4   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  5  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   1
HIESTAND, Jeff lf........  4  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   4
KO, Kasey 1b.............  4  0  2  0   0  0  8  0   0
 MOLINA, Adrian pr.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
JOHNSON, Chris 3b........  4  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
WALTON, Kent cf..........  4  1  1  0   0  2  3  0   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  1  2  1   0  0  5  0   2
VARGAS, Daniel 2b........  1  1  1  1   1  0  1  3   0
CHRISTIANSEN,Brandon p...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 JENSEN, Matt p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARRETT, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  3  8  3   3  3 24 10   9
Pacific Tigers 4 (5-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Ching, A. 2b.............  4  1  2  0   0  0  2  2   0
Ross, J. lf..............  3  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   0
Baum, J. 3b..............  4  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
Berezay, M. cf...........  3  2  1  1   1  0  4  0   2
Glasgow, R. rf...........  4  0  2  2   0  0  0  0   0
Brindza, W. 1b...........  3  0  2  1   1  0 11  1   0
Manning, B. dh...........  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
 Seiber, J. ph...........  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
Oliveira, J. c...........  2  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   1
 Haar, J. ph.............  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
 Eastman, C. c...........  1  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   3
Hall, D. ss..............  2  0  0  0   0  0  2  3   0
 Devany, J. ph...........  0  1  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
 Zanini, A. ss...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Wild, J. p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Pasma, C. p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Totals................... 30  4  8  4   4  5 27  9   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU Cougars......... 001 100 100 -  3  8  0
Pacific Tigers...... 010 000 03X -  4  8  1
-------------------------------------------
E - Wild, J.. DP - Cougars 2, Tigers 1. LOB - Cougars 9; Tigers 7. 2B - CROSBY;
NELSON; Ching, A.. HR - VARGAS(1); Berezay, M.(3). HBP - VILLEZCAS; VARGAS;
Ross, J.. SH - CROSBY; VARGAS. SB - CARTER; MOLINA.
BYU Cougars            IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANSEN,Brandon  7.0  5  2  2  2  4 24 27
JENSEN, Matt........  0.2  2  2  2  1  1  4  5
BARRETT, Josh.......  0.0  1  0  0  0  0  1  1
ANDREWS, Cortland...  0.1  0  0  0  1  0  1  2
Pacific Tigers         IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Wild, J.............  6.1  6  3  2  3  1 23 27
Pasma, C............  2.2  2  0  0  0  2  9 12
Win - Pasma, C. (2-0).  Loss - JENSEN (0-1).  Save - None.
HBP - by CHRISTIANSEN (Ross, J.); by Pasma, C. (VILLEZCAS); by Pasma, C.
(VARGAS).
Umpires - HP: Jim Lenau  1B: Bill Speck  3B: Rod Berner
Start: 1:00 pm   Time: 3:50 pm   Attendance: 377
Game: PAC3
Play-by-Play
                      Brigham Young University 2005 Season
                  BYU Cougars at Pacific Tigers - Play-by-Play
              Feb 11, 2006 at Stockton, Calif. (Stockton Ballpark)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU Cougars......... 001 100 100 -  3  8  0
Pacific Tigers...... 010 000 03X -  4  8  1
-------------------------------------------
BYU Cougars starters: 6/dh CARTER; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 16/lf HIESTAND;
33/1b KO; 5/3b JOHNSON, C.; 9/cf WALTON; 8/c NELSON; 13/2b VARGAS; 31/p
CHRISTIANSEN;
Pacific Tigers starters: 3/2b Ching, A.; 25/lf Ross, J.; 16/3b Baum, J.; 20/cf
Berezay, M.; 2/rf Glasgow, R.; 8/1b Brindza, W.; 30/dh Manning, B.; 14/c Oliveira,
J.; 12/ss Hall, D.; 41/p Wild, J.;
BYU Cougars 1st - CARTER walked. CARTER stole second. VILLEZCAS fouled out to
c. SAYLOR flied out to cf; CARTER advanced to third. HIESTAND flied out to cf. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 1st - Ching, A. flied out to cf. Ross, J. grounded out to p.
Baum, J. grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU Cougars 2nd - KO singled to right field. JOHNSON, C. reached on a
fielder's choice; KO out at first ss to 1b. WALTON struck out looking. NELSON flied
out to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 2nd - Berezay, M. homered to right field, RBI. Glasgow, R.
flied out to lf. Brindza, W. walked. Manning, B. singled to left field; Brindza, W.
advanced to second. Oliveira, J. grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Manning,
B. out on the play. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU Cougars 3rd - VARGAS homered, RBI. CARTER walked. VILLEZCAS grounded out
to a double play, 3-6-3. SAYLOR singled to right field. HIESTAND popped up to 1b.
1 run, 2 hit2, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 3rd - Hall, D. flied out to cf. Ching, A. singled to left
field. Ross, J. hit by pitch; Ching, A. advanced to second. Baum, J. grounded out to
2b; Ross, J. advanced to second; Ching, A. advanced to third. Berezay, M. grounded
out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU Cougars 4th - KO flied out to lf. JOHNSON, C. grounded out to ss. No
play. WALTON singled to shortstop. WALTON advanced to second on an error by p,
advanced to third on the error. NELSON singled, RBI; WALTON scored, unearned. VARGAS
walked; NELSON advanced to second. CARTER flied out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 1
error, 2 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 4th - Glasgow, R. singled to left field. Brindza, W. grounded
into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Glasgow, R. out on the play. Manning, B. struck out
looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU Cougars 5th - VILLEZCAS grounded out to 1b unassisted. SAYLOR grounded
out to 1b unassisted. HIESTAND flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Pacific Tigers 5th - Oliveira, J. struck out looking. Hall, D. flied out to
lf. Ching, A. grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU Cougars 6th - KO grounded out to 2b. JOHNSON, C. flied out to cf. WALTON
flied out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 6th - Ross, J. flied out to lf. Baum, J. struck out swinging.
Berezay, M. flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU Cougars 7th - NELSON doubled to left field. VARGAS out at first p to 2b,
SAC; NELSON advanced to third. Pasma, C. to p for Wild, J.. CROSBY pinch hit. CROSBY
doubled to left field, RBI; NELSON scored. VILLEZCAS hit by pitch. SAYLOR grounded
out to 1b unassisted; VILLEZCAS advanced to second; CROSBY advanced to third.
HIESTAND out at first 1b to p. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Pacific Tigers 7th - Glasgow, R. grounded out to 3b. Brindza, W. singled to
left field. Manning, B. flied out to cf. Haar, J. pinch hit for Oliveira, J.. Haar,
J. struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU Cougars 8th - Eastman, C. to c for Haar, J.. KO singled to left field.
MOLINA pinch ran for KO. JOHNSON, C. flied out to lf. MOLINA stole second. WALTON
struck out looking. NELSON grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Pacific Tigers 8th - SAYLOR to 1b. MOLINA to rf. Devany, J. pinch hit for
Hall, D.. Devany, J. walked. JENSEN to p for CHRISTIANSEN. Ching, A. doubled to left
field; Devany, J. advanced to third. Ross, J. popped up to ss. Baum, J. struck out
swinging. Berezay, M. walked. Glasgow, R. singled up the middle, 2 RBI; Berezay, M.
advanced to third; Ching, A. scored; Devany, J. scored. BARRETT to p for JENSEN.
Brindza, W. singled to left field, RBI; Glasgow, R. advanced to second; Berezay, M.
scored. ANDREWS to p for BARRETT. Seiber, J. pinch hit. Seiber, J. walked; Brindza,
W. advanced to second; Glasgow, R. advanced to third. Eastman, C. flied out to rf.
3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
BYU Cougars 9th - Seiber, J. to dh. Zanini, A. to ss for Devany, J.. CROSBY
to dh. VARGAS hit by pitch. CROSBY out at first p to 2b, SAC; VARGAS advanced to
second. VILLEZCAS grounded out to ss; VARGAS advanced to third. SAYLOR struck out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Baseball begins for BYU in its season opener this Thursday to start a three-game series at the University of Pacific.

