Freshman Hits Game-Winning Triple to Beat BYU

FRESNO -- A two-out two-run triple by DeAndre Miller in the ninth inning gave Fresno State a 10-9 comeback victory over BYU on Saturday.

For the third-straight year, the Bulldogs (11-14) won the Pepsi-Johnny Quik Classic, giving BYU (10-16) its first loss in the tournament in front of a season high crowd of 3,196. The loss snapped the Cougars' six-game winning streak.

Paul Jacinto (0-5) received a no decision for the second time this week, pitching seven innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits, striking out two. Wade Vest extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the eighth, and Ben Saylor extended his to six. Bryce Burger (0-2) picked up his second loss for BYU.

Saylor and Casey Cloward were voted to the all-tournament team.

The Cougars scored two quick runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Ryan Chambers led off the inning with a walk and reached third on a single by Kory Knell. A wild pitch scored Chambers and moved Knell to third. Knell then scored the second run on a sacrifice fly from Ranger Wiens.

Saylor hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the second for BYU's third run. In the third inning, Chambers tripled for the fourth-straight game, a Classic record, and scored on a double by Knell. A Texas-league single by Jeff Hiestand scored Knell and gave the Cougars a 5-0 lead.

The Bulldogs scored their first run in the fourth inning. An infield single and a walk put runners on first and second for Kent Sakamoto who singled to make the score 5-1. Fresno State failed to gain any more ground, ending the inning with the bases loaded.

Singling to lead off the fifth inning, Chambers scored his third run of the game on a two-out RBI single from Hiestand. Hiestand then made the score 7-1, scoring on a triple by Brandon Taylor. Taylor's triple is BYU's sixth triple in the tournament, tying a Classic record held by Fresno State in 1989.

After scoring a run in the sixth, the Bulldogs scored two more on a two-run home run by David Gomez. The first baseman's first homer of the year brought Fresno State within three, 7-4.

Crossing home for the fourth time, Chambers scored the Cougars eighth run on a single by Kevin Bills. Wiens made the score 9-4 on a sacrifice fly by Taylor.

The Bulldogs came back in the eight, scoring three runs on a double by Brandon Marcelli and a two-run triple from second baseman Ryan Haag.

Fresno State completed its comeback in the ninth. After a run brought the Bulldogs within one, Miller hit a two-out two-run triple to give Fresno State its first lead of the game, 10-9

Dallas Baptist took third in the tournament, beating Portland 7-2 on Saturday. Winning its first game in the tournament, Chicago State took fifth, beating Monmouth, 3-2.

BYU begins Mountain West Conference Play on Thursday in its first home game of the season against UNLV at 6:30 p.m. The game also marks the first radio broadcast by KOVO 960 AM with veteran Brent Norton calling the play-by-play for the 14th season.

