COLORADO SPRINGS -- A couple of BYU freshmen led a balanced attack as the Cougars beat the Air Force Academy 10-5 Thursday afternoon at AAA Sky Sox Security Service Field in Colorado Springs.

Jordan Muir (5-0, 2.25) kept the Falcons in check all game as the young BYU starter went eight complete innings, allowing three runs on five hits while walking three and striking out five.

"He does a good job of throwing strikes and keeping us in ballgames," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "He's a great competitor and because of that we feel like we can go out and win these games."

Freshman Seth Johnson picked up four RBI for BYU on a hit, a fly-out and a ground out. In a rare occurance where neither Ben Saylor nor Jeff Hiestand homered, Hiestand was still solid at the plate as the Cougar first baseman got two RBI on 2-for-4 hitting with a double and a run.

Coach Law was especially pleased with the Cougars' situational hitting against the Falcons' pitching.

"Seth Johnson in particular did a great job," said Law. "Even with two strikes he battled and hit one and we were able to score some runs off of that."

Marcos Villezcas got BYU (19-22, 5-6 Mountain West Conference) started in the top of the first with a single as the Cougars loaded up the bases to set the tone early. No one scored, however, even though BYU brought six men to the plate in the inning. Saylor did reach when his grounder was fielded by first baseman Karl Bolt and the throw to second hit Villezcas in the back.

Air Force (10-24, 1-10 MWC) looked to strike first in the bottom of the second when it got two runners on with no outs against Muir, but the freshman hurler didn't back down. After a called strike on a bunt try to Austin Ferreria, Casey Nelson took advantage of Bob Carpenter's big lead at second and threw the Falcon out. Muir got Ferreria to strikeout before a retiring the next hitter on a grounder to short.

After both teams were retired in order in the third inning, BYU opened things up in the top of the fourth.

Hiestand drew a no-out walk and scored from first after Kent Walton doubled down the left field line, sliding just under the tag at the plate. With Walton standing on third after advancing on the previous play's throw, Blake Crosby picked up an RBI with a single up the middle to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons added a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth when DH Josh Meents belted a home run to left field, making the score 2-1.

BYU struck again in the top of the fifth when Villezcas reached on a single and Saylor followed by getting hit by Jake Petro with no outs. Hiestand doubled on a line to right to score Villezcas from second and move Saylor to third. A sacrifice grounder by Kasey Ko scored Saylor and gave the Cougars a 4-1 lead.

Muir retired Air Force in order in the bottom of the fifth for the second time all afternoon before the Cougars added to their score in the top of the next frame. On a sacrifice by Johnson, Nelson was able to score form third after reaching on balls. A wild pitch scored Walton from third to make the score 6-1 in favor of BYU.

With Saylor standing on third with two outs after reaching on a fielder's choice, stealing second, and advancing on a balk, Hiestand flied out deep to right field to end the Cougar rally in the sixth.

Chay Durbigny picked up a bunt single before moving to second on a stolen base as the Falcons looked to rally in the bottom of the sixth. Muir got Price Paramore to strikeout before facing the number four hitter. Meents continued his dominance of Muir when he ripped an RBI double down the first base line, his second of the day, to make the score 6-2.

Muir needed some help in the bottom of the sixth when Air Force managed to put runners on second and third with two outs but a fly to center fielder Johnson ended the threat.

The Falcons added another run in the seventh on an error to make it 6-3 BYU.

Nelson gave BYU its seventh run of the contest in the top of the eighth when he scored from third on a sacrifice fly to the shortstop in shallow left field by Johnson. Nelson had led the inning off with a double to center before moving to third on Stetson Banks' sac bunt. Villezcas drew the walk and then scored after back-to-back singles by Saylor and Hiestand to give BYU the largest lead of the game, 8-3.

The Cougars added their final runs in the bottom of the ninth as they got another RBI off of a Johnson single to center field. With BYU up 10-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth the Falcons weren't going down easy as they added two runs of their own against Cougar reliever Chris Highmark. Air Force again loaded the bases against Highmark before Villezcas started a six-four-three double play to end the game with two Falcons stranded.

