COLLEGE STATION -- Major league prospect John Stilson stifled BYU’s comeback Wednesday as Texas A & M beat BYU, 5-3.

The Cougars, now 3-5, picked up their third run in the seventh as Dane Nielsen scored with the bases loaded when Alex Wolfe grounded out. With two out, Jonathan Cluff worked a base on balls against the touted flame-thowing sophomore reliever who fanned BYU’s attempt with the bases loaded again.

“He (Stilson) has a major league arm with a good breaking ball,” said BYU coach Vance Law of the righthander who was clocked earlier this year at 99 mph. “It’s pretty tough, especially if a pitcher like that is effective with a secondary pitch. Up until he came in we were battling.”

Stilson struck out six of the 13 Cougars who were “K-ed” in the game and picked up his second save of the season.

Twice BYU was tied the game against the Aggies, now 6-2. And in the fourth inning the Cougars had a one-run lead.

Sean McNaughton hit a one-out triple in the third, which bounced in the rightfield corner over the foul line. Wolfe drove in McNaughton to tie the score at one-all with a liner over the third baseman.

Bryce Ayoso doubled in the gap to right centerfield and was singled in by Austin Hall in the fourth as BYU took a 2-1 lead.

“We didn’t come up with the big hit when we needed it,” said Law. “They hit a hanging slider a long way for a home run. But, our pitchers had been keeping us in the game. We struck out too many times. I’m not discouraged, we played hard and were in a position to win if we rallied.”

The loss halts a three-game winning streak as BYU goes up-state to start a three-game series at UT Arlington on Thursday.

