ALBUQUERQUE -- No. 20 New Mexico remained undefeated with a 7-5 victory over BYU’s baseball team on a cold, windy Thursday night.

The first-place Lobos, now 23-3 overall and 4-0 in the Mountain West Conference, hung on despite a BYU rally in the late innings. The Cougars, now 14-9 and 4-3, fell behind 6-0 as the Lobos chased ace Jeremy Toole off the mound and giving him his second loss of the season.

That BYU rally came in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh the Cougars got a two-out, two-run triple from Andrew Law to rightfield to close the gap, 7-3.

In the eight, BYU got a one-out double from Jonathan Cluff which advanced Kasey Ko to third. Ko scored on Michael Bowen’s ground-out and Cluff scored on J.T.

Musso’s double down the leftfield line to put BYU back in the game, 7-5.

Kent Walton had a pair of doubles in the game. Walton doubled in the first and scored following a lead-off double in the sixth for BYU’s first run. Walton and Steve Parker both extended their hitting streaks to nine games.

“Toole didn’t have command with his breaking stuff tonight,” said BYU coach Vance Law. “We didn’t throw strikes early in the count and the ball carries well here in the big alleys.

“Our approach wasn’t quite right tonight at the plate offensively, either.”

The two teams continue the three-game series with games on Friday and Saturday at 1 p.m., and noon, respectively. Those games can be heard live on KSRR Radio (1400 AM).

