Rebels Out-Slug Cougars

LAS -- Great hitting by BYU couldn't overcome its pitching struggles against UNLV as the Cougars lost for the only time all week, 18-8 on Saturday afternoon.

Adrian Molina, Ben Saylor and freshman Jason Johnson all had home runs in the game. Johnson homered for the first time in his collegiate career, a solo shot with one out in the top of the eighth inning.

"I think our guys see that they can compete here. That's a big step for a young ball club," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "Our guys are learning and we're getting better with each game."

Offense wasn't a problem for BYU in the game as it pounded out 14 hits while getting the eight runs.

"I'm encouraged with how our guys went about it," said Coach Law. "I was very pleased with our offensive performance."

Jeff Hiestand finished the series against the Rebels hitting 9-for-13 while gathering 10 RBI. With the loss the Cougars fall to 13-18, 3-4 in the Mountain West Conference, while UNLV improves to 16-19, and 3-4 in the league.

The Rebels were the ones who struck first in Saturday's game when they scored four runs in the first inning against BYU starter Brandon Christiansen (3-2, 6.85). The Rebels scored in every inning but the fifth and eighth, hitting five home runs against some very shaky BYU pitching. The 18 runs came off of 18 Rebel base hits.

"I think they build their ball club around this ballpark," said Coach Law of UNLV. "If you get any kind of wind it can be pretty devastating for your pitching staff. There were some home runs hit that would have been easy outs in the outfield if it weren't for the wind blowing."

After going down in order in the first, BYU got two runs back in the top of the second inning. Seth Johnson singled to left before Molina crushed his second homer of the season to pull BYU within the Rebels, 4-2.

UNLV didn't wait for the Cougars to catch up, continuing to rough up Christiansen when it added two more runs on a home run. The blast moved the score to 6-2 in favor of the Rebels. That would be the last of the action that Christiansen would see as he gave way for reliever James Platt in the third.

Saylor got BYU a little closer in the top of the third as he smacked his team-leading seventh home run to center field, a solo shot making the score 6-3. In the bottom of the inning UNLV broke the game wide open when it scored five runs on two hits, four walks, and a hit batsman.

The Cougars added a run in the top of the fourth after Molina tripled and Blake Crosby doubled him home. Another UNLV home run however, in the bottom of the fourth increased the Rebel lead to 13-4.

BYU held the Rebels scoreless for the first time all game in the bottom of the fifth as Platt managed to retire all three batters he faced.

Another run by the Rebels on a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the sixth made the score 14-6.

Hiestand's hot hitting against the Rebels with runners in scoring position continued in the top of the seventh when he drove Kent Walton home from second on a single to right field. The run pulled the Cougars within nine runs of UNLV with the score at 14-5. The Rebels responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs on two home runs as they batted through the order to make it 18-5.

BYU did pick up a one-six-four-three double play in the bottom of the eighth when a hot liner up the middle glanced off reliever Chris Highmark's glove toward Villezcas as short. Highmark then denied Keith Smith of the cycle when he got the slugger to strikeout to end the inning.

BYU made things interesting as the Cougar offense continued to put runs on the board in the top of the ninth. Two runs of RBI by Saylor and Hiestand weren't enough to overcome the lead as the game ended 18-8 in favor of the Rebels.

