FT. WORTH -- Utah avenged trophy and series losses last week to with a 9-3 victory Tuesday over BYU in round one of the Mountain West Conference Championships.

There was no magic against the Utes this time like the Cougars experienced last Friday and Saturday in coming from behind. BYU dug another deep hole and couldn't get out of it or get Utah out.

The Ute's Brian Budrow handcuffed Cougar hitters through six innings, allowing three base-runners in that span. Dan Vargas singled in the first inning, but was caught stealing. Budrow gave up walks to Andrew Law in the third and Kasey Ko in the fourth.

Utah took advantage of Cougar errors at rightfield and at shortstop, a walk and a hit batsman mainly after two outs, twice paving the way for two-run homers in the third and fourth innings by Dustin Hennis and Corey Shimada, respectively.

"I told my team after the third inning that we've got to chip away and put pressure on them, but we went fishing away at the slider," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "We just didn't swing the bats well and you aren't going to have too much success when that happens."

Steve Parker hit a towering two-run homer, scoring Kent Walton who got on base with an error to start the seventh inning. Thus BYU avoided being shutout for the first time since April 2007 when TCU won 7-0 in Fort Worth.

In the eighth BYU threatened with runners on the corners, but Budrow enticed Walton to ground out to third base--the fifth time of the game to the hot corner and second of that inning.

The Cougars loaded the bases with no outs to start the ninth before Brandon Relf grounded into a double play on which pinch-runner Michael Bowen scored the final run.

BYU falls to 22-35 overall, while Utah improved to 24-26. The Cougars play San Diego State on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the survivor/elimination game.

Univ. of Utah vs Brigham Young Univ.
May 20, 2008 at Fort Worth, Texas (Lupton Stadium)
Univ. of Utah 9 (23-26)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
SHIMADA, Corey 2b........  3  3  2  2   2  0  1  3   0
GUYMON, Cody dh..........  4  2  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
SHRINER, Jesse c.........  4  0  1  2   0  0  8  3   1
HENNIS, Dustin lf........  4  1  1  2   1  0  0  0   1
JONES, Austin 1b.........  4  1  2  0   1  0 14  0   0
FERGUSON, Fred rf........  3  1  0  0   1  1  2  0   1
BELTRAN, Michael ss......  4  0  0  0   0  1  1  4   0
RELF, Tyler cf...........  5  0  3  2   0  1  0  0   1
KUROCZKO, Nick 3b........  4  1  0  0   1  0  0  5   5
BUDROW, Brian p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Totals................... 35  9 10  8   6  4 27 16   9
Brigham Young Univ. 3 (22-34)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   1
VARGAS, Dan ss...........  4  0  2  0   0  1  2  3   0
WALTON, Kent cf..........  4  1  0  0   0  2  2  0   2
KO, Kasey 1b.............  2  0  0  0   2  1 16  0   0
 BOWEN, Michael pr.......  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  1  2  2   0  1  0  6   1
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
RELF, Brandon dh.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  0  0  0   0  3  3  2   0
 AYOSO, Bryce ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  1  0  0  0   2  0  0  6   0
WORTHAM, Jake p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 LEACH, J.C. p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WARD, Michael p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 31  3  5  2   4 10 27 18   5
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Univ. of Utah....... 102 311 001 -  9 10  1
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 000 201 -  3  5  3
-------------------------------------------
E - KUROCZKO(3); VARGAS(29); CLUFF(11); LAW(6). DP - UT 1; BYU Cougars 2.
LOB - UT 9; BYU Cougars 5. 2B - SHIMADA(12); SHRINER(17); JONES(15). HR -
SHIMADA(9); HENNIS(4); PARKER(10). HBP - GUYMON; BELTRAN. SH - FERGUSON(3).
SF - SHRINER(2). SB - SHIMADA 2(20).
Univ. of Utah          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
BUDROW, Brian.......  9.0  5  3  2  4 10 31 35
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WORTHAM, Jake.......  5.0  8  8  6  3  0 23 28
LEACH, J.C..........  3.0  1  0  0  1  4  9 11
WARD, Michael.......  1.0  1  1  1  2  0  3  6
Win - BUDROW (6-5).  Loss - WORTHAM (4-6).  Save - None.
WP - LEACH(1). HBP - by WORTHAM (GUYMON); by WARD (BELTRAN). PB - MUSSO(8).
Umpires - HP: Bruce Bayne  1B: Keith Bailey (CC)  2B: Ray Belfiore  3B: Rich
Padillo  Start: 7:07 pm   Time: 2:27   Attendance: 943
WORTHAM faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Univ. of Utah starters: 3/2b SHIMADA; 5/dh GUYMON; 7/c SHRINER; 16/lf HENNIS;
28/1b JONES; 13/rf FERGUSON; 8/ss BELTRAN; 30/cf RELF; 9/3b KUROCZKO; 26/p
BUDROW;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 15/lf MCNAUGHTON; 13/ss VARGAS; 9/cf WALTON;
22/1b KO; 5/3b PARKER; 8/rf CLUFF; 4/dh RELF; 10/c MUSSO; 6/2b LAW; 28/p
WORTHAM;
Univ. of Utah 1st - SHIMADA doubled down the rf line. GUYMON singled to
third base; SHIMADA advanced to third. SHRINER grounded into double play 2b to
ss to 1b; GUYMON out on the play; SHIMADA scored. HENNIS grounded out to 2b.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - MCNAUGHTON grounded out to 3b. VARGAS singled
up the middle. VARGAS out at second c to 2b. WALTON struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 2nd - JONES grounded out to 3b. FERGUSON grounded out to
2b. BELTRAN reached on a throwing error by 2b. RELF singled through the left
side; BELTRAN advanced to second. KUROCZKO grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1
hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - KO grounded out to p. PARKER struck out
swinging. CLUFF struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 3rd - SHIMADA flied out to lf. GUYMON reached on a
fielding error by rf, advanced to second on the error. SHRINER lined out to lf.
HENNIS homered, 2 RBI, unearned; GUYMON scored, unearned. JONES walked.
FERGUSON flied out to lf. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - RELF grounded out to 3b. MUSSO struck out
swinging, out at first c to 1b. LAW walked. MCNAUGHTON flied out to rf. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 4th - BELTRAN grounded out to 2b. RELF grounded out to 3b.
KUROCZKO walked. SHIMADA homered, 2 RBI; KUROCZKO scored. GUYMON hit by pitch.
SHRINER doubled down the lf line, RBI; GUYMON scored. HENNIS grounded out to
2b. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - VARGAS grounded out to p unassisted. WALTON
struck out looking. KO walked. PARKER grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 5th - JONES singled to right center. FERGUSON grounded out
to c, SAC; JONES advanced to second. BELTRAN grounded out to 3b. RELF singled
up the middle, advanced to second on a throwing error by ss, RBI; JONES scored.
KUROCZKO grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - CLUFF grounded out to ss. RELF flied out to
rf. MUSSO struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 6th - SHIMADA walked. LEACH to p for WORTHAM. GUYMON
grounded out to 3b; SHIMADA advanced to second. SHIMADA advanced to third on a
wild pitch. SHRINER flied out to rf, SF, RBI; SHIMADA scored. HENNIS flied out
to cf. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - LAW grounded out to 3b. MCNAUGHTON grounded
out to ss. VARGAS struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 7th - JONES doubled down the lf line. FERGUSON struck out
swinging. JONES advanced to third on a passed ball. BELTRAN struck out
swinging. RELF struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - WALTON reached on an error by 3b. KO struck
out looking. PARKER homered, 2 RBI; WALTON scored, unearned. CLUFF grounded out
to ss. RELF grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 8th - KUROCZKO flied out to cf. SHIMADA walked. SHIMADA
stole second. GUYMON struck out swinging; SHIMADA stole third. SHRINER grounded
out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - MUSSO struck out looking. LAW walked.
MCNAUGHTON grounded out to 3b; LAW advanced to second. VARGAS singled to third
base; LAW advanced to third. WALTON grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Univ. of Utah 9th - WARD to p for LEACH. HENNIS walked. JONES grounded
into double play 2b to ss to 1b; HENNIS out on the play. FERGUSON walked.
BELTRAN hit by pitch; FERGUSON advanced to second. RELF singled to right field,
RBI; BELTRAN advanced to third; FERGUSON scored. KUROCZKO grounded out to p.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 9th - KO walked. BOWEN pinch ran for KO. PARKER
singled to left field; BOWEN advanced to second. CLUFF singled up the middle;
PARKER advanced to second; BOWEN advanced to third. RELF grounded into double
play 2b to ss to 1b; CLUFF out on the play; PARKER advanced to third; BOWEN
scored. AYOSO pinch hit for MUSSO. AYOSO struck out looking. 1 run, 2 hits,
0 errors, 1 LOB.