BYU at Texas A & M
March 3, 2010
College Station, TX (Olsen Field)
BYU 3 (3-5)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB  Avg.
------------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  5  1  1  0   0  2  4  0   0  .176
RELF, Brandon ss.........  3  0  0  0   2  3  1  2   0  .423
WOLFE, Alex 1b...........  2  0  1  2   2  0  6  0   0  .375
CLUFF, Jonathan cf.......  3  0  1  0   1  1  1  0   3  .333
AYOSO, Bryce c...........  4  1  2  0   0  1  6  1   5  .318
BERNAL, Ryan dh..........  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0  .320
HALL, Austin 3b..........  4  0  1  1   0  2  2  2   0  .200
NIELSEN, Dane 2b.........  4  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0  .286
HANCOCK, Alex rf.........  4  0  1  0   0  3  4  1   0  .286
ANDERSON, Mark p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0     -
 PARRY, David p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0     -
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
 BREWER, Devin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
 WHITE, Coltin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
Totals................... 33  3  7  3   5 13 24  9   8
Texas A&M 5 (6-2)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB  Avg.
------------------------------------------------------------
Collazo, Andrew 2b.......  4  0  0  0   0  0  3  1   0  .290
Arthur, Scott rf/lf......  3  1  2  0   1  1  1  0   0  .227
Greene, Brodie cf........  3  1  2  1   0  0  0  0   0  .467
Patterson, Joe dh........  4  1  2  1   0  1  0  0   1  .567
Shofner, Caleb 1b........  4  2  2  2   0  1  7  1   3  .448
Juengel, Matt 3b.........  4  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0  .143
Hinojosa, Joaquin lf.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0  .200
 Parsons, Brett ph/lf....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0  .125
 Wood, Brandon ph/rf.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0  .000
 Naquin, Tyler ph/rf.....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0  .125
Gonzalez, Kevin c........  3  0  1  1   0  0 12  2   0  .333
Smith, Adam ss...........  3  0  0  0   0  1  1  4   2  .231
Ehlert, Clayton p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0     -
 Wacha, Michael p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
 Minks, Shane p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
 Uriegas, Estevan p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0     -
 Stilson, John p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0  .273
Totals................... 32  5  9  5   1  5 27  9   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 001 100 100 -  3  7  2
Texas A&M........... 100 130 00X -  5  9  1
-------------------------------------------
E - RELF(3); HALL(1); Smith(1). DP - Cougars 1; Aggies 1. LOB - Cougars 8;
Aggies 6. 2B - AYOSO(2); Arthur(3); Greene(2). 3B - McNAUGHTON(2). HR -
Shofner(4). HBP - Greene. SF - Gonzalez(1). SB - McNAUGHTON(5). CS -
HALL(1).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP   ERA
--------------------------------------------------------
ANDERSON, Mark......  3.0  3  1  1  1  3 11 13  51 12.46
PARRY, David........  2.0  4  4  3  0  1 10 11  34 13.50
MICHON, Brandon.....  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  3   8  9.00
BREWER, Devin.......  1.0  2  0  0  0  0  5  5  22  0.00
WHITE, Coltin.......  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3   5  2.70
Texas A&M              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP   ERA
--------------------------------------------------------
Ehlert, Clayton.....  4.0  5  2  2  1  3 16 17  57 12.15
Wacha, Michael......  2.0  1  0  0  2  4  6  8  42  0.71
Minks, Shane........  0.1  1  1  0  1  0  3  4  12  0.00
Uriegas, Estevan....  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1   2  0.00
Stilson, John.......  2.1  0  0  0  1  6  7  8  36  0.00
Win - Wacha (1-0).  Loss - PARRY (0-1).  Save - Stilson (2).
WP - ANDERSON(1). HBP - by ANDERSON (Greene). Pitches/strikes: ANDERSON 51/27;
PARRY 34/25; MICHON 8/6; BREWER 22/15; WHITE 5/3; Ehlert 57/40; Wacha 42/24;
Minks 12/5; Uriegas 2/2; Stilson 36/24.
Umpires - HP: Ryan Morehead  1B: Mike Fagan  3B: Russell James
Start: 4:04 pm   Time: 2:26   Attendance: 2806
Weather: 66, clear, wind S 3
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON flied out to rf (1-2 BFF). RELF struck out swinging
(0-2 KFS). WOLFE walked (3-1 FBBBB). CLUFF singled up the middle (0-0); WOLFE
advanced to second. AYOSO popped up to 2b (1-1 BK). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
2 LOB.
Texas A&M 1st - Collazo flied out to lf (2-1 FBB). Arthur doubled to
right center (2-1 BFB). Greene singled through the left side, advanced to
second on the throw, RBI (0-1 K); Arthur scored. Patterson struck out swinging
(2-2 FBFBS). Shofner struck out swinging (2-2 BBKFS). 1 run, 2 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - BERNAL grounded out to ss (1-2 KFFB). HALL grounded out to p
(0-1 F). NIELSEN grounded out to ss (3-1 BBBK). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Texas A&M 2nd - Juengel struck out swinging (1-2 FSBS). Hinojosa reached
