PROVO -- Sean McNaughton's grand slam in the second inning proved to be the game-winning play as the BYU baseball team prevailed over UNLV 7-3 Friday night.

Although the Rebels outhit the Cougars 10-8, a superior effort by the BYU pitching tandem of Blake Torgerson and Marc Oslund allowed the victory through consistent pitching in the strike zone.

“Our pitching was fantastic and we established the strike zone early in the game,” said BYU head coach Vance Law. “Torgerson did a nice job early and I thought our pitchers dominated the strike zone.”

Torgerson picked up his sixth win as he pitched a solid five innings on a limited pitch count before being replaced by Oslund in the sixth. With Oslund’s first save, the Cougars’ 14th of the year, the BYU pitching crew broke the school record of 13 previously set in the 2000, 2002 and 2007 seasons.

Offensively, BYU got off to a good start in the second inning with a Chad Nacapoy single to score Michael Bowen. McNaughton then parked the first pitch over the left field fence that reached the street for a grand slam to give the Cougars a quick 5-0 lead. McNaughton finished the game going 1-for-4 at the plate with four RBI.

In the third inning, Andrew Law smacked a ball to center field for a double that brought in Bowen and Nacapoy for an insurmountable 7-0 lead. Nacapoy appeared to be tagged out at the plate, but it was ruled that the catcher hadn’t lifted his glove from the ground and Nacapoy was able to jump over him for the score.

“It was an outstanding play by Chad and I thought it was the right call,” Law said. “Our team certainly found it entertaining.”

The Rebels got on the board in the fifth inning with three runs to cut the score to 7-3, but were unable to get anything going in the succeeding innings as BYU held on for the victory. Stetson Banks had an impressive evening with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

With the win, the Cougars improve to 26-21 on the year and 13-8 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Rebels fall to 25-26, 9-11 in league play. The teams will end the series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Larry H. Miller Field when seven seniors will be honored in the final home game of the season.

