PROVO -- Apana Nakayama and Bradd Kidd provided the keys Thursday for a come-from-behind victory over UNLV, 14-13.

In a game that saw an abundance of offense the Cougars (17-13, 4-3 MWC) mounted a four-run seventh inning with Nakayama hitting the game-winning RBI in front of a season-high 1,745 fans to defeat UNLV (14-21, 3-4 MWC) in the first game of a three-game series.

Kidd (1-0) got the win in relief as BYU won its seventh come-from-behind game of the year while Marc Baca (2-2) suffered the loss in relief for the Rebels.

"Every win counts in this league," said BYU head baseball coach Vance Law. "I was proud of our guys and how they came back twice tonight."

Michael Brenly got the Rebels going early as he belted a solo home run over the left field fence in the first inning. With runners on second and third and only one out, Cougar third baseman Steve Parker made a diving stop to freeze the runner on third and was able to gun down the batter at first. Wortham then gave up a two-run single to right center before the top half of the first inning came to a close with the Rebels taking an early 3-0 lead.

In the next two innings the Rebels got two runs on solo home runs by shortstop Braden Walker and second baseman Keith Smith. Wortham calmed down and retired three of the next four Rebel hitters to get out of the top of the third without anymore damage.

After Kevin Skogley retired seven straight BYU batters, catcher J.T. Musso reached first base on a pitch that went all the way the backstop on a called strike three. Austin Hall then got his 20th RBI on season as he tripled and scored Musso from first base. Leon Johnson kept the rally going as he slapped a single into shallow center to score Musso. Johnson then scored all the way from first base on a single by Collin Fanning and Kent Walton belted a two-run shot to tie the game at five going into the fourth inning.

Coach Law began the inning by bringing in left hander Blaine Howell in from the bullpen to slowdown the Rebel attack but Calvin Beamon gave UNLV the lead right back with a one-run double down the left field line. With two runners on Keith Smith singled through the right side of the Cougar infield and extended the Rebel lead 7-5. Howell then walked the next batter to load the bases and DH Chad Miller hit a two-run double off the center field wall.

Coach Law then pulled Howell after he gave up one more run in the fourth and replaced him with right hander Michael Ward. Ward gave up a one-run single to the first UNLV batter he faced and ended the six-run fourth inning by the Rebels with at groundout to third.

BYU first baseman Kasey Ko led off the fourth inning with a solo shot to spark a fourth inning Cougar rally. Musso then walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch and Hall collected his third RBI of the game with a single to right. After the one-run BYU single UNLV coach Buddy Gouldsmith pulled Skogley after four and one-third innings pitched and replaced him with left hander Chris Saddoris, who retired the first two BYU batters he faced to end the five-run Cougar fourth inning.

In the fifth inning Ward settled the BYU defense down retiring three of the four batters he faced and allowed no runs. Cougar left fielder Apana Nakayama and Walton then led off the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles. Parker then laid down a bunt that scored both Nakayama and Walton as UNLV pitcher Saddoris overthrew the third baseman. Musso then got a two-out double that scored Parker from second base. With the potential tying run on second UNLV got out of a fifth inning jam and kept a one-run lead going into the sixth inning.

Ward went another scoreless inning in the sixth as he struck out a Rebel with some off-speed pitches and catcher Musso ended the inning as he gunned down a UNLV runner that tried to steal second. In the bottom half of the sixth BYU was unable to manufacture a run after Fanning was hit by a pitch and trailed UNLV 11-10 as they entered the seventh inning.

After Ward gave up one run on three consecutive hits Coach Law brought in right-handed relief pitcher Kidd, a freshman. Kidd walked the first Rebel he faced and then gave up a single to shallow right field that gave up a run. Kidd got some help from the Cougar defense as UNLV lined into a bases loaded doubleplay to end the seventh inning down 13-10.

In the bottom of the seventh the Cougars capitalized with no outs and the bases loaded when Musso hit a two-run single to left to bring BYU within one. After Hall walked to load the bases again Fanning grounded into a fielder's choice that scored one-run to tie the game at 13. With runners on first and third and two outs Nakayama bounced a 2-2 pitched over the first baseman's glove to give the Cougars their first lead of the game 14-13.

Heading into the eighth with a one-run lead Kidd struck out the first batter he faced. With a runner on first and second Kidd struck out another Rebel and got the final batter of the inning to line out to Johnson in center. BYU was unable to add any insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and went into the ninth with Kidd on the hill and a one-run lead.

Kidd got the Rebel's to go down one two three in the top of the ninth as he struck out one batter and got the other two to line out to Johnson in center.

"Kidd's curve ball was the best I've seen all year," said Cougar catcher Musso. "He threw strikes and got it done for us."

BYU will continue the three-game series with UNLV on Friday at 6 p.m. at Larry H. Miller Field. Jesse Craig (3-2, 4.37) is expected to take the mound for the Cougars.