on a fielding error by 3b (3-2 KBFBB). Gonzalez singled up the middle (2-1
BBK); Hinojosa advanced to second. Smith fouled into double play rf to ss to c
(0-1 K); Gonzalez advanced to second; Hinojosa advanced to third, out on the
play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - HANCOCK struck out swinging (1-2 KFBS). McNAUGHTON tripled to
right field (1-2 FKB). RELF struck out swinging (1-2 KFBFS). WOLFE singled to
left field, RBI (0-1 K); McNAUGHTON scored. CLUFF flied out to lf (1-0 B). 1
run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Texas A&M 3rd - Collazo fouled out to 3b (0-0). Arthur walked (3-0
BBBB). Arthur advanced to second on a wild pitch. Greene hit by pitch (3-2
FBFB). Greene advanced to second; Arthur out at third c to 3b. Patterson
grounded out to p (3-1 KBBB). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - AYOSO doubled to right center (2-2 BBFF). BERNAL out at first
1b to p (1-2 SFB); AYOSO advanced to third. HALL singled up the middle, RBI
(0-0); AYOSO scored. HALL out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. NIELSEN
fouled out to 3b (0-1 S). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Texas A&M 4th - PARRY to p for ANDERSON. Shofner singled to left field
(2-2 BBKFF). Juengel reached on a fielding error by ss (1-2 KFBFF); Shofner
advanced to second. Parsons pinch hit for Hinojosa. Parsons grounded out to p
(1-0 B); Juengel advanced to second; Shofner advanced to third. Gonzalez flied
out to rf, SF, RBI (2-0 BB); Juengel advanced to third; Shofner scored,
unearned. Smith flied out to rf (0-1 S). 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - Parsons to lf. Wacha to p for Ehlert. HANCOCK struck out
swinging (1-2 SBSS). McNAUGHTON struck out swinging (2-2 BSSFFBS). RELF walked
(3-1 BKBBB). WOLFE walked (3-1 BBBKB); RELF advanced to second. CLUFF struck
out looking (2-2 BBKFK). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Texas A&M 5th - Collazo grounded out to p (0-1 K). Arthur struck out
looking (1-2 KFBK). Greene doubled down the lf line (1-2 BKF). Patterson
singled to right field, RBI (1-0 B); Greene scored. Shofner homered to left
field, 2 RBI (0-0); Patterson scored. Juengel fouled out to rf (0-1 F). 3
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - AYOSO singled up the middle (1-2 BKKFF). BERNAL grounded into
double play 2b to ss to 1b (1-2 SKB); AYOSO out on the play. HALL struck out
looking (3-2 BBFKBK). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Texas A&M 6th - MICHON to p for PARRY. Wood pinch hit for Parsons. Wood
grounded out to 3b (0-0). Gonzalez flied out to lf (1-1 KB). Smith struck out
swinging (1-2 KFBS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - Arthur to lf. Wood to rf. Minks to p for Wacha. NIELSEN
reached on a throwing error by ss (1-0 B). HANCOCK singled up the middle (2-0
BB); NIELSEN advanced to second. McNAUGHTON reached on a fielder's choice to
shortstop (0-0); HANCOCK out at second ss to 2b; NIELSEN advanced to third.
McNAUGHTON stole second. RELF walked (3-2 BFBBFB). Uriegas to p for Minks.
WOLFE grounded out to 1b unassisted, RBI (0-1 K); RELF advanced to second;
McNAUGHTON advanced to third; NIELSEN scored, unearned. Stilson to p for
Uriegas. CLUFF walked (3-2 FSBBBB). AYOSO struck out swinging (1-2 SSFBS). 1
run, 1 hit, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Texas A&M 7th - BREWER to p for MICHON. Collazo flied out to cf (3-2
BBBKK). Arthur singled through the left side (1-0 B). Greene flied out to lf
(0-2 KK). Patterson singled to center field (1-2 BKFF); Arthur advanced to
second. Shofner flied out to lf (2-2 FBKFB). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 8th - BERNAL struck out swinging (1-2 FSBS). HALL struck out
swinging (2-2 KSBFBS). NIELSEN lined out to 1b (1-1 KB). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Texas A&M 8th - WHITE to p for BREWER. Juengel grounded out to ss (0-0).
Naquin pinch hit for Wood. Naquin popped up to ss (2-0 BB). Gonzalez grounded
out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 9th - Naquin to rf. HANCOCK struck out looking (2-2 FSBBK).
McNAUGHTON struck out swinging (0-2 KFS). RELF struck out swinging, out at
first c to 1b (1-2 KBFS). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Five straight days of baseball in Texas for BYU, with a 2-4 record, begins Tuesday evening at Baylor University (4-3).

After meeting the Bears, the Cougars have a contest at Texas A & M (5-2), followed by a three-game series at UT Arlington (2-4).

Shawn Hardesty (0-1, 16.88) gets the start on the mound for BYU against Baylor. Freshman lefty Mark Anderson starts for the Cougars at Texas A & M on Wednesday. Then BYU returns to its regular rotation at UT Arlington with righthanders Justin Shutt (0-1, 8.00), Matt Neil (1-0, 1.74) and Chunner Nyberg (0-1, 10.57).

“We are looking forward to playing quality programs,” said BYU Coach Vance Law. “These games will be a good measuring stick for our players.”

UT Arlington senior Jason Mitchell was named one of the national pitchers of the week for his 18-strikeout performance against Missouri State last Friday, a no-hitter for 8.2 innings.

For more information, please download the PDF at the top of this page.