Pair of Ninth-Inning Rallies Turns to Utes' Favor, 12-11

SALT LAKE CITY -- A ninth-inning rally turned in Utah's favor Thursday after BYU tied the score in the top of that inning as the Utes won, 12-11.

Brit Pannier's double down the right field line scored Ute Mike Goff on a hit and run from first base with no outs at Franklin Covey Field. The Cougars had a two-run rally in the top of the ninth when Mitch Maio loaded the bases with two walks and a single. BYU shortstop Seth King hit a two run single to deep short to score Craig Peterson and Nick Day.

"Nick didn't slow down when he saw the shortstop dive for the ball," said BYU Coach of Day's tying run. "Seth is in a hot spell and he hasn't slowed down since being named player of the week in the conference."

King got BYU on board with a lead-off homer in the third, then had a three run homer in the sixth as BYU battled back from an 8-3 deficit.

After King's initial homer, Utah took the lead when Nate Weese hit a grand slam, his 10th homer of the season, in the fourth innning as lefty Jeff Stone struggled for control.

"The normal Jeff Stone didn't show up and have his command," said Law. "His fastball and change were up and Weese and Pannier took advantage of it."

Pannier got a triple and double in the third and fourth innings, respectively, scoring both times. He was stranded a third with a one-out triple in the seventh before his second double came to win the game.

"That's the second 'walk-off' in a row that we have lost and it is not fun," said Law. "I'm proud of the way our guys battled back. A lot of teams will fold their tent being down 8-3, but we battled back."

The Cougars, now 24-22 overall and 12-10 in the Mountain West Conference, play again at Utah, 20-25 and 10-12, on Friday and Saturday at noon.

The Automated ScoreBook
                      Brigham Young Univ. at UTAH (Game 1)
          Apr 27, 2000 at Salt Lake City, Utah (Franklin Covey Field)
Brigham Young Univ. 11 (24-22,12-10 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BELLISTON, Shane lf......  5  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   3
PETERSON, Craig 1b.......  4  1  0  0   1  0 11  0   0
DAY, Nick cf.............  4  3  2  0   0  1  2  0   0
DAVIES, Michael dh/c.....  4  1  1  0   0  2  0  0   0
CARSON, Matt rf..........  3  2  1  0   2  0  2  0   0
OBREY, Kainoa 3b.........  4  1  1  2   0  1  0  4   0
KING, Seth ss............  5  2  4  6   0  0  1  3   1
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  3  1  2  0   0  0  4  0   0
 PERRY, Tyler ph.........  1  0  0  1   0  0  0  0   0
 GREENE, Nick ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
 GRAY, Rusty p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MATHIS, Nate 2b..........  4  0  1  1   0  2  2  3   0
STONE, Jeff p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 FERNLEY, Nate p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 REX, Matt p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 38 11 12 10   3  7 24 12   6
UTAH 12 (20-25,10-12 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
SABA, Donnie lf..........  5  1  1  0   0  1  2  0   0
CASTLETON, Adam 2b.......  3  1  1  0   2  0  1  1   0
SWENSON, Sam cf..........  3  1  0  0   1  0  1  0   2
WEESE, Nate 1b...........  5  3  3  4   0  1 10  2   0
CHRISMAN, Jed rf.........  5  1  1  0   0  1  1  0   2
GOFF, Mike 3b............  3  2  2  2   0  0  0  1   0
PANNIER, Brit dh.........  5  2  4  2   0  0  0  0   0
HAWES, Donald c..........  3  1  0  1   1  1  7  0   1
STUART, Rob ss...........  4  0  1  1   0  0  3  4   1
CAVANESS, Jared p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0
 LINDSEY, Brett p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MAIO, Mitch p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 36 12 13 10   4  4 27 11   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 001 205 012 - 11 12  3
UTAH................ 005 310 201 - 12 13  2
-------------------------------------------
Note: None out, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.
E - PETERSON; KING 2; CASTLETON; CAVANESS. DP - Cougars 2; Utes 1. LOB -
Cougars 6; Utes 7. 2B - MATHIS; WEESE; GOFF; PANNIER 2. 3B - PANNIER 2. HR -
KING 2(7); WEESE(10). HBP - DAY; OBREY; SWENSON; GOFF. SH - DAVIES. SF -
GOFF. SB - WEESE.
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
STONE, Jeff.........  3.2  7  8  4  3  3 16 20
FERNLEY, Nate.......  2.2  5  3  3  0  0 13 14
REX, Matt...........  1.2  0  0  0  1  1  6  7
GRAY, Rusty.........  0.0  1  1  1  0  0  1  2
UTAH                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CAVANESS, Jared.....  5.2  9  8  8  0  4 25 27
LINDSEY, Brett......  1.2  0  1  1  1  2  5  6
MAIO, Mitch.........  1.2  3  2  2  2  1  8 11
Win - MAIO (3-1).  Loss - GRAY (1-2).  Save - None.
WP - FERNLEY. HB - GRAY; STONE; CAVANESS 2. BK - MAIO.
Umpires - Home:Joe Burleson  1st:Ray Leible  3rd:Blake Jensen
Start: 11:54   Time: 2:51   Attendance: 623
GRAY faced 2 batters in the 9th.