Fresno State at Brigham Young
Mar 13, 2004 at Fresno, Calif. (Beiden Field)
Fresno State 10 (11-14)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Miller, D. lf............  4  1  1  2   1  0  1  0   0
Haag 2b..................  6  0  1  2   0  1  2  2   1
Robnett cf...............  4  2  2  0   1  0  6  0   1
Gomez 1b.................  3  2  2  2   1  0  6  1   0
 Moore ph................  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
 Esparza 1b..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   0
Sakamoto dh..............  5  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
Patrick ss...............  5  1  2  0   0  0  1  3   0
Vitters 3b...............  4  0  1  1   1  0  1  4   1
Marcelli c...............  4  1  2  0   0  1  3  1   3
 Miller, B. pr...........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Pierce c................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Moresi rf................  5  2  3  2   0  1  2  0   2
Garza p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Ball p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Cooper p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Griffin p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 41 10 15 10   4  3 27 11  10
Brigham Young 9 (10-16)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CHAMBERS, Ryan cf........  3  4  2  0   2  1  6  0   1
KNELL, Kory lf...........  4  2  2  1   0  1  1  0   0
WIENS, Ranger 3b.........  3  1  0  1   1  0  1  0   0
HIESTAND, Jeff dh........  3  1  2  2   0  0  0  0   0
 BILLS, Kevin ph.........  2  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
TAYLOR, Brandon ss.......  3  0  1  2   0  1  2  7   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  4  1  1  1   0  0  0  0   3
LAW, Tim 1b..............  3  0  0  0   1  1  9  2   0
CLOWARD, Casey c.........  4  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   0
VEST, Wade 2b............  4  0  1  0   0  0  3  2   0
JACINTO, Paul p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  2   0
 HESS, Nathan p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BEUS, Lance p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 BURGER, Bryce p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 33  9 10  8   4  4 27 13   4
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Fresno State........ 000 101 233 - 10 15  1
Brigham Young....... 212 020 200 -  9 10  1
-------------------------------------------
E - Ball; SAYLOR. DP - Cougars 2. LOB - Bulldogs 10; Cougars 4. 2B -
Robnett; Marcelli; KNELL. 3B - Miller, D.; Haag; CHAMBERS; TAYLOR. HR -
Gomez(1); SAYLOR(2). HBP - Miller, D.; Marcelli. SH - KNELL. SF - WIENS;
TAYLOR. SB - Robnett(6); Moresi(3); CHAMBERS(3); VEST(5). CS - LAW.
Fresno State           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Garza...............  4.2  8  7  7  2  2 20 23
Ball................  1.2  0  2  2  2  0  4  7
Cooper..............  0.1  1  0  0  0  0  1  2
Griffin.............  2.1  1  0  0  0  2  8  8
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
JACINTO, Paul.......  7.0  8  4  3  3  2 28 32
HESS, Nathan........  0.2  3  3  3  0  0  5  6
BEUS, Lance.........  1.0  1  1  1  1  0  4  5
BURGER, Bryce.......  0.1  3  2  2  0  1  4  4
Win - Griffin (2-2).  Loss - BURGER (0-2).  Save - None.
WP - Garza. HBP - by JACINTO (Marcelli); by HESS (Miller, D.).
Umpires - HP: Robert Drake  1B: Rick Scarbery  2B: Chad McCardell  3B: Rick
Saxton  Start: 6:40   Time: 3:01   Attendance: 3196
Play-by-Play 
Fresno State at Brigham Young - Play-by-Play
Mar 13, 2004 at Fresno, Calif. (Beiden Field)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Fresno State........ 000 101 233 - 10 15  1
Brigham Young....... 212 020 200 -  9 10  1
-------------------------------------------
Fresno State starters: 38/lf Miller, D.; 11/2b Haag; 27/cf Robnett; 47/1b
   Gomez; 4/dh Sakamoto; 3/ss Patrick; 40/3b Vitters; 20/c Marcelli; 33/rf
   Moresi; 7/p Garza;
Brigham Young starters: 22/cf CHAMBERS; 12/lf KNELL; 8/3b WIENS; 16/dh
   HIESTAND; 3/ss TAYLOR; 25/rf SAYLOR; 1/1b LAW; 9/c CLOWARD; 5/2b VEST;
   15/p JACINTO;
Fresno State - inning 1
   Miller, D. walked. Haag grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Miller,
   D. out on the play. Robnett flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
   LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 1
   CHAMBERS walked. KNELL singled to left field, advanced to second;
   CHAMBERS advanced to third. KNELL advanced to third; CHAMBERS scored on a
   wild pitch. WIENS flied out to lf, SF, RBI; KNELL scored. HIESTAND fouled