UNLV at Brigham Young Univ.
Apr 05, 2007 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
UNLV 13 (14-21,3-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BEAMON, C. rf............  4  1  1  1   2  0  2  0   0
BRENLY, M. c.............  6  2  2  2   0  1  5  2   0
SMITH, Keith 2b..........  5  3  2  2   1  0  3  2   1
NAVARRO JR., 1b..........  3  2  1  0   2  0  5  2   2
MILLER, Chad dh..........  5  1  1  2   0  2  0  0   0
KOWALSKI, R. cf..........  5  0  3  3   0  0  4  0   0
BOWMAN, W. lf............  3  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   2
 GAILEN, B. lf...........  1  1  1  0   1  0  1  0   0
SCRUGGS, X. 3b...........  5  2  2  1   0  1  0  3   1
WALKER, B. ss............  5  1  2  1   0  0  3  0   2
SKOGLEY, K. p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 SADDORIS, C. p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BACA, Marc p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 PUPO, Koji p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 42 13 16 13   6  4 24  9   8
Brigham Young Univ. 14 (17-13,4-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Leon cf/lf......  5  1  1  1   0  1  3  0   0
FANNING, Collin rf.......  4  1  1  2   0  0  0  0   1
NAKAYAMA, Apana lf.......  5  1  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
 WELLS, Stephen cf.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
WALTON, Kent 2b..........  5  2  2  2   0  1  1  1   3
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  5  2  1  0   0  2  1  5   0
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  2  1  1   2  1 11  2   0
FRAMPTON, Chase dh.......  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
 JOHNSON, Jason ph.......  2  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  4  3  2  3   1  1  3  2   0
HALL, Austin ss..........  4  1  2  2   1  0  4  3   3
WORTHAM, Jake p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 HOWELL, Blaine p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WARD, Michael p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 KIDD, Brad p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 40 14 12 12   4  8 27 13   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 311 600 200 - 13 16  4
Brigham Young Univ.. 005 230 40X - 14 12  1
-------------------------------------------
E - SMITH, Keith(6); SCRUGGS, X.(8); SADDORIS, C.(2); BACA, Marc(1);
JOHNSON, L.(1). DP - BYU Cougars 1. LOB - LV 8; BYU Cougars 7. 2B - BEAMON,
C.(9); MILLER, Chad(8); KOWALSKI, R.(5); WALKER, B.(7). 3B - HALL(2). HR -
BRENLY, M.(1); SMITH, Keith(3); WALKER, B.(2); WALTON(4); KO(2). HBP -
FANNING. SB - GAILEN, B.(10); JOHNSON, L.(15). CS - KOWALSKI, R.(3).
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SKOGLEY, K..........  3.1  6  7  7  1  5 17 18
SADDORIS, C.........  2.2  4  5  3  1  2 13 15
BACA, Marc..........  0.0  1  2  0  1  0  2  3
PUPO, Koji..........  2.0  1  0  0  1  1  8  9
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WORTHAM, Jake.......  3.0  6  5  4  1  0 15 16
HOWELL, Blaine......  0.2  4  6  6  1  0  7  8
WARD, Michael.......  2.1  4  2  2  2  1 10 12
KIDD, Brad..........  3.0  2  0  0  2  3 10 12
Win - KIDD (1-0).  Loss - BACA, Marc (2-2).  Save - None.
WP - SKOGLEY, K.(5). HBP - by SADDORIS, C. (FANNING). PB - BRENLY, M.(9).
Umpires - HP: Ray Belfiore  1B: Jason Rogers  3B: Kevin Sweeney
Start: 6:08 pm   Time: 3:28   Attendance: 1745
Game notes:
Game 1 of 3
WARD faced 3 batters in the 7th.
SADDORIS, C. faced 2 batters in the 7th.
BACA, Marc faced 3 batters in the 7th.
UNLV starters: 38/rf BEAMON, C.; 18/c BRENLY, M.; 14/2b SMITH, Keith; 35/1b NAVARRO
JR.,; 44/dh MILLER, Chad; 12/cf KOWALSKI, R.; 25/lf BOWMAN, W.; 16/3b SCRUGGS, X.;
10/ss WALKER, B.; 19/p SKOGLEY, K.;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 14/cf JOHNSON, L.; 17/rf FANNING; 24/lf NAKAYAMA; 9/2b
WALTON; 5/3b PARKER; 22/1b KO; 16/dh FRAMPTON; 10/c MUSSO; 18/ss HALL; 28/p WORTHAM;
UNLV 1st - BEAMON, C. flied out to lf. BRENLY, M. homered to left field, RBI.
SMITH, Keith walked. NAVARRO JR., singled to center field, advanced to second on a
fielding error by cf; SMITH, Keith advanced to third. MILLER, Chad grounded out to
3b. KOWALSKI, R. singled to right field, 2 RBI; NAVARRO JR., scored, unearned;
SMITH, Keith scored. BOWMAN, W. grounded out to 3b. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - JOHNSON, L. lined out to 1b. FANNING fouled out to
1b. NAKAYAMA flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 2nd - SCRUGGS, X. flied out to cf. WALKER, B. homered to left field,
RBI. BEAMON, C. grounded out to 1b unassisted. BRENLY, M. popped up to ss. 1 run,
1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - WALTON struck out swinging. PARKER struck out
swinging. KO flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 3rd - SMITH, Keith homered to center field, RBI. NAVARRO JR., out at
first 1b to p. MILLER, Chad grounded out to 3b. KOWALSKI, R. doubled to right