BYU will play one game at Utah Valley State College on Tuesday at 7 p.m., before flying to Washington to take on the Huskies in three games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Brigham Young at UNLV
Apr 08, 2006 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson)
Brigham Young 8 (13-18,3-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, S. lf...........  3  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   2
 WALTON lf...............  2  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS ss.............  4  1  2  0   1  1  3  5   0
SAYLOR rf................  5  2  2  2   0  2  0  0   0
HIESTAND 1b..............  4  0  3  2   1  0 10  0   1
NIELSEN dh...............  5  1  1  0   0  1  0  0   1
MOLINA cf................  5  2  2  2   0  1  3  0   3
CROSBY 3b................  3  0  1  1   0  0  1  1   0
 JOHNSON, J. 2b..........  1  1  1  1   0  0  1  1   0
NELSON c.................  2  0  1  0   0  0  2  0   0
 MUSSO c.................  2  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   0
BANKS 2b.................  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 JOHNSON, C. 2b/3b.......  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
CHRISTIANSEN p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 PLATT p.................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HIGHMARK p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 40  8 14  8   2  9 24 11   7
UNLV 18 (16-19,3-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Kowalski, Ryan cf........  5  2  2  2   0  0  1  0   1
 Bowman, Willie ph/lf....  1  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   2
Cruz, Mike ss............  4  1  0  0   1  0  2  4   0
 Borba, Zach ph/cf.......  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
Lang, CJ 2b..............  2  4  1  2   2  0  1  3   0
 Zerega, Albert ph/1b....  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Smith, Keith rf..........  6  2  3  3   0  2  2  0   0
Bonnell, Chris 1b........  5  1  2  4   0  0 11  0   0
Miller, Chad dh..........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
 Scruggs, Xavier ph/dh...  2  2  2  1   0  0  0  0   0
Gailen, Blake lf/cf......  4  3  2  0   1  0  2  0   0
Walker, Braden 3b/ss.....  3  1  2  1   0  0  0  3   0
Brenly, Michael c........  4  2  3  5   0  0  7  3   2
Tabor, Ryan p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Wagner, Matt p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Skogley, Kevin p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Beard, Jabe p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 41 18 18 18   4  4 27 13   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 021 100 112 -  8 14  4
UNLV................ 425 201 40X - 18 18  0
-------------------------------------------
E - JOHNSON, S.(1); VILLEZCAS 2(11); BANKS(4). DP - BYU 1. LOB - BYU 7;
Rebels 7. 2B - SAYLOR(6); CROSBY(3); SMITH(9); BONNELL(13). 3B - MOLINA(3);
SMITH(3). HR - SAYLOR(7); MOLINA(2); JOHNSON, J.(1); KOWALSKI(1); LANG(3);
SMITH(6); SCRUGGS(4); BRENLY(1). HBP - LANG; WALKER. SH - WALKER(2). SF -
BRENLY(1). SB - BANKS(6); KOWALSKI(6); CRUZ(2); GAILEN(1). CS - HIESTAND(1).
Brigham Young          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANSEN........  2.0  9  9  9  1  0 15 18
PLATT...............  4.2  6  8  6  3  2 19 24
HIGHMARK............  1.1  3  1  0  0  2  7  7
UNLV                   IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Tabor, Ryan.........  5.0  8  4  4  2  5 22 24
Wagner, Matt........  1.1  1  1  1  0  0  5  5
Skogley, Kevin......  0.2  1  0  0  0  1  3  3
Beard, Jabe.........  2.0  4  3  3  0  3 10 10
Win - TABOR (2-3).  Loss - CHRISTIANSEN (3-2).  Save - None.
HBP - by CHRISTIANSEN (LANG); by CHRISTIANSEN (WALKER). PB - BRENLY(2).
Umpires - HP: Ted Berquist  1B: Kelly Gonzales  3B: Rick Scarbery
Start: 1:00 pm   Time: 3:06   Attendance: 478
Game notes:
ID-394354
CHRISTIANSEN faced 3 batters in the 3rd.
Brigham Young at UNLV - Play-by-Play
Apr 08, 2006 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young....... 021 100 112 -  8 14  4
UNLV................ 425 201 40X - 18 18  0
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young starters: 26/lf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b
HIESTAND; 19/dh NIELSEN; 1/cf MOLINA; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS;
31/p CHRISTIANSEN;
UNLV starters: 12/cf KOWALSKI; 1/ss CRUZ; 5/2b LANG; 14/rf SMITH; 11/1b
BONNELL; 44/dh MILLER; 22/lf GAILEN; 10/3b WALKER; 18/c BRENLY; 17/p TABOR;
Brigham Young 1st - JOHNSON, S. struck out looking. VILLEZCAS walked.
SAYLOR struck out. HIESTAND flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
UNLV 1st - KOWALSKI homered, RBI. CRUZ flied out to lf. LANG hit by
pitch. SMITH tripled to center field, RBI; LANG scored. BONNELL singled to left
