University of California, Irvine
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Brigham Young University
Miller Park

400 E University Parkway Provo UT 84604

JHoughton | Posted: 8 Mar 2013 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
JHoughton

Miller leads BYU to upset over No. 21 Anteaters

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PROVO, Utah – Bret Lopez hit a deep double to right field to spark a three-run fifth inning and give BYU a 3-1 upset over No. 21 UC Irvine Friday at Larry H. Miller Field.

The Cougars (9-6) got their second upset in as many days over the Anteaters (11-4), even though they were out-hit 9-7 in the game. The game lasted one hour and 55 minutes, the shortest game that BYU has played this season.

Highlights and Interviews Here.

Brock Whitney and Kelton Caldwell smacked one-out singles in that fifth inning. Lopez followed with a deep fly to the right-field warning track that Kris Paulino misplayed. Whitney capitalized on the miscue to score from second and put the Cougars up 1-0.  Then Dakota Hernandez swung at strike three but the UCI catcher was distracted by that wild pitch/swing and Caldwell scored from third to extend the lead to 2-0. Next, Hayden Nielsen laid down a perfect safety-squeeze bunt to score Lopez from third and give the Cougars a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning.

“You know, we were at the right time in our lineup there in the fifth inning,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. “We ran a couple of safety squeezes and we work on that all the time before practice. It was good we were able to use and execute them.”

The Anteaters responded in the top of the sixth, scoring one run. Taylor Sparks singled to right- center to plate Dominique Taylor. After UCI loaded the bases with one out; starting BYU pitcher, Adam Miller got an assist from a pitcher’s best friend, turning a (1-2-3) double play to end the inning.

James Lengal came in for the ninth on the heels of Matt Milke’s two innings of relief and got his second save in as many days, fanning the last two batters of the game to give him his fourth save of the year.

“We aren't going to make any adjustments, we are just going to come out and play our game and concentrate on the things we can control,” Littlewood said. “We want to play our style of game and I think we did that today.”

Miller recorded his first win on the year, pitching six innings, striking out two while only giving up one walk. He pitched five scoreless innings, consistently keeping the Anteaters from generating an offense. The junior hurler set the side down in order in the second and third frames.

“It was nice to get some run support by the offense today,” Miller said. “The past few games I had pitched, they had struggled to get some runs so it was nice they scored some today.”

Miller escaped danger in the fourth inning, when UCI’s Connor Spencer hit a “seeing-eye” single up middle.  Ronnie Shaeffer reached first when Miller bobbled the slow dribbler. After Spencer advanced to third, Miller coaxed an infield fly to Adam Law to end the inning and keep the score 0-0.

The final game of the three-game series between BYU and UC Irvine will be tomorrow at noon MST from Larry H. Miller Field. The game can be heard live on KOVO Radio 960 AM.

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Ralph R. Zobell | Posted: 5 Mar 2013 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
Ralph R. Zobell

No. 21 UC Irvine opens Cougar season in Provo

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No. 21 UC Irvine plays a three-game series in Provo this week to become BYU baseball’s official home opener.

The Cougars (7-6) host UC Irvine (10-2) after having last week’s scheduled home opener moved to St. George because of playing conditions at Larry H. Miller Field.

“UC Irvine is a great challenge for us because they are a solid baseball team that has beat up some good teams thus far,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “We want to set a precedent to win home series, so we need to go about our game plan, throw strikes, get timely hitting and continue not beating ourselves.”

Junior co-captain Desmond Poulson (2-0, 1.23 earned run average) is scheduled to start for BYU on the mound in Thursday’s game, which starts at 3 p.m. MST.  On Friday, also at 3 p.m., junior Adam Miller (0-3, 4.66) will be BYU’s starter.  And on Saturday at noon, sophomore Jeff Barker (2-1, 1.89) is scheduled to start for the Cougars.

The Anteaters’ scheduled pitcher for game three on Saturday is the nation’s leading pitcher Andrew Morales who brings a 4-0 record and a 2.60 ERA into the afternoon contest.

