GREELEY -- Matt Jensen heated up in frigid conditions Tuesday to pitch BYU to a 7-6 victory over Northern Colorado.

Jensen picked up his first victory this season (1-4) and Joshua Barrett garnered his third save of year to improve BYU's record to 18-22 overall, while UNC is now 14-26 following the game in which the Cougars never trailed.

Ben Saylor belted his 12th home run of the year, 420-feet to right, extending a streak to 11 of the last 14 games where either he or Jeff Hiestand have gone yard.

Colorado freshman catcher J.T. Musso threw out the lead Bear runner at third on a double steal attempt after Jensen hit consecutive batters in the first inning.

Kent Walton, who ended up with the game-winning RBI, drew a lead-off walk and took third on Blake Crosby's single to left field in the big second inning. Walton scored on a throwing error by Brennan Garr trying to complete a double-play on an L-5-3. Crosby was close enough to first to avoid the tag and advanced to second on the overthrow. Crosby scored when Seth Johnson homered to left, the freshman centerfielder's first of the season, making the score 4-0.

Hiestand walked in the third and got to third after Kasey Ko's one-out single to center was bobbled, allowing Ko to advance to second. However, both Cougars were stranded at second and third in the third and on the corners in the fourth.

UNC got aboard in the third when Garr singled to left, bringing in former Utah Ute Seth Tartler who had gotten on with a fielder' choice. Jensen closed that inning's threat when he wheeled on got Zach Brockman leaning the wrong way at second.

Hiestand extended BYU's lead to 5-1 in the fifth with a lead-off hit, the first of three consecutive singles, scoring on Walton's stroke to right field.

A 4-6-3 double play started the sixth inning for BYU, joining the second frame when Jensen retired the Bears in order. Jensen, who ended up throwing a six-hitter through eight-plus innings, struck out two Bears in both the second and seventh.

Zach Harris hit a two-run double to right-center in the eighth to chase Jensen from the game with one out, making the score 5-3 Cougars.

Walton's one-out single to center, scored pinch-runners Austin Carter and Dan Vargas in the ninth for insurance runs, making the score 7-3. However, Walton was thrown out at second trying to extend his hit into a double.

Garr hit a two-run single to right with the bases loaded in the ninth to pull UNC to a 7-6 margin, chasing reliever Cortland Andrews from the game. With Barrett on the mound for his only batter, Harris lined to Crosby for a game-ending L-5-4 double play.

The two teams play their fifth game against each other this season on Wednesday at 2 p.m., at Greeley.

