PROVO -- Timely hitting by Marcos Villezcas and a home run by Jeff Hiestand helped BYU come back from a deficit twice en route to a 9-5 victory over San Diego State Thursday night.

The Cougar shortstop was a perfect 5-for-5 on the evening with two doubles and two RBI.

"All I was trying to do was get on base and I think I did a good job," said Villezcas on his own performance. Not only was he swinging a hot bat, but as far as BYU Coach Vance Law was concerned, Villezcas' glove was just as serviceable for BYU.

"He played great defensively too," said Coach Law. "He's a dependable solidifying force. He is as fluid as they come. All the way around we played well as a team."

BYU (25-25, 10-7 in Mountain West Conference) found itself down to San Diego (20-33, 13-7 in conference) for the second time in the bottom of the seventh. Stetson Banks led off the bottom of the inning with an infield single to short before moving to second on his team-leading 16th stolen base of the season. Austin Carter followed by drawing a walk before Villezcas followed with his fourth hit of the game, an RBI single up the middle of the infield, to tie the score at 5-5.

Ben Saylor gave the Cougars their second and final lead of the game when he drove a single through the right side to score Carter from third and make the score 6-5 in favor of the boys in blue. Hiestand took a pitch off the top of his helmet to load the bases. The big Cougar slugger took exception to the second ball to hit him, walking slowly down the line to first while slamming his bat on the ground. Villezcas then took home on a wild pitch by Aztec starter Justin Masterson (6-6), who got the loss, to give BYU a 7-5 lead after seven complete.

Jordon Muir (6-0) did an admirable job of keeping the Cougars in the ball game as he pitched six and a third innings while allowing five runs on seven hits. He also struck out four while walking three, but did not factor into the decision. Joshua Barrett (2-0) got the win after pitching two and two-thirds masterful innings of relief, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out two. He didn't allow an Aztec runner to reach second in the eighth and ninth.

"Barrett did a good job," said Villezcas on the reliever. "He got them fooled and did a good job with his off-speed pitches."

BYU pounded its way back from a 3-0 disadvantage to take a lead for the first time in the bottom of the sixth. Villezcas picked up his third hit of the night in the bottom of the inning when he singled through the right side with no outs.

Saylor followed with a double to the wall in right before Hiestand was hit by a pitch for the first time, loading the bases. BYU was then able to score both Saylor and Hiestand on a bizarre play where Kent Walton reached on a fielder's choice where Ko got out at second. After the out, shortstop Lance Zawadzki tried to throw Hiestand out cheating off third but threw the ball into the Cougar dugout and BYU took a 4-3 lead.

Prior to the rally Hiestand had narrowed the score to 3-2 with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth, driving a 1-0 pitch from Masterson to the 388 mark in left center for his ninth home run of the season. Villezcas got the ball rolling for BYU in the bottom of that frame, crushing a no-out double to the wall in the gap in left center.

The Aztecs filled up the bases against Muir in the top of the first inning on three straight two-out singles. With nowhere to put a runner, Romero pushed the count to full against Muir before driving a bases-clearing double down the right field line to put the Aztecs up 3-0.

After the big first inning for San Diego, Muir settled in to retire fifteen of eighteen hitters while not allowing an Aztec to reach second for three straight innings.

MWC steals leader Quintin Berry led the fifth inning off with a walk for the Aztecs. With the hit-and-run in motion, Berry moved to second on a sac groundout. Continuing his aggressive base running, Berry tried for third base on the very next pitch but was tossed out on a strike thrown by BYU catcher Casey Nelson to the bag.

The seventh was the last inning in which Muir saw action as the Cougar righty made way for junior reliever Barrett after allowing the Aztecs to load up the bases on two walks and a double. The runners were more than Barrett could hold back as he allowed a single that scored two and gave San Diego its second lead of the game, a 5-4 advantage. With the bases loaded again, Barrett was able to retire the Aztecs on a lineout to Villezcas.

Barrett held off the Aztecs in the top of the eighth before BYU was able to score Nelson from second on Banks' single. Carter reached after being hit by Masterson and then scored on a double to the gap in right center by Villezcas to put BYU up 9-5.

The Cougars and Aztecs will meet again on Friday at 7 p.m. with Jesse Craig getting the nod for BYU and Lance Sewell taking the mound for San Diego. The Friday game will be televised live nationally by BYUTV and locally by KBYU-TV.