UNLV at BYU
May 08, 2009 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
UNLV 3 (25-26,9-11 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
SFERRA, J.J. cf..........  4  0  1  1   0  1  2  0   3
FRIERSON, Jarred 3b......  5  1  1  1   0  1  0  1   0
THORNTON, Ryan dh........  4  0  1  1   0  1  0  0   0
WIGHT, Jesse 1b..........  4  0  2  0   0  0  8  0   1
ROUNDY, Rance rf.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   2
BERKE, Scott lf..........  4  0  2  0   0  0  2  0   1
MOREL, Anthony ss........  4  1  2  0   0  1  1  0   0
RESNICK, Bryan 2b........  4  1  1  0   0  1  1  2   1
NAKAMURA, Lane c.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
 CLAUS, Chad c...........  2  0  0  0   1  1  5  1   0
BERESFORD, Andrew p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HUTCHISON, Matt p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 36  3 10  3   1  6 24  7   8
BYU 7 (26-21,13-8 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  1  1  4   0  1  2  0   1
 CLUFF, Jonathan lf......  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
BANKS, Stetson cf........  3  0  2  0   2  0  5  0   0
WALTON, Kent dh..........  5  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   1
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  0  1  0   0  0  0  4   2
BOWEN, Michael rf........  3  2  1  0   0  0  3  0   1
RELF, Brandon ss.........  2  1  0  0   0  1  1  1   0
 VARGAS, Dan ss..........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
KO, Kasey 1b.............  2  1  1  0   2  0 10  0   0
NACAPOY, Chad c..........  3  2  1  1   1  1  5  1   2
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  4  0  1  2   0  2  0  1   1
TORGERSON, Blake p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 OSLUND, Marc p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 32  7  8  7   5  8 27  9   8
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
UNLV................ 000 030 000 -  3 10  1
BYU................. 052 000 00X -  7  8  1
-------------------------------------------
E - FRIERSON, J.(16); RELF(24). LOB - Rebels 8; Cougars 8. 2B - THORNTON,
R(14); BERKE, Scott(12); MOREL, A.(11); RESNICK, B.(8); PARKER(12); LAW,
An.(11). HR - McNAUGHTON(8). HBP - BOWEN; RELF. SF - SFERRA, J.J.(1). SB -
BANKS 2(20); BOWEN(8). CS - BANKS(6).
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
BERESFORD, Andrew...  2.2  4  7  7  3  3 12 17  69
HUTCHISON, Matt.....  5.1  4  0  0  2  5 20 22  97
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
TORGERSON, Blake....  5.1  9  3  3  0  0 24 25  74
OSLUND, Marc........  3.2  1  0  0  1  6 12 13  50
Win - TORGERSON (6-2).  Loss - BERESFORD, A (3-3).  Save - OSLUND (1).
WP - BERESFORD, A(10); HUTCHISON, M(4). HBP - by BERESFORD, A (RELF); by
BERESFORD, A (BOWEN). PB - NAKAMURA, L.(1); CLAUS, Chad(9). Pitches/strikes:
BERESFORD, A 69/33; HUTCHISON, M 97/54; TORGERSON 74/53; OSLUND 50/31.
Umpires - HP: Billy Van Raaphorst  1B: Jeff Richardson  3B: Keith Bailey
Start: 7:09 pm   Time: 2:35   Attendance: 1933
Weather: 59 degrees, clear
Play-by-Play
UNLV 1st - SFERRA, J.J. singled to left field (2-1). FRIERSON, J. flied
out to rf (2-2). THORNTON, R flied out to lf (0-1). WIGHT, Jesse singled to
right field (0-2); SFERRA, J.J. advanced to third. ROUNDY, R. flied out to cf
(0-0). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (2-2).
BANKS singled to left field (1-0). BANKS stole second. WALTON grounded out to
3b (2-2). PARKER flied out to cf (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 2nd - BERKE, Scott flied out to rf (2-1). MOREL, A. grounded out to
3b (1-1). RESNICK, B. flied out to rf (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 2nd - BOWEN singled up the middle (1-0). BOWEN advanced to second on
a passed ball. RELF hit by pitch (3-0). RELF advanced to second; BOWEN advanced
to third on a wild pitch. KO walked (3-1). NACAPOY singled to center field, RBI
(2-0); KO advanced to second; RELF advanced to third; BOWEN scored. LAW, An.
struck out swinging (3-2). McNAUGHTON homered to left field, 4 RBI (0-0);
NACAPOY scored; KO scored; RELF scored. BANKS walked (3-0). BANKS stole second.
WALTON struck out swinging (0-2). PARKER grounded out to 2b (0-0). 5 runs, 3
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 3rd - NAKAMURA, L. grounded out to p (2-2). SFERRA, J.J. grounded
out to 2b (2-2). FRIERSON, J. grounded out to 1b unassisted (1-2). 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - CLAUS, Chad to c for NAKAMURA, L.. BOWEN hit by pitch (3-1).
RELF flied out to rf (2-0). BOWEN stole second. KO popped up to ss (1-0).
NACAPOY walked (3-0). HUTCHISON, M to p for BERESFORD, A. LAW, An. doubled to
center field, advanced to third on the throw, 2 RBI (1-2); NACAPOY scored;
BOWEN scored. McNAUGHTON flied out to cf (2-1). 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
UNLV 4th - THORNTON, R grounded out to 3b (1-1). WIGHT, Jesse singled to
shortstop (0-1). ROUNDY, R. flied out to cf (0-1). BERKE, Scott popped up to ss
(0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - BANKS grounded out to 1b unassisted (0-0). WALTON reached on a
fielding error by 3b (1-2). PARKER flied out to lf (1-0). WALTON advanced to
second on a wild pitch. BOWEN grounded out to 2b (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
UNLV 5th - MOREL, A. singled to third base (1-2). RESNICK, B. doubled to
right center (0-2); MOREL, A. advanced to third. CLAUS, Chad grounded out to 3b
(0-0). SFERRA, J.J. flied out to cf, SF, RBI (0-0); RESNICK, B. advanced to
third; MOREL, A. scored. FRIERSON, J. singled to left field, RBI (0-0);
RESNICK, B. scored. THORNTON, R doubled to right field, RBI (0-1); FRIERSON, J.
scored. WIGHT, Jesse flied out to lf (1-0). 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 5th - RELF struck out looking (0-2). KO singled to right center
(3-2). NACAPOY struck out swinging (2-2). LAW, An. struck out swinging (0-2).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 6th - ROUNDY, R. grounded out to ss (1-2). BERKE, Scott singled to
shortstop, advanced to second on a throwing error by ss (2-2). MOREL, A.
doubled to right field (1-0); BERKE, Scott advanced to third. OSLUND to p for
TORGERSON. RESNICK, B. struck out swinging (1-2). CLAUS, Chad walked (3-1).
SFERRA, J.J. struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB.
BYU 6th - McNAUGHTON grounded out to p (0-0). BANKS singled up the
middle (3-2). BANKS out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. WALTON fouled out
to rf (3-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 7th - CLUFF to lf for McNAUGHTON. VARGAS to ss for RELF. FRIERSON,
J. grounded out to 3b (1-2). THORNTON, R struck out looking (0-2). WIGHT, Jesse
flied out to cf (3-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - PARKER doubled to center field (3-1). BOWEN fouled out to 1b
(1-2). VARGAS struck out swinging (3-2). KO walked (3-1). KO advanced to second
on a passed ball; PARKER advanced to third. NACAPOY flied out to rf (3-2). 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 8th - ROUNDY, R. flied out to cf (0-0). BERKE, Scott doubled to
left field (2-2). MOREL, A. struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (1-2).
RESNICK, B. grounded out to p (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - LAW, An. grounded out to p, bunt (0-0). CLUFF struck out
looking (3-2). BANKS walked (3-0). WALTON fouled out to lf (3-1). 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 9th - CLAUS, Chad struck out looking (1-2). SFERRA, J.J. flied out
to lf (0-1). FRIERSON, J. struck out swinging (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.

This weekend is the final chance for BYU to affect the league standings in the Mountain West Conference baseball race.

The Cougars, 24-21 overall and 11-8, host UNLV, 25-24 and 9-9, in the last MWC games of the regular season for BYU. The three-game series with UNLV is also the final homestand for the Cougars.

BYU’s pitching rotation is announced only through the first game on Thursday at 7 p.m., with freshman Nathan Bunch (3-4, 5.86) getting his first start in a league game. Friday’s game is also at 7 p.m.

Prior to Saturday’s game at 1 p.m., seven BYU seniors will be honored: Thomas Bills, Michael Bowen, Kasey Ko, J.T. Musso, Jordan Muir, Dan Vargas and Kent Walton

Thursday and Friday’s games will be televised live by BYUTV and Saturday’s game will be televised live on both BYUTV and KBYU. Subscribers to Dish Network, who get BYU Television can also listen to BYU Radio.

All of the baseball games this week will be at the same time as Cougar softball games in the back-to-back venues at Miller Park.

Next week BYU’s baseball team plays at the University of Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday while the rest of the league teams play each other to determine seeding order at the MWC Championships in two weeks.