BYU at Northern Colorado
Apr 25, 2006 at Jackson Field (Greeley, Colo.)
BYU 7 (18-22)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth cf.........  5  1  1  2   0  1  1  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  5  0  1  0   0  1  2  2   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  5  1  1  1   0  1  3  0   2
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  1  3  0   1  0  7  0   0
 CARTER, Austin pr.......  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  0  2  0   2  0  0  0   1
 VARGAS, Daniel pr.......  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
WALTON, Kent lf..........  4  1  3  3   1  1  3  0   0
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  4  1  1  0   0  0  4  3   2
MUSSO, J.T. c............  5  0  1  0   0  2  6  3   2
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  0  0  0   1  1  1  2   4
JENSEN, Matt p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 PLATT, James p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARRETT, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 39  7 13  6   5  7 27 11  11
Northern Colorado 6 (14-26)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Seth Tartler cf..........  2  3  0  0   3  0  3  1   0
Zach Brockman rf.........  1  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   1
 Grady Gorman ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Kevin Sandberg ph.......  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
 Jeff Horn pr............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Brennan Garr 3b..........  3  1  3  3   0  0  3  2   0
Zach Harris dh...........  5  0  1  2   0  1  0  0   2
John Ray c...............  3  0  0  0   0  0  6  1   0
 Derrick Keeton c........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Josh Payne 1b............  4  0  1  0   0  2 11  0   1
Nate Saylor lf...........  4  1  1  0   0  2  1  0   1
Adam Symons ss...........  4  1  3  1   0  0  0  2   0
Chad Clark 2b............  4  0  0  0   0  2  2  2   1
Evan Linn p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 Jon Leines p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  6  9  6   5  7 27 11   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 130 010 002 -  7 13  1
Northern Colorado... 001 000 023 -  6  9  3
-------------------------------------------
E - SAYLOR(4); Tartler(1); Garr 2(10). DP - BYU 2. LOB - BYU 11; N. Colorado
7. 2B - Harris(5); Symons(11). HR - JOHNSON, S.(1); SAYLOR(12). HBP -
CROSBY; Brockman; Garr 2. SB - CARTER 2(12); VARGAS(2); MUSSO(1); BANKS(14).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
JENSEN, Matt........  7.1  6  3  2  3  5 25 31
PLATT, James........  1.0  2  3  3  1  2  5  6
ANDREWS, Cortland...  0.0  1  0  0  1  0  1  2
BARRETT, Josh.......  0.2  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
Northern Colorado      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Evan Linn...........  6.0  9  5  5  3  6 27 30
Jon Leines..........  3.0  4  2  2  2  1 12 15
Win - JENSEN (1-4).  Loss - Linn (1-1).  Save - BARRETT (3).
HBP - by JENSEN (Brockman); by JENSEN (Garr); by JENSEN (Garr); by Leines
(CROSBY). PB - MUSSO(1).
Umpires - HP: Robert Wilson  1B: Larry Lawhead  3B: Rob Albers
Start: 2:03 pm   Time: 2:56   Attendance: 85
BYU at Northern Colorado - Play-by-Play
Apr 25, 2006 at Jackson Field (Greeley, Colo.)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 130 010 002 -  7 13  1
Northern Colorado... 001 000 023 -  6  9  3
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 26/cf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b HIESTAND;
33/dh KO; 9/lf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 22/c MUSSO; 3/2b BANKS; 21/p JENSEN;
Northern Colorado starters: 18/cf Tartler; 7/rf Brockman; 8/3b Garr; 22/dh Harris;
5/c Ray; 17/1b Payne; 14/lf Saylor; 3/ss Symons; 6/2b Clark; 34/p Linn;
BYU 1st - JOHNSON, S. grounded out to 3b. VILLEZCAS singled to right field.
VILLEZCAS out at first p to 1b, picked off. SAYLOR homered to right field, RBI.
HIESTAND singled to right field. KO grounded out to ss. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Northern Colorado 1st - Tartler flied out to cf. Brockman hit by pitch.
Brockman advanced to second on a passed ball. Garr hit by pitch. Garr advanced to
second on the throw; Brockman out at third c to 3b. Harris struck out looking. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - WALTON walked. CROSBY singled through the left side; WALTON
advanced to third. MUSSO lined out to 3b; CROSBY advanced to second on the throw;
WALTON scored on a throwing error by 3b. BANKS grounded out to 2b; CROSBY advanced
to third. JOHNSON, S. homered to left center, 2 RBI; CROSBY scored. VILLEZCAS struck
out swinging. 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Northern Colorado 2nd - Ray grounded out to 3b. Payne struck out swinging.
Saylor struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - SAYLOR grounded out to p. HIESTAND walked. KO singled up the
middle, advanced to second; HIESTAND advanced to second, advanced to third on a
fielding error by cf. WALTON struck out swinging. CROSBY grounded out to 3b. 0
runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Northern Colorado 3rd - Symons singled, advanced to second on a fielding
error by rf. Clark flied out to lf. Tartler reached on a fielder's choice, advanced
to second on the throw; Symons out at third p to ss to 3b. Brockman walked. Garr
singled through the left side, RBI; Brockman advanced to second; Tartler scored,
unearned. Brockman out at second c to ss, picked off. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
BYU 4th - MUSSO struck out looking. BANKS walked. BANKS stole second.
JOHNSON, S. flied out to cf. VILLEZCAS reached on a fielding error by 3b; BANKS
advanced to third. SAYLOR flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Northern Colorado 4th - Harris flied out to rf. Ray flied out to rf. Payne
singled to left field. Saylor grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - HIESTAND singled to right field. KO singled through the left side;
HIESTAND advanced to third. WALTON singled to right field, RBI; KO advanced to
second; HIESTAND scored. CROSBY reached on a fielder's choice, bunt; WALTON advanced
to second; KO out at third c to 3b. MUSSO struck out swinging. BANKS reached on a
fielder's choice; CROSBY advanced to second; WALTON out at third 3b unassisted. 1
run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northern Colorado 5th - Symons flied out to rf. Clark grounded out to 2b.
Tartler walked. Brockman flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - JOHNSON, S. struck out swinging. VILLEZCAS lined out to 2b. SAYLOR
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northern Colorado 6th - Garr singled up the middle. Harris grounded into
double play 2b to ss to 1b; Garr out on the play. Ray popped up to 3b. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - Leines to p for Linn. Keeton to c for Ray. HIESTAND grounded out to
ss. KO walked. WALTON singled to left field; KO advanced to second. CROSBY flied out
to lf. MUSSO grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northern Colorado 7th - Payne grounded out to 3b. Saylor struck out swinging.
Symons singled up the middle. Clark struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
BYU 8th - BANKS struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. JOHNSON, S. flied
out to rf. VILLEZCAS grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northern Colorado 8th - Tartler walked. Gorman pinch hit for Brockman. Gorman
grounded out to 1b unassisted; Tartler advanced to second. Garr hit by pitch. Harris
doubled to right center, 2 RBI; Garr scored; Tartler scored. PLATT to p for JENSEN.
Keeton flied out to lf. Payne struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 2 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - Gorman to rf. SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted. HIESTAND
singled up the middle. CARTER pinch ran for HIESTAND. CARTER stole second. KO
walked. VARGAS pinch ran for KO. VARGAS stole second; CARTER stole third. WALTON
singled to left center, out at second cf to 2b, 2 RBI; VARGAS scored; CARTER scored.
CROSBY hit by pitch. MUSSO singled to right center; CROSBY advanced to third. MUSSO
stole second. BANKS flied out to cf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northern Colorado 9th - SAYLOR to 1b. CARTER to lf. VARGAS to dh. WALTON to
rf. Saylor singled down the lf line. Symons doubled to center field, RBI; Saylor
scored. Clark struck out swinging. Tartler walked. Sandberg pinch hit for Gorman.
ANDREWS to p for PLATT. Sandberg walked; Tartler advanced to second; Symons advanced
to third. Horn pinch ran for Sandberg. Garr singled to right field, 2 RBI; Horn
advanced to second; Tartler scored; Symons scored. BARRETT to p for ANDREWS. Harris
lined into double play 3b to 2b; Horn out on the play. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.

