AIR FORCE ACADEMY -- Ryan Bernal belted a pair of home runs Friday to lead the way in BYU’s 18-4 victory over the Air Force Academy.

Bernal hit a three-run homer in the third with two out to give BYU a 5-0 lead. Bernal hit a two-run homer in the seventh to put the Cougars up 14-3.

I didn’t try to do too much with the wind blowing, but I did square off on some balls,” said Bernal. “We are trying to play our best baseball and gather some momentum before the tournament.”

Austin Hall hit a wind-aided two-run homer in the seventh to extend the Cougar lead to 18-3. Hall was later hit by a pitch and left the game.

Cougar centerfielder Stephen Wells hit a two-run homer with no outs in the fifth.

Those homers allowed BYU pitchers Mark Anderson and Shawn Hardesty a comfort zone. Anderson twirled a three-hitter to pick up his second victory of the year, while Hardesty got his first save of the season with four innings of relief.

“Our pitching kept us where we wanted to be until we could get some things going with our bats,” said BYU coach Vance Law. “I felt we would eventually start scoring runs and give him (Anderson) a cushion as long as he kept throwing strikes.”

The Cougars, now 25-28 overall and 12-11 in the Mountain West Conference, close the regular season on Saturday at noon with the three-game finale at Air Force.

BYU at Air Force
May 21, 2010 at USAF Academy, Colo. (Falcon Field)
BYU 18 (25-28,12-11 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RELF, Brandon ss.........  5  2  2  1   1  1  1  2   1
WELLS, Stephen cf........  5  1  1  3   0  1  4  0   0
WOLFE, Alex dh...........  3  2  1  1   2  1  0  0   0
 LUKER, Brock pr/dh......  1  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  2  3  0   0  0  2  0   3
 HANCOCK, Alex rf........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
BERNAL, Ryan 1b..........  6  4  4  6   0  0 12  0   0
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  5  3  3  2   0  1  0  0   0
 NOALL, Kevin lf.........  1  0  1  0   0  0  1  0   0
HALL, Austin 3b..........  5  2  2  3   0  0  0  1   1
 SLOAN, Kevin pr/3b......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
FRAMPTON, Chase c........  5  0  1  0   1  0  6  1   1
NIELSEN, Dane 2b.........  4  1  2  0   1  0  1  5   1
ANDERSON, Mark p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HARDESTY, Shawn p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 46 18 20 16   5  4 27 11   8
Air Force 4 (12-42,2-20 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RANDHAWA 3b..............  4  0  1  0   1  1  1  2   2
ROBERTS, B. 2b...........  1  0  0  0   2  1  5  2   0
 HILL 2b.................  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   2
GENTRY 1b................  5  0  1  0   0  1 11  0   1
CUSTONS rf...............  5  1  1  0   0  1  3  0   2
BAST c...................  4  0  2  0   1  0  4  1   1
ALEXANDER dh.............  5  1  1  0   0  2  0  0   1
CARTER cf................  4  1  1  0   0  1  1  0   1
AUSBUN lf................  4  0  1  0   0  0  1  0   1
ROBERTS, M. ss...........  4  1  3  2   0  0  1  4   0
DEL TORO p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BERTELSON p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BAKER p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 LOYD p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ZETTLER p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HOURIN p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 38  4 11  2   4  7 27 12  11
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 005 072 400 - 18 20  0
Air Force........... 001 101 010 -  4 11  1
-------------------------------------------
E - ROBERTS, B.(9). DP - Falcons 1. LOB - Cougars 8; Falcons 11. 2B -
RELF(16); BERNAL 2(11); McNAUGHTON 2(15). 3B - CUSTONS(6). HR - WELLS(6);
BERNAL 2(14); HALL(3). HBP - WELLS; HALL. SB - ROBERTS, M.(6). CS -
FRAMPTON(2).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
ANDERSON, Mark......  5.0  3  2  2  4  7 18 22  95