The Cougars and Falcons will see each other Friday for game two of the series at 2 p.m. at AAA Sky Sox Security Service Field in Colorado Springs

BYU at Air Force
Apr 27, 2006 at Colorado Springs, CO (SecurityServiceField)
BYU 10 (20-22,5-6 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth cf.........  5  0  1  4   0  1  4  0   2
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  5  2  3  0   1  0  3  2   1
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  4  1  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  1  2  2   1  0  8  0   1
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  0  1  1   1  0  0  0   0
 CARTER, Austin pr.......  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
WALTON, Kent lf..........  5  1  1  1   0  1  3  0   3
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  5  0  2  1   0  0  1  1   1
NELSON, Casey c..........  3  3  1  0   2  0  6  2   0
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  2  2  0   0  1  1  4   0
MUIR, Jordan p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HIGHMARK, Chris p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 39 10 14  9   5  4 27 10  10
Air Force 5 (11-23,1-10 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DERBIGNY cf..............  3  1  1  0   2  1  3  0   0
PARAMORE lf..............  5  0  0  0   0  2  1  1   2
MEENTS dh................  3  1  2  2   1  0  0  0   0
BOLT 1b..................  3  0  0  0   1  0  8  2   1
CARPENTER c..............  3  0  1  0   0  1  6  0   0
 KELTER ph...............  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
ADAMS 2b.................  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  3   2
 GRIGGS ph...............  1  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
FERRERIA 3b..............  4  2  2  0   0  1  0  4   0
POLSTON rf...............  4  0  1  2   0  0  3  0   1
VASQUEZ ss...............  3  0  0  1   1  0  2  0   0
PETRO p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
 MADISON p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Totals................... 32  5  8  5   5  6 27 11   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 222 022 - 10 14  1
Air Force........... 000 101 102 -  5  8  1
-------------------------------------------
E - CROSBY(2); BOLT(3). DP - Cougars 1; Falcons 2. LOB - Cougars 10; Falcons
6. 2B - HIESTAND(10); KO(3); WALTON(8); NELSON(9); MEENTS(4); CARPENTER(2);
FERRERIA(2); POLSTON(5). HR - MEENTS(6). HBP - SAYLOR; ADAMS. SH - BANKS(8).
SF - JOHNSON, S.(1). SB - SAYLOR(7); BANKS(15); DERBIGNY(11). CS -
DERBIGNY(7).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MUIR, Jordan........  8.0  5  3  3  3  5 27 31
HIGHMARK, Chris.....  1.0  3  2  2  2  1  5  7
Air Force              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
PETRO...............  5.0  6  5  5  3  3 22 26
MADISON.............  3.0  6  3  3  1  1 12 15
PARAMORE............  1.0  2  2  2  1  0  5  6
Win - MUIR (5-0).  Loss - PETRO (2-3).  Save - None.
WP - MADISON(1). HBP - by MUIR (ADAMS); by PETRO (SAYLOR). BK - HIGHMARK(1);
PARAMORE(1); MADISON 2(2).
Umpires -
Start: 2 pm   Time: 2:46   Attendance: 172
BYU at Air Force - Play-by-Play
Apr 27, 2006 at Colorado Springs, CO (SecurityServiceField)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 222 022 - 10 14  1
Air Force........... 000 101 102 -  5  8  1
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 26/cf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b HIESTAND;
33/dh KO; 9/lf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS; 12/p MUIR;
Air Force starters: 25/cf DERBIGNY; 10/lf PARAMORE; 8/dh MEENTS; 13/1b BOLT; 30/c
CARPENTER; 31/2b ADAMS; 18/3b FERRERIA; 14/rf POLSTON; 3/ss VASQUEZ; 26/p PETRO;
BYU 1st - JOHNSON, S. struck out swinging. VILLEZCAS singled through the
right side. SAYLOR reached on a fielder's choice; VILLEZCAS advanced to second on a
throwing error by 1b. HIESTAND out at first 1b to p; SAYLOR advanced to second;
VILLEZCAS advanced to third. KO walked. WALTON fouled out to 1b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1
error, 3 LOB.
Air Force 1st - DERBIGNY fouled out to 1b. PARAMORE grounded out to p. MEENTS
walked. BOLT flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - CROSBY singled to right field. NELSON grounded into double play 3b