Five games in Colorado this week represent BYU's final road trip outside Utah during the regular baseball season.

Three Cougars making the trip are graduating this week, but are passing up walking in the convocation and graduation exercises. Brandon Christiansen (3-3, 6.94, graduating in sociology) is scheduled to start on the mound Wednesday, while Patrick Wells (4-4, 5.33, graduating in community health) is scheduled to start on Saturday. Relief pitcher Cortland Andrews, who graduated last December in construction management and has been accepted to BYU Law School this Fall, made the Colorado trip. Fellow reliever Anthony Bingham did not make the trip and will be graduating this week in political science.

The Cougars, 17-22 overall and 4-6 in the Mountain West Conference, play a pair of non-league games on Tuesday and Wednesday at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley at 2 p.m. BYU boards the bus again, traveling a couple hours south to play Air Force in contests which have been moved from the Academy to the AAA Sky Sox Security Service Field in Colorado Springs. The games will all be at 2 p.m., with the exception of Saturday's game, which will see the first pitch at noon.

Matt Jensen (0-4, 7.91) will be BYU's starting pitcher on Tuesday. Jordan Muir (4-0, 2.00) gets the starting nod on Thursday and Jesse Craig (3-6, 4.43) will take the hill for BYU on Friday.

Northern Colorado is 14-25, while Air Force is 10-23 and 1-9. BYU won two of three earlier this season in Provo against UNC. This is the first meeting of the year against AFA, the only league team BYU did not meet in the Preseason Tournament at San Diego last month.

"I am pleased with our offensive approach and our competitive at bats," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "If we play 27 outs we are going to give ourselves an opportunity."

In 10 of BYU's last 13 games either Ben Saylor or Jeff Hiestand have homered. Saylor has hit seven homers in that span, while Hiestand has hit five. At the start of this month they both homered in the same game.

The games at UNC will be carried live via audiostream, as will Saturday's game at AFA. All of the AFA games will be on the Internet with livestats. Links to these sites are available at www.byucougars.com. All of the AFA games will be broadcast live locally by KOVO Radio (960 AM).

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