HARDESTY, Shawn.....  4.0  8  2  2  0  0 20 20  57
Air Force              IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
DEL TORO............  2.1  3  2  1  0  3 10 10  38
BERTELSON...........  1.2  2  3  0  1  0  7  8  33
BAKER...............  0.0  4  5  5  1  0  4  5  22
LOYD................  2.0  5  4  4  2  0 11 14  49
ZETTLER.............  1.0  5  4  4  0  1  8  8  32
HOURIN..............  2.0  1  0  0  1  0  6  8  19
Win - ANDERSON (2-1).  Loss - DEL TORO (0-1).  Save - HARDESTY (1).
WP - ANDERSON 3(10); DEL TORO(3); LOYD(4). HBP - by LOYD (WELLS); by HOURIN
(HALL). PB - BAST(10). Inherited runners/scored: BERTELSON 1/1; LOYD 2/2.
Pitches/strikes: ANDERSON 95/55; HARDESTY 57/39; DEL TORO 38/24; BERTELSON
33/18; BAKER 22/11; LOYD 49/25; ZETTLER 32/21; HOURIN 19/11.
Umpires - HP: Ron Barnes  1B: Scott Johnson  3B: Randy Upton
Start: 2 p.m.   Time: 2:50   Attendance: 119
Weather: Low 70's, sunny and clear
BAKER faced 5 batters in the 5th.
BYU 1st - RELF struck out swinging (1-2). WELLS flied out to 2b (2-1).
WOLFE struck out looking (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 1st - RANDHAWA flied out to cf (1-0). ROBERTS, B. struck out
swinging (3-2). GENTRY struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - CLUFF singled up the middle (0-2). BERNAL flied out to cf
(0-0). CLUFF advanced to second on a wild pitch. McNAUGHTON struck out swinging
(1-2). HALL flied out to rf (2-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - CUSTONS flied out to cf (2-2). BAST singled through the
left side (3-1). ALEXANDER struck out looking (0-2). CARTER struck out looking
(0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - FRAMPTON grounded out to ss (0-0). NIELSEN singled up the
middle (3-2). RELF doubled to center field, RBI (3-2); NIELSEN scored.
BERTELSON to p for DEL TORO. WELLS grounded out to 2b (2-1); RELF advanced to
third. WOLFE reached on an error by 2b (2-1); RELF scored, unearned. CLUFF
singled to left field (0-0); WOLFE advanced to second. BERNAL homered to right
center, 3 RBI, unearned (0-0); CLUFF scored, unearned; WOLFE scored, unearned.
McNAUGHTON grounded out to 3b (3-1). 5 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Air Force 3rd - AUSBUN flied out to rf (0-2). ROBERTS, M. singled down
the lf line (3-2). ROBERTS, M. stole second. RANDHAWA struck out swinging
(1-2). ROBERTS, M. advanced to third on a wild pitch. ROBERTS, B. walked (3-2).
ROBERTS, B. advanced to second on a wild pitch; ROBERTS, M. scored on a wild
pitch. GENTRY flied out to cf (3-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - HALL flied out to rf (2-2). FRAMPTON walked (3-2). FRAMPTON
out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. NIELSEN popped up to 2b (2-2). 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 4th - CUSTONS tripled down the rf line (0-0). BAST walked
(3-2). BAST advanced to second on a wild pitch; CUSTONS scored on a wild pitch.
ALEXANDER struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (1-2). CARTER fouled out to
1b (2-1). AUSBUN grounded out to p (0-0). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - BAKER to p for BERTELSON. RELF singled through the left side
(3-1). WELLS homered to left center, 2 RBI (3-2); RELF scored. WOLFE walked
(3-2). CLUFF singled to right field (1-0); WOLFE advanced to second. BERNAL
doubled to center field, RBI (0-2); CLUFF advanced to third; WOLFE scored. LOYD
to p for BAKER. McNAUGHTON singled to right field, RBI (0-2); BERNAL advanced
to third; CLUFF scored. HALL singled through the left side, RBI (3-1);
McNAUGHTON advanced to second; BERNAL scored. FRAMPTON flied out to rf down the
rf line (1-0); HALL advanced to second; McNAUGHTON advanced to third. NIELSEN
walked (3-1). RELF fouled out to 1b (0-0). WELLS hit by pitch, RBI (3-1);
NIELSEN advanced to second; HALL advanced to third; McNAUGHTON scored. WOLFE
walked, RBI (3-2); WELLS advanced to second; NIELSEN advanced to third; HALL
scored. CLUFF reached on a fielder's choice (1-0); WOLFE out at second ss to