   out to 3b. TAYLOR flied out to cf. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 2
   Gomez popped up to 3b. Sakamoto flied out to cf. Patrick singled to third
   base. Vitters popped up to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 2
   SAYLOR homered to left field, RBI. LAW struck out looking. CLOWARD popped
   up to ss. VEST popped up to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 3
   Marcelli struck out swinging. Moresi flied out to cf. Miller, D. flied
   out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 3
   CHAMBERS tripled to right field. KNELL doubled to left field, RBI;
   CHAMBERS scored. WIENS grounded out to 2b; KNELL advanced to third.
   HIESTAND singled to right field, RBI; KNELL scored. TAYLOR struck out
   swinging. SAYLOR flied out to cf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 4
   Haag grounded out to p. Robnett singled to first base. Robnett stole
   second. Gomez walked. Sakamoto singled to center field, RBI; Gomez
   advanced to second; Robnett scored. Patrick fouled out to 1b. Vitters
   walked; Sakamoto advanced to second; Gomez advanced to third. Marcelli
   popped up to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 4
   LAW walked. LAW out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. CLOWARD flied out
   to rf. VEST grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 5
   Moresi singled through the left side. Miller, D. flied out to cf. Haag
   flied out to cf. Moresi stole second. Robnett grounded out to ss. 0 runs,
   1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 5
   CHAMBERS singled to second base. KNELL flied out to cf. CHAMBERS stole
   second. WIENS grounded out to ss; CHAMBERS advanced to third. HIESTAND
   singled to right field, RBI; CHAMBERS scored. TAYLOR tripled to right
   center, RBI; HIESTAND scored. Ball to p for Garza. SAYLOR grounded out to
   ss. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 6
   Gomez singled through the right side. Sakamoto reached on an error by rf;
   Gomez advanced to second. Patrick grounded into double play ss to 2b to
   1b; Sakamoto out on the play; Gomez advanced to third. Vitters singled
   through the right side, RBI; Gomez scored, unearned. Marcelli hit by
   pitch; Vitters advanced to second. Moresi struck out swinging. 1 run, 2
   hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 6
   LAW flied out to cf. CLOWARD flied out to cf. VEST grounded out to ss. 0
   runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 7
   Miller, D. grounded out to ss. Haag out at first 1b to p. Robnett doubled
   to center field. Gomez homered to right field, 2 RBI; Robnett scored.
   Sakamoto out at first p to ss to 1b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 7
   CHAMBERS walked. CHAMBERS advanced to second on an error by p. KNELL
   grounded out to 3b, SAC; CHAMBERS advanced to third. WIENS intentionally
   walked. BILLS pinch hit for HIESTAND. Cooper to p for Ball. BILLS singled
   to left field, RBI; WIENS advanced to third; CHAMBERS scored. TAYLOR
   flied out to cf, SF, RBI; BILLS advanced to second; WIENS scored. Griffin
   to p for Cooper. SAYLOR out at first 1b to p. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1
   LOB.
Fresno State - inning 8
   HESS to p for JACINTO. Patrick flied out to cf. Vitters grounded out to
   ss. Marcelli doubled to right center. Moresi singled up the middle, RBI;
   Marcelli scored. Miller, D. hit by pitch; Moresi advanced to second. Haag
   tripled to right center, 2 RBI; Miller, D. scored; Moresi scored. BEUS to
   p for HESS. Robnett walked. Moore pinch hit for Gomez. Moore out at first
   1b to p. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 8
   Esparza to 1b for Moore. LAW grounded out to 2b. CLOWARD grounded out to
   3b. VEST singled to right field. VEST stole second. CHAMBERS struck out
   swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Fresno State - inning 9
   Sakamoto grounded out to ss. Patrick singled to left field. Vitters lined
   out to 2b. BURGER to p for BEUS. Marcelli singled to right field; Patrick
   advanced to second. Miller, B. pinch ran for Marcelli. Moresi singled
   through the left side, RBI; Miller, B. advanced to second; Patrick
   scored. Miller, D. tripled to right center, 2 RBI; Moresi scored; Miller,
   B. scored. Haag struck out looking. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young - inning 9
   BILLS to dh. Pierce to c for Miller, B.. KNELL struck out swinging. WIENS
   flied out to rf. BILLS grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
   LOB.