COLORADO SPRINGS -- April snow didn't seem to slow BYU's hitters as the Cougar offensive led by Clayton Barnes dominated Air Force en route to a 27-5 victory Friday.

The ball looked big to the Cougar lineup on the chilly afternoon as they pounded out 25 hits and took advantage of seven Falcon errors in the win. They managed to score in every inning but the second and fourth. Ben Saylor, Barnes and Kasey Ko all went deep in the offensive onslaught. Barnes led all BYU hitters as he hit 4-for-7 with five RBI and five runs. BYU improves to a record of 21-22 (6-6 in the Mountain West Conference) with the win, while Air Force fell to 10-25 (1-11 in conference).

With Marcos Villezcas standing on second base and one out in the top of the first, Saylor wasted little time in giving the Cougars an early cushion when he smacked a towering 385-foot home run to right-center field. The blast gives Saylor a team-leading 13 long balls on the season and put BYU up 2-0.

Three runs in the top of the fifth put the game out of reach for BYU as it got three runs on five hits. Three of those runs came off a home run by Barnes. In the inning BYU managed to string together a series of five straight hits while running the score to 8-1.

Las Vegas native Jesse Craig (4.38 ERA) improved his record to 4-6 while giving BYU a quality start in the snowy conditions. The right-handed hurler went seven strong innings while allowing three runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out two.

Villezcas got things rolling for BYU in the top of the third when the Cougar shortstop led off with a single before BYU was able to load up the bases on a single by Saylor and a walk to Hiestand. After two Cougars struck out, Blake Crosby cleared the bases when he reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman. The runs put BYU up 5-0.

While BYU went down in order for the first time in the top of the fourth, the Falcons mustered a rally in the bottom of that inning when Josh Meents singled and advanced to third on Gino Salazar's single. Meents then scored from third when Casey Nelson threw Salazar out at second on a steal attempt. The run made the score 5-1 in favor of the Cougars.

Batting through the order provided the Cougars with five more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Saylor picked up his third hit in as many at-bats in the frame when he tripled before advancing to home on a throwing error.

Meents continued his great play against the Cougars when he homered with a runner on in the bottom of the sixth inning. The homer made the score 13-3 BYU. Meents hit 2-for-4 with two RBI to go along with the home run.

The Cougars did plenty more damage with two outs in the top of the seventh when they scored three runs on four hits, including Ko's second home run of the season. The inning saw practically a new team on the field for BYU as every position player was substituted with players off the bench.

The runs kept coming in the top of the eighth for BYU as they got six runs on four hits and then added three more in the ninth; the barrage put BYU way ahead of the Falcons, 27-5--its largest run total of the season.

The teams will meet Saturday at noon for the final game of this week's series at AAA Sky Sox Security Service Field in Colorado Springs.