San Diego State at Brigham Young Univ.
May 11, 2006 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
San Diego State 5 (20-33,13-7 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BERRY, Quintin cf........  3  1  0  0   2  1  2  0   1
ZAWADZKI, Lance ss.......  4  0  0  0   1  1  0  6   0
SMYTH, Paul lf...........  5  1  3  2   0  1  0  0   0
UNGRICHT, Brock 1b.......  5  1  2  0   0  0  9  3   0
MENDOZA, Curt rf.........  4  1  1  0   0  2  1  0   2
ROMERO, Nick 2b..........  4  0  1  3   0  0  2  4   3
O'BRIEN, Tim 3b..........  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   2
HUSKINS, Joey dh.........  4  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
SWAYDAN, Jordan c........  4  1  1  0   0  1  7  1   1
MASTERSON, Justin p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
 SIMON, Adam p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 37  5 10  5   3  7 24 14   9
Brigham Young Univ. 9 (25-25,10-7 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Austin lf........  3  2  0  0   1  1  1  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  5  2  5  2   0  0  2  3   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  5  1  2  1   0  2  1  0   1
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  2  2  1  2   0  0  7  1   1
KO, Kasey dh.............  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
WALTON, Kent cf..........  4  0  1  1   0  0  4  0   2
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  3   2
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  1  1  0   0  0  7  1   0
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  1  2  1   0  2  2  2   0
MUIR, Jordan p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 BARRETT, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 35  9 12  7   1  6 27 10   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 300 000 200 -  5 10  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 202 32X -  9 12  1
-------------------------------------------
E - ZAWADZKI(14); MENDOZA(5); CARTER(1). LOB - SDS Aztecs 9; BYU Cougars 6.
2B - ROMERO(9); SWAYDAN(7); VILLEZCAS 2(9); SAYLOR(13). HR - HIESTAND(9).
HBP - MENDOZA; CARTER; HIESTAND 2. SB - BANKS(16). CS - BERRY(9); BANKS(4).
San Diego State        IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MASTERSON, Justin...  7.1 11  9  8  1  5 33 37
SIMON, Adam.........  0.2  1  0  0  0  1  2  2
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MUIR, Jordan........  6.1  7  5  5  3  4 26 29
BARRETT, Josh.......  2.2  3  0  0  0  3 11 12
Win - BARRETT (2-0).  Loss - MASTERSON (6-6).  Save - None.
WP - MASTERSON 2(12). HBP - by MASTERSON (HIESTAND); by BARRETT (MENDOZA); by
MASTERSON (HIESTAND); by MASTERSON (CARTER).
Umpires - HP: Rich Padilla  1B: Jason Rogers  3B: Terry Balser
Start: 7:06 pm   Time: 2:44   Attendance: 1619
Game notes:
Game 1 of 3, first meeting this season
San Diego State at Brigham Young Univ. - Play-by-Play
May 11, 2006 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State..... 300 000 200 -  5 10  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 202 32X -  9 12  1
-------------------------------------------
San Diego State starters: 23/cf BERRY; 5/ss ZAWADZKI; 26/lf SMYTH; 25/1b UNGRICHT;
24/rf MENDOZA; 8/2b ROMERO; 20/3b O'BRIEN; 18/dh HUSKINS; 12/c SWAYDAN; 21/p
MASTERSON;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 6/lf CARTER; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b
HIESTAND; 33/dh KO; 9/cf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS; 12/p MUIR;
San Diego State 1st - BERRY struck out swinging. ZAWADZKI popped up to 3b.
SMYTH singled up the middle. UNGRICHT singled up the middle; SMYTH advanced to
second. MENDOZA singled to third base; UNGRICHT advanced to second; SMYTH advanced
to third. ROMERO doubled to right field, 3 RBI; MENDOZA scored; UNGRICHT scored;
SMYTH scored. O'BRIEN grounded out to ss. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - CARTER out at first 1b to p. VILLEZCAS singled down
the rf line. SAYLOR lined out to 2b. HIESTAND out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 2nd - HUSKINS grounded out to ss. SWAYDAN flied out to rf.
BERRY grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - KO grounded out to 2b. WALTON grounded out to ss.
CROSBY flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 3rd - ZAWADZKI grounded out to 2b. SMYTH struck out looking.
UNGRICHT singled down the rf line. MENDOZA popped up to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - NELSON grounded out to 2b. BANKS struck out
