Fernley Undefeated in League Opener

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-- Three homers helped BYU bat around in the seventh inning as pitcher Nate Fernley remained undefeated with a 21-0 victory Thursday afternoon over defending champion New Mexico.

Matt Carson hit a triple and a towering homer in that seventh inning when the Cougars broke the game open in the debut for both teams in the Mountain West Conference. Fernley improved his record to 6-0 and reduced his ERA to 1.74 with his seven innings and five strikeouts against the Lobos. Fernley was hit by a line drive on his wrist in the second inning.

"I threw my arms up to protect my face to block it," said Fernley.

"He's a tough competitor and he shook it," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "I decided to leave him in because he told me it would be okay. If we get one run with Nate on the mound it gives us an edge. We haven't been swinging the backs consecutively before today. Our guys were thinking team first today. This is not an easy ballpark (AAA Albuquerque Sports Stadium) to hit home runs in. "

Doug Jackson hit a two-out single in the sixth to score Tyler Perry and Ty Haguewood to improve on the 1-0 lead.

Carson hit a stand-up triple to the right-center alley in the seventh to score Shane Belliston. Seth King jumped on the first pitch of reliever James Vermilyea to homer in Carson. Perry hit a two-run homer also in the seventh. Carson then hit a two-run shot well over the 410-foot sign in centerfield. Jeff Hiestand hit a two-run homer and Michael Wirrick hit a three-run dinger in the ninth.

The victory was BYU's largest since a 22-0 defeat over Colorado State in 1983.

BYU improves to 9-8, while UNM is 6-12 going into Friday evening's rematch with Jeff Stone on the mound for the Cougars. The game will not be broadcast over KSRR Radio because of a Utah Jazz conflict.

The Automated ScoreBook
                       Brigham Young at New Mexico Lobos
               Mar 01, 2001 at Albuquerque, N.M. (Sports Stadium)
Brigham Young 21 (9-8,1-0 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
COUGHLAN, Ca dh..........  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   3
 HIESTAND, Je ph/dh......  4  2  2  2   0  0  0  0   2
BELLISTON, S cf..........  4  1  2  0   0  0  1  0   0
 LAW, Tim ph/cf..........  2  2  1  1   1  0  1  0   0
CARSON, Matt rf..........  5  2  2  3   0  0  2  0   0
 WHITLEY, Aar ph/rf......  1  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
KING, Seth ss............  4  2  3  2   0  0  2  2   0
 HALES, Brad ph/ss.......  2  1  1  0   0  0  0  1   0
BIRKELAND, L c...........  3  0  0  0   1  0  4  1   1
 DAVIES, Mich ph/c.......  2  1  1  2   0  0  1  0   0
OBREY, Kaino 3b..........  4  1  3  0   0  1  0  2   0
 SU'A, Justin ph/3b......  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
HAGUEWOOD, T 1b..........  4  2  2  0   0  0  9  0   0
 WIRRICK, Mic ph/1b......  2  1  1  3   0  0  3  0   0
PERRY, Tyler 2b..........  4  2  2  3   1  1  1  5   1
JACKSON, Dou lf..........  4  3  3  3   2  0  3  0   1
FERNLEY, Nat p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 KOFFMAN, Sc p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 49 21 24 19   5  5 27 13   8
New Mexico Lobos 0 (6-12,0-1 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CAIRNS 2b................  4  0  1  0   0  0  4  3   2
 STANLEY ph..............  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
ALEXANDER, M dh..........  4  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   1
ALEXANDER, C 1b..........  3  0  1  0   0  0 10  1   0
SEVIERI lf/rf............  4  0  0  0   0  2  2  0   1
SALAS rf.................  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  1   4
 TORNBERG ph/lf..........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
OKANO cf.................  4  0  1  0   0  0  4  0   0
COLLINS 3b...............  3  0  2  0   1  0  0  3   0
TAJIMA c.................  2  0  0  0   0  1  6  0   0
 LOVATO ph...............  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
YOUNG, DU ss.............  3  0  1  0   0  0  1  5   3
 MURRAY ph...............  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
YOUNG, DA p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 VERMILYEA p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WONG p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 HEARTY p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 34  0  7  0   2  6 27 13  11
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 010 002 909 - 21 24  2
New Mexico Lobos.... 000 000 000 -  0  7  1
-------------------------------------------
E - KING, Seth; PERRY, Tyler; COLLINS. DP - BYU 1; UNM 1. LOB - BYU 8; UNM
11. 2B - BELLISTON, S; OBREY, Kaino 2. 3B - CARSON, Matt; JACKSON, Dou. HR -
HIESTAND, Je(1); CARSON, Matt(7); KING, Seth(2); WIRRICK, Mic(2); PERRY,
Tyler(1). HBP - OBREY, Kaino; PERRY, Tyler; ALEXANDER, C. SH - TAJIMA. SB -
OKANO 2; COLLINS; YOUNG, DU.
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
FERNLEY, Nat........  7.0  6  0  0  2  5 27 31
KOFFMAN, Sc ........  2.0  1  0  0  0  1  7  7
New Mexico Lobos       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
YOUNG, DA...........  6.0 10  5  5  3  4 27 30
VERMILYEA...........  0.2  6  7  7  1  0  7  9
WONG................  1.2  8  9  9  1  1 13 15
HEARTY..............  0.2  0  0  0  0  0  2  2
Win - FERNLEY, Nat (6-0).  Loss - YOUNG, DA (0-4).  Save - None.
WP - HEARTY. HB - FERNLEY, Nat; VERMILYEA; WONG. BK - VERMILYEA 2.
Umpires - Home:Bruce Bayne  1st:Phil Gonzales  3rd:Bill Boyd
Start: 3:07 pm   Time: 3:08   Attendance: 717
YOUNG, DA faced 2 batters in the 7th.