2b. 7 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Air Force 5th - ROBERTS, M. grounded out to 2b (0-0). RANDHAWA walked
(3-0). ROBERTS, B. walked (3-1); RANDHAWA advanced to second. GENTRY flied out
to rf (3-1). CUSTONS struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 6th - BERNAL doubled to center field (2-0). McNAUGHTON doubled to
right center, RBI (0-2); BERNAL scored. HALL grounded out to ss (1-1);
McNAUGHTON advanced to third. McNAUGHTON scored on a wild pitch. FRAMPTON
grounded out to 2b (2-1). NIELSEN singled to left field (1-0). RELF reached on
a fielder's choice (2-2); NIELSEN out at second 3b to 2b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 6th - HARDESTY to p for ANDERSON. BAST grounded out to 3b
(3-1). ALEXANDER grounded out to ss (3-2). CARTER singled to right field (0-0).
AUSBUN singled to right center (1-0); CARTER advanced to third. ROBERTS, M.
singled up the middle, RBI (1-0); AUSBUN advanced to second; CARTER scored.
RANDHAWA reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); ROBERTS, M. out at second 2b to
ss. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 7th - ZETTLER to p for LOYD. HILL to 2b for ROBERTS, B.. WELLS
struck out looking (2-2). WOLFE singled up the middle (1-0). LUKER pinch ran
for WOLFE. CLUFF fouled out to 1b (3-2). BERNAL homered to left center, 2 RBI
(1-2); LUKER scored. McNAUGHTON doubled down the rf line (1-0). HALL homered
down the lf line, 2 RBI (0-1); McNAUGHTON scored. FRAMPTON singled through the
left side (2-2). NIELSEN popped up to 1b (1-0). 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Air Force 7th - NOALL to lf for McNAUGHTON. HANCOCK to rf for CLUFF.
HILL grounded out to 2b (2-2). GENTRY singled to right center (1-2). CUSTONS
fouled out to 1b (0-2). BAST grounded out to ss (0-1). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - HOURIN to p for ZETTLER. RELF walked (3-1). WELLS fouled out
to 3b (0-1). LUKER to dh. LUKER flied out to lf (0-1). RELF advanced to second
on a passed ball. HANCOCK grounded out to 2b (1-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 8th - ALEXANDER singled up the middle (0-1). CARTER grounded
out to 2b (0-2); ALEXANDER advanced to second. AUSBUN flied out to cf (0-1).
ROBERTS, M. singled through the left side, RBI (2-0); ALEXANDER scored.
RANDHAWA singled through the left side (0-1); ROBERTS, M. advanced to second.
HILL flied out to lf (1-0). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 9th - BERNAL grounded out to p (2-1). NOALL singled to right center
(0-0). HALL hit by pitch (1-1); NOALL advanced to second. SLOAN pinch ran for
HALL. FRAMPTON grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b (0-0); SLOAN out on the
play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 9th - SLOAN to 3b. GENTRY grounded out to 2b (0-1). CUSTONS
grounded out to 3b (1-0). BAST singled through the left side (0-0). ALEXANDER
lined out to 2b (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Final league games and the last home game of the season are on tap for BYU’s baseball team this week.

On Tuesday at 6 p.m., BYU, 23-27 overall, hosts Utah Valley University, 33-17, in the last game of the season at Larry H. Miller Field. Then the Cougars bus to the Air Force Academy, 12-40, for the remaining regular season games in the Mountain West Conference. BYU is 10-11 in MWC games, while the Falcons are 2-18.

Scheduled to start on the mound for BYU against UVU is senior southpaw Brandon Michon (0-2, 7.36) in the first start of his career which has 69 appearances. The probable Cougar pitchers for the games at AFA are freshmen Chris Capper (3-1, 4.37) on Thursday at 2 p.m., and lefties Mark Anderson (1-1, 6.47) and Chris Howard (1-0, 4.15) at 2 p.m. on Friday, and noon on Saturday.

BYU defeated UVU earlier this month, 14-10, in Orem. The BYU-UVU game will be televised live by BYUtv and the Cougar-Falcon games will be broadcast live on the radio, 960 AM, 92.9 FM.

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