BYU at Air Force
Apr 28, 2006 at Colorado Springs, CO (Security Service Field)
BYU 27 (21-22,6-6 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth cf.........  4  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   3
 CARTER, Austin ph/cf....  4  0  1  3   0  1  2  0   4
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  4  3  2  0   0  0  1  2   0
 VARGAS, Daniel ss.......  4  0  1  1   0  1  2  0   1
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  3  3  3  3   1  0  0  0   0
 WORTHAM, Jake rf........  4  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   2
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  2  3  1  0   2  0  8  3   0
 KO, Kasey 1b............  1  3  1  1   2  0  0  0   0
WALTON, Kent lf..........  3  2  2  0   1  1  1  0   0
 NIELSEN, Dane lf........  2  2  1  1   0  0  2  0   0
BARNES, Clayton dh.......  7  4  4  5   0  3  0  0   1
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  4  1  2  1   0  0  1  1   0
 JOHNSON, Chris 3b.......  3  2  3  2   0  0  0  0   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  0  2  2   0  0  2  1   1
 MUSSO, J.T. ph/c........  0  2  0  0   1  0  4  0   0
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  0  1  1   0  0  0  3   0
 JOHNSON, Jason 2b.......  0  1  0  2   2  0  1  0   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  4   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 53 27 25 22   9  8 27 14  12
Air Force 5 (10-25,1-11 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
DERBIGNY, Chay cf........  3  0  1  0   0  0  1  0   0
 MUSSER, Matt ph/cf......  2  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   0
GRIGGS, Jason 2b.........  4  1  2  0   0  1  0  2   0
GHIGNA, Matt rf..........  3  1  1  2   1  0  2  0   1
 PARAMORE, Price pr/rf...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
BOLT, Karl 1b............  4  0  1  0   0  0  8  1   1
MEENTS, Josh dh..........  4  2  2  2   0  1  0  0   2
SALAZAR, Geno ss.........  2  0  1  0   0  0  2  2   0
 VASQUEZ, Andrew ss......  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  1   0
FERRERIA, Austin 3b......  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 ADAMS, Billy 3b.........  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   1
MADISON, Brad lf.........  4  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
POLSTON, Jon c...........  2  0  0  0   0  0  7  1   0
 KELTER, Erol ph/c.......  2  1  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
BROWN, Mitch p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 PEREZ, Juan p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 YAMAMOTO, Kyle p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ROSENER, Sam p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 35  5  9  4   1  6 27 11   5
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 203 035 365 - 27 25  1
Air Force........... 000 102 200 -  5  9  7
-------------------------------------------
E - CRAIG(4); GRIGGS 2(2); BOLT(4); FERRERIA 2(11); PEREZ 2(3). DP - Cougars
1; Falcons 1. LOB - Cougars 12; Falcons 5. 2B - VILLEZCAS(5); HIESTAND(11);
NIELSEN(3); JOHNSON, C.(2); NELSON(10); BANKS(2). 3B - CARTER(2); SAYLOR(1);
GHIGNA(2). HR - SAYLOR(13); KO(2); BARNES(1); MEENTS(7). HBP - NIELSEN;
MUSSO; JOHNSON, J.; SALAZAR. SF - NELSON(3). CS - SAYLOR(3); SALAZAR(3).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  7.0  9  5  5  1  2 29 31  87
ANDREWS, Cortland...  2.0  0  0  0  0  4  6  6  25
Air Force              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
BROWN, Mitch........  5.0  9  8  4  3  5 25 28  93
PEREZ, Juan.........  1.0  4  5  5  1  1  7  9  30
YAMAMOTO, Kyle......  2.0  8  9  9  3  1 14 19  76
ROSENER, Sam........  1.0  4  5  4  2  1  7 10  44
Win - CRAIG (4-6).  Loss - BROWN (3-8).  Save - None.
WP - PEREZ(7). HBP - by CRAIG (SALAZAR); by YAMAMOTO (NIELSEN); by YAMAMOTO
(JOHNSON, J.); by ROSENER (MUSSO). PB - NELSON(6); POLSTON(11); KELTER(1).
Pitches/strikes: CRAIG 87/57; ANDREWS 25/16; BROWN 93/55; PEREZ 30/17; YAMAMOTO