swinging. CARTER struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 4th - ROMERO flied out to lf. O'BRIEN singled up the middle.
HUSKINS lined out to 2b. SWAYDAN struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - VILLEZCAS doubled to left field. SAYLOR struck out
swinging, grounded out to c unassisted. HIESTAND homered to left center, 2 RBI;
VILLEZCAS scored. KO grounded out to 2b. WALTON singled to center field. CROSBY
grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 5th - BERRY walked. ZAWADZKI grounded out to 2b; BERRY
advanced to second. BERRY out at third c to 3b, caught stealing. SMYTH grounded out
to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - NELSON grounded out to ss. BANKS struck out
swinging. CARTER grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
San Diego State 6th - UNGRICHT grounded out to 3b. MENDOZA struck out
swinging. ROMERO reached on a fielding error by lf, advanced to second. O'BRIEN
flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - VILLEZCAS singled through the right side. SAYLOR
doubled to right center; VILLEZCAS advanced to third. HIESTAND hit by pitch. KO
reached on a fielder's choice; HIESTAND advanced to second; SAYLOR advanced to
third; VILLEZCAS out at home 1b to c. WALTON reached on a fielder's choice, advanced
to second on a throwing error by ss, advanced to third, RBI; KO out at second ss to
2b; HIESTAND scored, unearned; SAYLOR scored. CROSBY flied out to cf. 2 runs, 2
hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 7th - HUSKINS out at first 1b to p. SWAYDAN doubled to center
field. BERRY walked. ZAWADZKI walked; BERRY advanced to second; SWAYDAN advanced to
third. BARRETT to p for MUIR. SMYTH singled to left field, 2 RBI; ZAWADZKI advanced
to second; BERRY scored; SWAYDAN scored. UNGRICHT flied out to cf. MENDOZA hit by
pitch; SMYTH advanced to second; ZAWADZKI advanced to third. ROMERO popped up to ss.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - NELSON grounded out to ss. BANKS singled to
shortstop. BANKS stole second. CARTER walked. VILLEZCAS singled up the middle, RBI;
CARTER advanced to third; BANKS scored. SAYLOR singled through the right side, RBI;
VILLEZCAS advanced to second; CARTER scored. HIESTAND hit by pitch; SAYLOR advanced
to second; VILLEZCAS advanced to third. KO struck out swinging. HIESTAND advanced to
second; SAYLOR advanced to third; VILLEZCAS scored on a wild pitch. WALTON flied out
to cf. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
San Diego State 8th - O'BRIEN struck out looking. HUSKINS singled to right
field. SWAYDAN flied out to cf. BERRY reached on a fielder's choice; HUSKINS out at
second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - CROSBY grounded out to ss. NELSON singled to center
field. NELSON advanced to second on a wild pitch. BANKS singled, advanced to second
on a fielding error by rf, RBI; NELSON scored. CARTER hit by pitch. SIMON to p for
MASTERSON. CARTER advanced to second; BANKS out at third c to 3b, caught stealing.
VILLEZCAS doubled to right center, RBI; CARTER scored. SAYLOR struck out swinging.
2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
San Diego State 9th - ZAWADZKI struck out swinging. SMYTH singled to left
field. UNGRICHT flied out to cf. MENDOZA struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.

San Diego State can remain in second place, but host BYU's baseball team hopes to inch closer to the Aztecs when the three-game series starts on Thursday.

The Aztecs, 20-32 overall and 13-6, are one game behind first place TCU, while the Cougars are 24-25 and 9-7 in fourth place of the Mountain West Conference with two weeks remaining before the league tournament in Las Vegas.

Freshman All-America candidate Jordan Muir (6-0, 2.25) will be on the mount for the Cougars, facing Justin Masterson (6-5, 4.17) in Thursday's 7 p.m. tilt which will be followed by another fireworks show.

Friday's game at 7 p.m., will be televised nationally by BYUTV and locally by KBYU-TV as BYU's Jesse Craig (5-6, 4.18) squares off against lefty Lance Sewell (1-1, 5.67).

In Saturday's finale at 1 p.m., Cougar southpaw Patrick Wells (5-5, 5.77) tangles Bruce Billings (5-3, 3.56).

All of the games will be broadcast on the Internet through both schools and live locally by KOVO Radio 960 AM.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season since they were not scheduled to play each other in the Preseason Tournament in March at San Diego.

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