The Anteaters bring the nation’s No. 3 batting average of .337 and No. 3 fielding percentage of .991 into the series. The Cougars are No. 2 in the nation in double plays turned.

All three games will be broadcast live locally over KOVO Radio 960 AM.

File Attachments
 

 
Location: Provo, Utah
Time: Date: 3/8/2013
Attendance: 325

Box Score

Linescore 123456789 R H E LOB
UCI 000001000 1 9 0 9
BYU 00003000X 3 7 1 3

UC Irvine 11-4

Batting/Fielding AB Runs Hits 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SF SH HBP AVG SLG OBP PO A E FLD
Stephens, Jefflf 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 1 0 0 1.000
Taylor, Dominiquecf 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.500 0.750 0.500 2 0 0 1.000
Spencer, Connor1b 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.750 0.750 0.750 10 0 0 1.000
Shaeffer, Ronniec 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 5 1 0 1.000
Sparks, Taylor3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.250 0.250 0.250 2 1 0 1.000
Paulino, Krisrf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.250 3 0 0 1.000
Rabago, Chrisss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 1 4 0 1.000
Cooper, Ryandh 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.500 0.500 0.500 0 0 0 N/A
Duarte, Mikey2b 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.333 0.667 0.333 0 1 0 1.000
Batting Totals 35 1 9 2 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0.257 0.314 0.278 24 11 0 1.000
Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO 2B 3B HR BF AB WP HBP BK SFA SHA AVG ERA
Whitehouse, Mattp 8.0 7 3 3 0 6 1 0 0 30 29 1 0 0 0 1 0.241 3.375
Pitching Totals 8.0 7 3 3 0 6 1 0 0 30 29 1 0 0 0 1 0.241 3.375

Brigham Young Univ. 9-6

Batting/Fielding AB Runs Hits 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SF SH HBP AVG SLG OBP PO A E FLD
HANNEMANN, Jacoblf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 1 0 0 1.000
ANDERSON, Brennon2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 2 4 0 1.000
LAW, Adam3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0.250 0.250 0.250 2 1 0 1.000
BRUGMAN, Jaycobcf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0 0 N/A
WHITNEY, Brock1b 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.667 0.667 0.667 11 2 0 1.000
CALDWELL, Keltonrf 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.333 0.333 4 0 0 1.000
LOPEZ, Bretdh 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.667 0.333 0 0 0 N/A
HERNANDEZ, Dakotac 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.333 0.333 0.333 5 1 0 1.000
NIELSEN, Haydenss 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.333 0.333 1 4 0 1.000
Batting Totals 29 3 7 1 0 0 2 0 6 0 2 0 1 0 0.241 0.276 0.241 27 14 1 0.976
Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO 2B 3B HR BF AB WP HBP BK SFA SHA AVG ERA
MILLER, Adamp 6.0 6 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 25 24 0 0 0 0 0 0.250 1.500
MILKE, Mattp 2.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 7 0 0 0 0 1 0.286 0.000
LENGAL, Jamesp 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.250 0.000
Pitching Totals 9.0 9 1 1 1 4 2 0 0 37 35 0 0 0 0 1 0.257 1.000

Play By Play

Inning 1

Play Outs UCI BYU
Stephens struck out swinging (0-2). 0 - -
Taylor doubled down the lf line (0-0). 1 - -
Spencer out at first 1b to p (1-1); Taylor advanced to third. 1 - -
Shaeffer grounded out to 2b (2-2). 2 - -
HANNEMANN struck out swinging (1-2). 0 - -
ANDERSON, B. flied out to rf (0-0). 1 - -
LAW grounded out to ss (3-2). 2 - -

Inning 2

Play Outs UCI BYU
Sparks struck out swinging (0-2). 0 - -
Paulino grounded out to 2b (0-0). 1 - -
Rabago grounded out to ss (1-2). 2 - -
BRUGMAN struck out swinging (0-2). 0 - -
WHITNEY flied out to rf (2-1). 1 - -
CALDWELL grounded out to ss (1-1). 2 - -