76/44; ROSENER 44/24.
Umpires - HP: Chad McCardell  1B: Dan Weikle  3B: Jeff Jenkins
Start: 2 pm   Time: 3:17   Attendance: 61
BYU at Air Force - Play-by-Play
Apr 28, 2006 at Colorado Springs, CO (SecurityServiceField)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 203 035 365 - 27 25  1
Air Force........... 000 102 200 -  5  9  7
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 26/cf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b HIESTAND;
9/lf WALTON; 11/dh BARNES; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS; 35/p CRAIG;
Air Force starters: 25/cf DERBIGNY; 17/2b GRIGGS; 19/rf GHIGNA; 13/1b BOLT;
8/dh MEENTS; 2/ss SALAZAR; 18/3b FERRERIA; 20/lf MADISON; 14/c POLSTON; 21/p
BROWN;
BYU 1st - JOHNSON, S. struck out looking (0-2). VILLEZCAS doubled to
left field (1-0). SAYLOR homered to right center, 2 RBI (2-1); VILLEZCAS
scored. HIESTAND grounded out to 2b (0-1). WALTON walked (3-0). WALTON advanced
to second on a passed ball. BARNES struck out swinging (2-2). 2 runs, 2
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 1st - DERBIGNY grounded out to p, bunt (0-1). GRIGGS struck
out swinging (2-2). GHIGNA walked (3-2). BOLT singled to right field (2-0);
GHIGNA advanced to third. MEENTS grounded out to p (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 2nd - CROSBY grounded out to ss (2-1). NELSON reached on a fielding
error by 2b (3-1). BANKS popped up to ss (1-1). JOHNSON, S. struck out swinging
(2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - SALAZAR flied out to lf (2-2). FERRERIA grounded out to
ss (1-2). MADISON out at first 1b to p (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 3rd - VILLEZCAS singled up the middle (0-2). SAYLOR singled to left
field (1-1); VILLEZCAS advanced to second. HIESTAND walked (3-0); SAYLOR
advanced to second; VILLEZCAS advanced to third. WALTON struck out swinging
(3-2). BARNES struck out swinging (1-2). CROSBY reached on a fielding error by
3b (0-0); HIESTAND scored, unearned; SAYLOR scored, unearned; VILLEZCAS scored,
unearned. NELSON grounded out to ss (0-0). 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
Air Force 3rd - POLSTON grounded out to 2b (2-1). DERBIGNY singled to
center field (1-0). GRIGGS grounded out to ss (0-0); DERBIGNY advanced to
second. DERBIGNY advanced to third on a passed ball. GHIGNA out at first 1b to
p (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - BANKS grounded out to p (1-2). JOHNSON, S. grounded out to p
(0-1). VILLEZCAS flied out to rf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 4th - BOLT flied out to cf (1-1). MEENTS singled up the middle
(0-0). SALAZAR singled to center field (0-0); MEENTS advanced to third. SALAZAR
out at second c to ss, caught stealing; MEENTS scored. FERRERIA grounded out to
2b (0-0). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - SAYLOR walked (3-0). Dropped foul ball, E5. SAYLOR out at
second c to ss, caught stealing. HIESTAND doubled to right field (2-2). WALTON
singled to third base (2-2); HIESTAND advanced to third. BARNES homered to
center field, 3 RBI (0-0); WALTON scored; HIESTAND scored, unearned. CROSBY
singled to right field (0-2). NELSON singled to right center (1-0); CROSBY
advanced to second. BANKS reached on an error by 1b (0-1); NELSON advanced to
second; CROSBY advanced to third. JOHNSON, S. grounded into double play 3b to
1b (1-0); NELSON out on the play. 3 runs, 5 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 5th - MADISON reached on a fielding error by p, bunt (0-0).
POLSTON grounded into double play 3b to 1b to 3b, bunt (0-0); MADISON advanced
to second, out on the play. DERBIGNY grounded out to 2b (1-2). 0 runs, 0
hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - ADAMS to 3b for FERRERIA. PEREZ to p for BROWN. VILLEZCAS
reached on an error by p (1-1). SAYLOR tripled down the rf line, scored on a
throwing error by 2b, RBI (0-0); VILLEZCAS scored. HIESTAND walked (3-2).