The Cougars, 39-19-1 last season, expect to start junior college transfer Jesse Craig on the mound in Thursday's 6 p.m., debut against the Tigers, who are 2-1 this season after playing at Santa Clara last weekend. The hard-throwing righthander posted an 8-2 record with a 1.30 earned run average last season for Southern Nevada Community College.

"We are excited for the season to get underway," said BYU Coach Vance Law, who is in his seventh season at the Cougar helm. "We are tired of hitting against our own pitching. Everybody is anxious to start up where we left off last season with continued intensity."

The probable starters for games two and three for BYU are Patrick Wells and Brandon Christiansen. Wells, a senior lefty, was 1-1 last season when he received a medical redshirt, but was BYU's top pitcher in 2004 with a 7-5 record and a 5.76 ERA. Christiansen, a senior righthander was 4-2 and 5.24 as one of the Cougars' main starters last season.

This is the first of four trips BYU will make to California this season, including a first-ever mid-season Mountain West Conference Tournament in San Diego during March and the River City Classic later this month in Sacramento.

This is the first of two meetings this season between BYU Coach Vance Law and an opposing coach who also played in the Major Leagues. Pacific Coach Ed Sprague and Law each played for five teams in the Majors, including common organizations with the Pirates and A's.

The BYU-Pacific games will be played at Banner Island Ballpark, home of the minor league Stockton Ports. All of the games will be broadcast live via audiocast by the University of Pacific. Click here to listen to the games.

For more information on BYU's baseball team for 2006, click on the PDF link at the top of this page.