Inning 3

Play Outs UCI BYU
Cooper grounded out to p (1-1). 0 - -
Duarte flied out to rf (1-2). 1 - -
Stephens grounded out to 2b (0-2). 2 - -
LOPEZ lined out to 3b (2-2). 0 - -
HERNANDEZ singled to left center (2-1). 1 - -
HERNANDEZ out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 1 - -
NIELSEN fouled out to 1b (2-2). 2 - -

Inning 4

Play Outs UCI BYU
Taylor grounded out to ss (0-0). 0 - -
Spencer singled up the middle (0-1). 1 - -
Shaeffer reached on a fielding error by p (2-1); Spencer advanced to second. 1 - -
Sparks reached on a fielder's choice (1-1); Shaeffer out at second ss to 2b; Spencer advanced to third. 1 - -
Paulino popped up to 3b (0-0). 2 - -
HANNEMANN fouled out to rf (2-1). 0 - -
ANDERSON, B. grounded out to p (1-2). 1 - -
LAW struck out swinging, grounded out to c unassisted (2-2). 2 - -

Inning 5

Play Outs UCI BYU
Rabago grounded out to 1b unassisted (0-1). 0 - -
Cooper popped up to ss (0-0). 1 - -
Duarte doubled to center field (1-2). 2 - -
Stephens grounded out to 3b (0-0). 2 - -
BRUGMAN flied out to lf (3-1). 0 - -
WHITNEY singled to left field (0-0). 1 - -
CALDWELL singled to right field (0-1); WHITNEY advanced to second. 1 - -
LOPEZ doubled to right field, RBI (2-1); CALDWELL advanced to third; WHITNEY scored. 1 0 1
HERNANDEZ struck out swinging, reached first on a wild pitch (0-2); LOPEZ advanced to third; CALDWELL scored. 1 0 2
NIELSEN singled to pitcher, RBI (0-0); HERNANDEZ advanced to second; LOPEZ scored. 1 0 3
HANNEMANN grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt (0-0); NIELSEN advanced to second; HERNANDEZ advanced to third. 1 - -
ANDERSON, B. grounded out to p (2-1). 2 - -

Inning 6

Play Outs UCI BYU
Taylor singled to right field (0-2). 0 - -
Spencer singled to center field (0-0); Taylor advanced to second. 0 - -
Shaeffer flied out to rf (0-0); Taylor advanced to third. 0 - -
Sparks singled to right center, RBI (0-0); Spencer advanced to second; Taylor scored. 1 1 3
Paulino walked (3-2); Sparks advanced to second; Spencer advanced to third. 1 - -
Rabago grounded into double play p to c to 1b (2-2); Spencer out on the play. 1 - -
LAW singled to right center (0-0). 0 - -
BRUGMAN grounded out to p (0-0); LAW advanced to second. 0 - -
LAW out at third p to 3b, caught stealing. 1 - -
WHITNEY singled to center field (2-1). 2 - -
CALDWELL struck out swinging (3-2). 2 - -

Inning 7

Play Outs UCI BYU
MILKE to p for MILLER. 0 - -
Cooper singled to pitcher (0-0). 0 - -
Duarte out at first 1b to 2b, SAC, bunt (1-0); Cooper advanced to second. 0 - -
Stephens flied out to rf (0-1). 1 - -
Taylor flied out to rf (1-1). 2 - -
LOPEZ flied out to cf (0-0). 0 - -
HERNANDEZ flied out to cf (2-1). 1 - -
NIELSEN grounded out to ss (1-0). 2 - -

Inning 8

Play Outs UCI BYU
Spencer singled to right field (1-1). 0 - -
Shaeffer flied out to lf (0-0). 0 - -
Sparks fouled out to 3b (1-1). 1 - -
Paulino grounded out to 2b (2-2). 2 - -
HANNEMANN grounded out to 2b (0-1). 0 - -
ANDERSON, B. grounded out to ss (1-1). 1 - -
LAW struck out swinging (3-2). 2 - -

Inning 9

Play Outs UCI BYU
LENGAL to p for MILKE. 0
Rabago grounded out to ss (1-1). 0
Cooper singled to left field (1-1). 1
Duarte struck out looking (2-2). 1
Stephens struck out looking (3-2). 2