field, RBI; SMITH scored. MILLER lined out to cf. GAILEN singled; BONNELL
advanced to second. WALKER singled to center field, advanced to second, RBI;
GAILEN advanced to third; BONNELL scored. BRENLY lined out to 3b. 4 runs, 5
hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 2nd - NIELSEN singled to left field. MOLINA homered to
left field, 2 RBI; NIELSEN scored. CROSBY grounded out to 3b. NELSON singled to
center field. BANKS reached on a fielder's choice; NELSON out at second 2b to
ss. BANKS stole second. JOHNSON, S. grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 2nd - KOWALSKI singled to right field. CRUZ popped up to cf.
KOWALSKI stole second. LANG homered to left field, 2 RBI; KOWALSKI scored.
SMITH doubled to left field. BONNELL popped up to ss. MILLER popped up to 1b.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 3rd - VILLEZCAS struck out. SAYLOR homered to center
field, RBI. HIESTAND walked. NIELSEN popped up to cf. HIESTAND out at second c
to 2b, caught stealing. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 3rd - GAILEN walked. GAILEN stole second. WALKER hit by pitch.
BRENLY singled, advanced to second on an error by lf, RBI; WALKER advanced to
second, advanced to third on an error by lf; GAILEN scored. PLATT to p for
CHRISTIANSEN. KOWALSKI grounded out to 2b, RBI; BRENLY advanced to third;
WALKER scored. CRUZ walked. CRUZ stole second. LANG walked. SMITH struck out.
BONNELL doubled to left field, 3 RBI; LANG scored; CRUZ scored; BRENLY scored.
MILLER struck out. 5 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 4th - MOLINA tripled to right field. CROSBY doubled to
center field, RBI; MOLINA scored. NELSON grounded out to ss. BANKS grounded out
to ss; CROSBY advanced to third. JOHNSON, S. grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 4th - GAILEN reached on an error by 2b. WALKER grounded out to 3b,
SAC, bunt; GAILEN advanced to second. BRENLY homered to left field, 2 RBI;
GAILEN scored, unearned. KOWALSKI grounded out to 2b. CRUZ grounded out to p.
2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 5th - VILLEZCAS singled to right field. SAYLOR popped up
to ss. HIESTAND singled to center field; VILLEZCAS advanced to second. NIELSEN
struck out. MOLINA struck out, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
UNLV 5th - WALTON to lf for JOHNSON, S.. JOHNSON, C. to 2b for BANKS.
MUSSO to c for NELSON. LANG grounded out to ss. SMITH popped up to 1b. BONNELL
popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young 6th - WAGNER to p for TABOR. CROSBY grounded out to 2b.
MUSSO flied out to rf. JOHNSON, C. grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
UNLV 6th - SCRUGGS pinch hit for MILLER. SCRUGGS singled to right field.
GAILEN lined out to ss; SCRUGGS advanced to second on a throwing error by ss.
WALKER singled to left field; SCRUGGS advanced to third. BRENLY flied out to
cf, SAC, RBI; SCRUGGS scored, unearned. KOWALSKI reached on a fielder's choice;
WALKER out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young 7th - WALTON singled to left field. VILLEZCAS grounded out
to 3b; WALTON advanced to second. SKOGLEY to p for WAGNER. SAYLOR struck out,
out at first c to 1b. HIESTAND singled to left field, RBI; WALTON scored.
HIESTAND advanced to second on a passed ball. NIELSEN flied out to lf. 1
run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UNLV 7th - JOHNSON, J. to 2b for CROSBY. JOHNSON, C. to 3b. CRUZ
grounded out to ss. LANG walked. SMITH homered to left field, 2 RBI; LANG
scored. BONNELL grounded out to ss. SCRUGGS to dh. SCRUGGS homered to left
field, RBI. HIGHMARK to p for PLATT. GAILEN singled to left field. WALKER
reached on an error by ss; GAILEN advanced to second. BRENLY singled to left
field, RBI; WALKER advanced to third; GAILEN scored, unearned. BOWMAN pinch hit
for KOWALSKI. BOWMAN struck out looking. 4 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young 8th - BOWMAN to lf. GAILEN to cf. BEARD to p for SKOGLEY.
MOLINA grounded out to ss. JOHNSON, J. homered to right field, RBI. MUSSO
struck out. JOHNSON, C. struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
UNLV 8th - BORBA pinch hit for CRUZ. BORBA singled to left field. ZEREGA
pinch hit for LANG. ZEREGA grounded into double play p to ss to 2b to 1b; BORBA
out on the play. SMITH struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Brigham Young 9th - BOWMAN to 2b. BORBA to cf. ZEREGA to 1b. BEARD to p
for BONNELL. SCRUGGS to 3b. GAILEN to lf. WALKER to ss. /  for BEARD. WALTON
struck out. VILLEZCAS singled to center field. SAYLOR doubled to center field,
RBI; VILLEZCAS scored. HIESTAND singled to center field, RBI; SAYLOR scored.
NIELSEN flied out to lf. MOLINA popped up to 2b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.