to 2b to 1b; CROSBY out on the play. BANKS struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - CARPENTER doubled to right center. ADAMS hit by pitch.
CARPENTER out at second c to ss, picked off. FERRERIA struck out swinging. POLSTON
grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - JOHNSON, S. grounded out to 3b. VILLEZCAS flied out to cf. SAYLOR
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 3rd - VASQUEZ flied out to cf. DERBIGNY struck out swinging.
PARAMORE struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 4th - HIESTAND walked. KO flied out to lf. WALTON doubled down the lf
line, advanced to third on the throw, RBI; HIESTAND scored. CROSBY singled up the
middle, RBI; WALTON scored. NELSON reached on a fielder's choice; CROSBY advanced to
second on a fielder's choice. BANKS popped up to p, bunt. JOHNSON, S. flied out to
rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 4th - MEENTS homered to left field, RBI. BOLT flied out to cf.
CARPENTER struck out looking. ADAMS grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 5th - VILLEZCAS singled to shortstop. SAYLOR hit by pitch; VILLEZCAS
advanced to second. HIESTAND doubled to right field, RBI; SAYLOR advanced to third;
VILLEZCAS scored. KO grounded out to 3b, RBI; SAYLOR scored. WALTON grounded out to
3b; HIESTAND advanced to third. CROSBY fouled out to c. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Air Force 5th - FERRERIA flied out to lf. POLSTON flied out to lf. VASQUEZ
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - NELSON walked. MADISON to p for PETRO. BANKS singled to left field;
NELSON advanced to third. BANKS stole second. JOHNSON, S. grounded out to 2b, RBI;
BANKS advanced to third; NELSON scored. BANKS scored on a wild pitch. VILLEZCAS
singled to first base. SAYLOR reached on a fielder's choice; VILLEZCAS out at second
2b to ss. SAYLOR stole second. SAYLOR advanced to third on a balk. HIESTAND flied
out to rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 6th - DERBIGNY singled to pitcher, bunt. DERBIGNY stole second.
PARAMORE struck out swinging. MEENTS doubled down the rf line, RBI; DERBIGNY scored.
BOLT walked. CARPENTER reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a
throwing error by 3b; BOLT advanced to third; MEENTS out at third 3b unassisted.
ADAMS flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
BYU 7th - KO doubled down the rf line. CARTER pinch ran for KO. CARTER
advanced to third on a balk. WALTON struck out swinging. CROSBY grounded into double
play p to 1b to c; CARTER out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 7th - FERRERIA doubled to left field. POLSTON flied out to rf;
FERRERIA advanced to third. VASQUEZ grounded out to 2b, RBI; FERRERIA scored.
DERBIGNY walked. DERBIGNY out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 1 run, 1 hit, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - NELSON doubled to center field. BANKS grounded out to p unassisted,
SAC, bunt; NELSON advanced to third. JOHNSON, S. flied out to ss, SF, RBI; NELSON
scored. VILLEZCAS walked. SAYLOR singled to center field; VILLEZCAS advanced to
third. HIESTAND singled down the rf line, RBI; SAYLOR advanced to third; VILLEZCAS
scored. CARTER flied out to rf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 8th - PARAMORE grounded out to 2b. MEENTS flied out to lf. BOLT
popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 9th - PARAMORE to p. MADISON to lf for MEENTS. /  for MADISON. WALTON
grounded out to p, bunt. CROSBY flied out to cf. NELSON walked. BANKS singled to
shortstop; NELSON advanced to second. BANKS advanced to second on a balk; NELSON
advanced to third on a balk. JOHNSON, S. singled to center field, 2 RBI; BANKS
scored; NELSON scored. VILLEZCAS flied out to cf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 9th - HIGHMARK to p for MUIR. KELTER pinch hit for CARPENTER.
KELTER struck out looking. GRIGGS pinch hit for ADAMS. GRIGGS singled to center
field. GRIGGS advanced to second on a balk. FERRERIA singled through the right side;
GRIGGS advanced to third. POLSTON doubled to right center, 2 RBI; FERRERIA scored;
GRIGGS scored. VASQUEZ walked. DERBIGNY walked; VASQUEZ advanced to second; POLSTON
advanced to third. PARAMORE grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; DERBIGNY out
on the play. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 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.