BYU at #20 New Mexico
Mar 26, 2009 at Albuquerque, N.M. (Isotopes Park)
BYU 5 (14-9,4-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  0  0  0   1  2  2  0   1
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  5  0  1  2   0  1  1  4   0
WALTON, Kent dh..........  2  1  2  0   2  0  0  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  5  0  1  1   0  2  2  1   5
RELF, Brandon ss.........  5  0  1  0   0  3  1  3   1
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  1  1  0   1  1 11  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan cf.......  4  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
BOWEN, Michael rf........  4  1  0  1   0  1  2  1   2
MUSSO, J.T. c............  4  1  2  1   0  1  5  0   0
TOOLE, Jeremy p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  3   0
 OSLUND, Marc p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 36  5  9  5   4 12 24 12   9
New Mexico 7 (23-3,4-0 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BROWNSTEIN 2b............  5  2  3  2   0  1  1  4   2
WILLETT, M cf............  3  0  1  0   2  0  3  0   2
HAMILTON, D 3b...........  4  2  2  1   0  0  0  2   0
HONEYCUTT, R lf..........  5  1  4  1   0  0  0  0   1
 MONGER, C lf............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
ATKINSON, K 1b...........  3  0  0  1   0  1  8  0   2
CAVAZOS-GALV rf..........  4  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   1
 SMITH, C rf.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
NEDA, R c................  3  1  2  2   0  0 12  1   0
HOWARD, J dh.............  3  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   1
GONZALEZ, D ss...........  2  1  0  0   2  1  1  1   0
HESKETH, J p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 KERR, W p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WHITE, C p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  7 12  7   5  5 27  9   9
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 001 220 -  5  9  0
New Mexico.......... 112 201 00X -  7 12  2
-------------------------------------------
E - HAMILTON, D; HONEYCUTT, R. DP - Cougars 1; Lobos 1. LOB - Cougars 9;
Lobos 9. 2B - WALTON 2; CLUFF; MUSSO; BROWNSTEIN; HONEYCUTT, R 2; NEDA, R.
3B - LAW, An.; BROWNSTEIN. HBP - WALTON; NEDA, R. SH - ATKINSON, K. SF -
HAMILTON, D.
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
TOOLE, Jeremy.......  3.0  7  6  6  3  1 13 19  74
OSLUND, Marc........  4.0  5  1  1  1  4 16 17  72
MICHON, Brandon.....  1.0  0  0  0  1  0  3  4  14
New Mexico             IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
HESKETH, J..........  7.0  7  3  1  2  9 28 31 117
KERR, W.............  0.2  1  2  2  1  1  3  4  17
WHITE, C............  1.1  1  0  0  1  2  5  6  27
Win - HESKETH, J (4-0).  Loss - TOOLE (4-2).  Save - WHITE, C (1).
WP - TOOLE 2; HESKETH, J. HBP - by TOOLE (NEDA, R); by HESKETH, J (WALTON).
Pitches/strikes: TOOLE 74/37; OSLUND 72/46; MICHON 14/10; HESKETH, J 117/76;
KERR, W 17/10; WHITE, C 27/14.
Umpires - HP: Jason Rogers  1B: Blake Jensen  3B: Ruben Chavira
Start: 6 p.m.   Time: 2:51   Attendance: 897
Weather: 50s, breezy
TOOLE faced 2 batters in the 4th.
Play-by-Play
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON grounded out to 3b (2-2). LAW, An. grounded out to
p (1-2). WALTON doubled to right field (0-1). PARKER grounded out to 2b (2-1).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico 1st - BROWNSTEIN doubled to right field (2-0). BROWNSTEIN
advanced to third on a wild pitch. WILLETT, M walked (3-2). HAMILTON, D flied
out to lf, SAC, RBI (2-1); BROWNSTEIN scored. HONEYCUTT, R singled to right
field (1-0); WILLETT, M advanced to second. ATKINSON, K hit into double play p
to ss to 1b (2-2); HONEYCUTT, R out on the play. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 2nd - RELF struck out swinging (1-2). KO singled up the middle
(1-1). CLUFF flied out to cf (2-0). BOWEN grounded out to 1b unassisted (0-2).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico 2nd - CAVAZOS-GALV grounded out to 1b unassisted (0-1). NEDA,
R hit by pitch (3-2). HOWARD, J walked (3-2); NEDA, R advanced to second.
GONZALEZ, D flied out to lf (1-0). BROWNSTEIN singled up the middle, RBI (1-0);
HOWARD, J advanced to third; NEDA, R scored. WILLETT, M grounded out to p
(1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 3rd - MUSSO struck out swinging (2-2). McNAUGHTON walked (3-0).
McNAUGHTON advanced to second on a wild pitch. LAW, An. grounded out to 2b
(1-2); McNAUGHTON advanced to third. WALTON hit by pitch (0-2). PARKER flied
out to cf (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
New Mexico 3rd - HAMILTON, D singled to left field (1-0). HONEYCUTT, R
singled up the middle (3-1); HAMILTON, D advanced to second. ATKINSON, K out at
first p to 2b, SAC (2-1); HONEYCUTT, R advanced to second; HAMILTON, D advanced
to third. CAVAZOS-GALV struck out looking (0-2). NEDA, R singled up the middle,
2 RBI (1-0); HONEYCUTT, R scored; HAMILTON, D scored. NEDA, R advanced to
second on a wild pitch. HOWARD, J grounded out to 1b unassisted (2-0). 2
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - RELF singled to third base (0-2). KO struck out looking (2-2).
CLUFF flied out to cf (1-0). BOWEN struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico 4th - GONZALEZ, D walked (3-2). BROWNSTEIN tripled to right
center, RBI (3-1); GONZALEZ, D scored. OSLUND to p for TOOLE. WILLETT, M
grounded out to 3b (0-2). HAMILTON, D grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-2).
HONEYCUTT, R doubled down the rf line, RBI (2-0); BROWNSTEIN scored. ATKINSON,
K struck out looking (2-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - MUSSO flied out to rf (0-1). McNAUGHTON struck out swinging
(2-2). LAW, An. struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
New Mexico 5th - CAVAZOS-GALV struck out swinging (3-2). NEDA, R doubled
to center field (1-1). HOWARD, J flied out to rf (2-1). GONZALEZ, D walked
(3-1). BROWNSTEIN struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 6th - WALTON doubled to center field (2-1). PARKER singled up the
middle, RBI (2-1); WALTON scored. RELF reached on a fielder's choice (0-0);
PARKER out at second 2b to ss. KO hit into double play 3b to 2b to 1b (2-1);
RELF out on the play. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
New Mexico 6th - WILLETT, M singled to left field (2-2). HAMILTON, D
singled to right field (0-0); WILLETT, M advanced to second, out at third rf to
2b to 3b. HONEYCUTT, R doubled to right field (2-2); HAMILTON, D advanced to
third. ATKINSON, K grounded out to ss, RBI (0-0); HAMILTON, D scored.
CAVAZOS-GALV flied out to rf (0-1). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - SMITH, C to rf for CAVAZOS-GALV. CLUFF struck out swinging
(1-2). BOWEN reached on an error by 3b (0-1). MUSSO singled, advanced to second
on an error by lf; BOWEN advanced to third. McNAUGHTON struck out swinging
(2-2). LAW, An. tripled to right field, 2 RBI (0-1); MUSSO scored, unearned;
BOWEN scored, unearned. WALTON walked (3-2). PARKER struck out swinging (3-2).
2 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB.
New Mexico 7th - NEDA, R grounded out to 2b (1-2). HOWARD, J popped up
to 3b (3-0). GONZALEZ, D struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - KERR, W to p for HESKETH, J. RELF struck out swinging (2-2).
KO walked (3-2). CLUFF doubled to right center (0-1); KO advanced to third.
BOWEN grounded out to ss, RBI (1-0); KO scored. WHITE, C to p for KERR, W.
MUSSO doubled down the lf line, RBI (2-0); CLUFF scored. McNAUGHTON grounded
out to c (2-1). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Mexico 8th - MICHON to p for OSLUND. BROWNSTEIN grounded out to ss
(0-1). WILLETT, M walked (3-2). HAMILTON, D grounded out to 2b (0-2); WILLETT,
M advanced to second. HONEYCUTT, R grounded out to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - MONGER, C to lf for HONEYCUTT, R. LAW, An. flied out to lf
(1-0). WALTON walked (3-2). PARKER struck out looking (2-2). RELF struck out
swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Before BYU’s baseball team travels to play nationally ranked New Mexico, it first hosts Utah Valley University on Tuesday evening.

BYU, 13-8 overall, has its first of two games against UVU, 6-14, in a contest that starts at 6 p.m. Prior to that game at Miller Park, BYU’s softball team opens its home season at 4 p.m., versus Boise State. This is the first of six back-to-back softball/baseball contests at Miller Park.

Tuesday's baseball contest is also a designated "Y Game," where student-athletes compete to see how many attend from the respective Cougar teams.

For the baseball portion of Tuesday, BYU will start freshman Natahn Bunch (2-0, 4.50), while the Wolverines will counter with St. George junior Brock Sargent (1-3, 7.77). The rematch of the BYU-UVU game will be on April 27 in Orem.

Following Tuesday’s BYU-UVU contest, the Cougars return to Mountain West Conference action when they take a 4-2 league record to New Mexico. The Lobos, 22-3 overall and 3-0 in the MWC, are ranked 21st by Baseball America and 20th by Collegiate Baseball.

The BYU-UNM games will be broadcast live locally over KSRR Radio (1400 AM). Game times at Albuquerque are Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m., with a noon start on Saturday.