Click Here To Watch Story On the Relf Brothers

For the 301st time BYU plays Utah in Tuesday's opening round of the 2008 Phillips 66 Mountain West Conference Baseball Tournament.

The fourth-seeded Cougars, now 22-34 overall, have played Utah, the foe it has contested the most, in recent years at Hawai`i, California, New Mexico, Nevada and now in Fort Worth, Texas. Both teams ended the season with identical 10-14 league records and split the four games played thus far this season.

Last weekend BYU took the final two of a three-game series in Salt Lake City, but the Utes, who are 23-26, won the non-conference game last March at Provo, 9-7. The Cougars rallied with three-big run innings for comeback victories in the last two games, with the 12-run eighth inning being the most dramatic after being behind 10-0 in the finale.

Fifth-seeded Utah did not pitch its projected Tuesday starter Brian Budrow (5-5, 3.68) last week in anticipation of the tournament. But when the three-game series started last week, it wasn't clear whether the two teams would lock horns this quickly in the tournament. BYU will counter with a repeat of Jake Wortham (4-5, 6.67), whom the Utes touched up for eight hits in their 5-3 victory last Thursday.

"We're hoping those wins will breed the confidence we need for the tournament," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "We are familiar with each other and it's tooth and nail all the time. "

Tuesday's game has no bearing on the Deseret First Duels all-sport supremacy trophy which BYU won last week, but bragging rights are always on the line.

KSRR Radio (1400 AM) will carry the live broadcast of Brent Norton with the play-by-play with game time at 7 p.m. CDT. The Mountain Network will televise all of the tournament games live and the championship game will be broadcast on both The Mtn. and the CBS College Sports Network.

The winner of the MWC Championship will earn an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Baseball Tournament Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, May 26 at 12:30 p.m., ET.

The Cougars have a 20-14 record in the MWC Tournament, including a 3-2 record against the Utes in that tourney. BYU has a 208-91-1 overall record against Utah in baseball. Law has a 39-14 record against the Utes in his eight years at the BYU helm. The rivalry first started on May 18, 1895 when the two team played the first ever intercollegiate game in Utah, ending in a 0-0 tie and a bench-clearing brawl.

For more information, please see the multi-page PDF at the top of this page.