center. BOWMAN, W. grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - FRAMPTON struck out, out at first c to 1b. MUSSO
struck out, reached first on a wild pitch. HALL tripled to right field, RBI; MUSSO
scored. JOHNSON, L. singled to center field, RBI; HALL scored. FANNING singled to
right field, RBI; JOHNSON, L. scored. NAKAYAMA flied out to cf. WALTON homered to
left field, 2 RBI; FANNING scored. PARKER struck out, out at first c to 1b. 5
runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 4th - HOWELL to p for WORTHAM. SCRUGGS, X. singled to left field.
WALKER, B. flied out to cf; SCRUGGS, X. advanced to second. BEAMON, C. doubled down
the lf line, RBI; SCRUGGS, X. scored. BRENLY, M. reached on a fielder's choice.
SMITH, Keith singled to right field, RBI; BRENLY, M. advanced to second; BEAMON, C.
scored. NAVARRO JR., walked; SMITH, Keith advanced to second; BRENLY, M. advanced to
third. MILLER, Chad doubled to center field, 2 RBI; NAVARRO JR., advanced to third;
SMITH, Keith scored; BRENLY, M. scored. KOWALSKI, R. grounded out to 2b, RBI;
MILLER, Chad advanced to third; NAVARRO JR., scored. WARD to p for HOWELL. BOWMAN,
W. singled up the middle, RBI; MILLER, Chad scored. SCRUGGS, X. grounded out to 3b.
6 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - KO homered to left field, RBI. FRAMPTON flied out
to rf. MUSSO walked. MUSSO advanced to second on a passed ball. HALL singled through
the right side, RBI; MUSSO scored. SADDORIS, C. to p for SKOGLEY, K.. JOHNSON, L.
reached on a fielder's choice; HALL out at second 2b to ss. JOHNSON, L. stole
second. FANNING flied out to rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 5th - WALKER, B. grounded out to ss. BEAMON, C. walked. BRENLY, M.
grounded out to 3b; BEAMON, C. advanced to second. SMITH, Keith popped up to ss.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - GAILEN, B. to lf for BOWMAN, W.. NAKAYAMA singled
to right field. WALTON singled to right field; NAKAYAMA advanced to second. PARKER
reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second; WALTON scored, unearned; NAKAYAMA
advanced to third on a throwing error by p, scored. KO struck out swinging. FRAMPTON
struck out looking. MUSSO singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw,
RBI; PARKER scored, unearned. HALL popped up to 2b. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
UNLV 6th - NAVARRO JR., walked. MILLER, Chad struck out swinging. KOWALSKI,
R. reached on a fielder's choice; NAVARRO JR., out at second 1b to ss. KOWALSKI, R.
out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - JOHNSON, L. popped up to lf. FANNING hit by pitch.
NAKAYAMA reached on a fielder's choice; FANNING out at second 1b to ss. WALTON flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 7th - GAILEN, B. singled to right field. GAILEN, B. stole second.
SCRUGGS, X. singled down the lf line, RBI; GAILEN, B. scored. WALKER, B. doubled to
left field; SCRUGGS, X. advanced to third. KIDD to p for WARD. BEAMON, C. walked.
BRENLY, M. singled to right field, RBI; BEAMON, C. advanced to second; WALKER, B.
advanced to third; SCRUGGS, X. scored. SMITH, Keith popped up to 3b. NAVARRO JR.,
lined into double play ss to 1b; BRENLY, M. out on the play. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - PARKER singled to left field. KO walked; PARKER
advanced to second. BACA, Marc to p for SADDORIS, C.. JOHNSON, J. pinch hit for
FRAMPTON. JOHNSON, J. reached on a throwing error by p; KO advanced to second;
PARKER advanced to third. MUSSO singled to left field, 2 RBI; JOHNSON, J. advanced
to second; KO scored; PARKER scored. HALL walked; MUSSO advanced to second; JOHNSON,
J. advanced to third. PUPO, Koji to p for BACA, Marc. JOHNSON, L. struck out
swinging. FANNING reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; HALL out at second 2b to ss;
MUSSO advanced to third; JOHNSON, J. scored, unearned. NAKAYAMA singled through the
right side, RBI; FANNING advanced to third; MUSSO scored, unearned. WALTON grounded
out to 3b. 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
UNLV 8th - MILLER, Chad struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. KOWALSKI,
R. singled to left field. GAILEN, B. walked; KOWALSKI, R. advanced to second.
SCRUGGS, X. struck out swinging. WALKER, B. flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - PARKER out at first 1b to p. KO walked. JOHNSON, J.
reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b; KO out
at second 3b to 2b. MUSSO reached on an error by 3b; JOHNSON, J. advanced to third.
HALL reached on a fielder's choice; MUSSO out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits,
2 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 9th - JOHNSON, L. to lf. WELLS to cf for NAKAYAMA. BEAMON, C. flied out
to cf. BRENLY, M. struck out swinging. SMITH, Keith flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.