WALTON singled through the left side (1-0); HIESTAND advanced to second. WALTON
advanced to second; HIESTAND advanced to third on a throwing error by p. BARNES
struck out looking (3-2). CROSBY singled to left field, RBI (0-2); WALTON
advanced to third; HIESTAND scored. NELSON flied out to lf, SF, RBI (1-0);
CROSBY advanced to second; WALTON scored. BANKS doubled to center field, RBI
(0-0); CROSBY scored. CARTER pinch hit for JOHNSON, S.. BANKS advanced to third
on a wild pitch. CARTER flied out to cf (3-1). 5 runs, 4 hits, 3 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 6th - CARTER to cf. VARGAS to ss for VILLEZCAS. WORTHAM to rf
for SAYLOR. KO to 1b for HIESTAND. NIELSEN to lf for WALTON. JOHNSON, C. to 3b
for CROSBY. JOHNSON, J. to 2b for BANKS. GRIGGS singled to center field (0-0).
GHIGNA reached on a fielder's choice (2-1); GRIGGS out at second p to ss. BOLT
flied out to cf (2-1). MEENTS homered to right center, 2 RBI (2-2); GHIGNA
scored. SALAZAR hit by pitch (1-2). ADAMS flied out to cf (1-1). 2 runs, 2
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - YAMAMOTO to p for PEREZ. VARGAS struck out swinging (2-2).
WORTHAM flied out to lf (1-1). KO homered to right center, RBI (0-1). NIELSEN
hit by pitch (0-0). BARNES singled to left field (2-2); NIELSEN advanced to
second. JOHNSON, C. singled to center field, RBI (1-1); BARNES advanced to
third; NIELSEN scored. NELSON doubled to left field, RBI (0-0); JOHNSON, C.
advanced to third; BARNES scored. JOHNSON, J. walked (3-2). CARTER flied out to
rf (3-2). 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Air Force 7th - MADISON singled to third base, bunt (0-0). KELTER pinch
hit for POLSTON. KELTER reached on a fielder's choice (2-1); MADISON out at
second p to ss. MUSSER pinch hit for DERBIGNY. MUSSER struck out swinging
(0-2). GRIGGS singled through the left side (0-1); KELTER advanced to second.
GHIGNA tripled to left center, 2 RBI (0-0); GRIGGS scored; KELTER scored.
PARAMORE pinch ran for GHIGNA. BOLT flied out to lf (0-0). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - MUSSER to cf. PARAMORE to rf. KELTER to c. VASQUEZ to ss for
SALAZAR. VARGAS grounded out to ss (0-0). WORTHAM singled up the middle (2-2).
KO walked (3-0); WORTHAM advanced to second. NIELSEN flied out to cf (0-2).
BARNES singled to center field, RBI (2-2); KO advanced to second; WORTHAM
scored. JOHNSON, C. singled up the middle, RBI (1-2); BARNES advanced to
second; KO scored. MUSSO pinch hit for NELSON. MUSSO walked (3-1); JOHNSON, C.
advanced to second; BARNES advanced to third. JOHNSON, J. hit by pitch, RBI
(3-2); MUSSO advanced to second; JOHNSON, C. advanced to third; BARNES scored.
CARTER tripled to right center, 3 RBI (0-0); JOHNSON, J. scored; MUSSO scored;
JOHNSON, C. scored. VARGAS grounded out to 3b (1-2). 6 runs, 4 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 8th - MUSSO to c. ANDREWS to p for CRAIG. MEENTS struck out
looking (3-2). VASQUEZ struck out swinging (1-2). ADAMS flied out to lf (3-1).
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 9th - ROSENER to p for YAMAMOTO. WORTHAM out at first 1b to p (3-1).
KO walked (3-1). NIELSEN doubled to left center, RBI (1-2); KO scored. BARNES
singled to center field, RBI (0-2); NIELSEN scored. JOHNSON, C. doubled to
right center (0-0); BARNES advanced to third. MUSSO hit by pitch (3-2).
JOHNSON, J. walked, RBI (3-2); MUSSO advanced to second; JOHNSON, C. advanced
to third; BARNES scored. CARTER struck out swinging (1-2); JOHNSON, J. advanced
to second; MUSSO advanced to third; JOHNSON, C. scored, scored on a passed
ball. VARGAS singled to center field, RBI (3-2); JOHNSON, J. advanced to third;
MUSSO scored, unearned. WORTHAM reached on a fielder's choice (0-1); VARGAS out
at second 2b to ss. 5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Air Force 9th - MADISON popped up to 2b (0-1). KELTER struck out
swinging (2-2). MUSSER struck out swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 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.