Saylor Makes Former Team Pay

OREM -- Ben Saylor made Utah Valley State pay for an error, hitting a two-run double Tuesday in the seventh to help BYU beat the cross-town opponent, 8-6.

After an error allowed Stetson Banks to reach with one out in the seventh and a walk to left fielder Seth Johnson put two men on, Saylor pounded a double down the line in right to score both and put BYU up 8-5. With the win the Cougars improve to 14-18 on the season while the Wolverines fall to 10-25.

Clayton Barnes (1-0, 6.00) picked up his first victory of the season as he pitched two complete innings while striking out three. BYU used six different pitchers in the game who combined to hold the Wolverines to six runs on 14 hits while striking out a combined 12 batters. The Cougar hurlers did, however, hit five UVSC batters in the game, two of whom scored. Cortland Andrews (1-0, 1.92) worked a perfect ninth, striking out the side to earn his first save of the year.

Wolverine starter Dan Christensen kept the Cougars off-balance through a perfect first three innings, retiring the first nine batters he faced, three of them on strikes.

After Matt Jensen gave up a lead-off hit in the top of the first followed by a stolen base, Marcos Villezcas flashed some fancy leather work when he caught a liner and tossed the ball to Banks at second for an L6-3 double play. After allowing two more men on, Jensen struck out the number-six hitter to end the scoring threat.

UVSC struck first in the bottom of the third getting two runs off a single through the left side by third baseman Chris Benson.

Johnson broke up Christensen's perfect game bid in the top of the fourth inning, drawing a lead-off walk and giving the Cougars their first baserunner of the night. After Johnson drew a slew of throws at first, former Wolverine Saylor smoked a single up the middle to break up the no-hit bid. Both runners moved over on a sacrifice grounder by Jeff Hiestand.

With two out and two on, Kasey Ko raked an 0-1 pitch into left field for a single to score both runners and tie the score at two going into the bottom of the fourth frame.

In an inning where he allowed a walk, a single and committed a balk, BYU hurler Chris Highmark struck out three to get out of a one-out jam with runners on second and third.

Former Wolverine Casey Nelson put the Cougars on top in the top of the fifth inning when he took a 1-1 offering from Christensen deep to left field for a homer, his third of the season. Banks then singled and stole second with Johnson at bat. With the hit-and-run on Banks was able to score from second on Johnson's single through the left side. After stealing second Johnson was able to score on a shallow single to left by Villezcas.

UVSC got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on two consecutive hits. With a runner on first, shortstop Eli Slesk crushed a double to the deepest part of center field. Rounding second after picking up the RBI, Slesk tried for third but was gunned down by a perfect relay throw by Villezcas. The Wolverines got one more run before Nelson threw out Adam Openshaw at third after losing the ball in the dirt for the third out. The score after five complete was 5-4 in favor of the Cougars.

Hiestand got two looks at reliever Ryan Jessop after Villezcas was thrown out stealing for the third out with Hiestand at the plate. The Cougar slugger took full advantage his second time around as he crushed the first pitch of the sixth inning high off the scoreboard in right field for his fourth round-tripper of the season.

UVSC countered with a run in the bottom of the inning, scoring catcher Derrick Thomas from third on a single to right field to pull the Wolverines within one run with three innings to play.

The Wolverines weren't interested in going down quietly as they added a two-out run against BYU reliever Joshua Barrett in the bottom of the eighth. The run pushed the score to 8-6 in favor of the Cougars before he got Canyon Vance to strike out swinging to end the inning with two men left on base. UVSC left 11 runners on base in the game.

The game marks the first of four meetings between the two teams this season. They will play again Tuesday the 18th in Provo. BYU travels to Washington this week to play three games against the nationally-ranked Huskies of the University of Washington.

Brigham Young Univ. at Utah Valley State
Apr.11, 2006 at Orem, Utah (Wolverine Stadium)
Brigham Young Univ. 8 (14-18)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth lf.........  3  3  1  1   2  1  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  5  0  1  1   0  1  1  5   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  4  1  2  2   0  0  3  1   0
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  1  1  1   0  0  5  0   1
KO, Kasey dh.............  3  0  1  2   1  0  0  0   0
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  4  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   1
JOHNSON, Chris 3b........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  1   0
NELSON, Casey c..........  4  1  1  1   0  1 13  1   1
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  4  2  2  0   0  1  1  1   0
JENSEN, Matt p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WOOLF, Mitch p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARNES, Clayton p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HIGHMARK, Chris p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BARRETT, Josh p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 35  8  9  8   3  5 27 11   3
Utah Valley State 6 (10-25)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Brad Hales 2b............  4  1  2  0   0  2  1  6   2
Nick Connor cf...........  5  2  3  1   0  0  1  0   0
Eli Slesk ss.............  5  0  4  2   0  1  1  2   0
Chris Benson 3b..........  3  0  2  2   0  0  0  3   0
Canyon Vance lf..........  4  1  0  0   0  2  1  0   8
Adam Openshaw 1b.........  3  0  0  0   1  1 12  2   0
Cory Newton dh...........  5  0  1  1   0  3  0  0   0
Derrick Thomas c.........  4  1  1  0   0  2  5  1   0
Jason Zundel rf..........  3  1  1  0   1  1  2  0   0
Dan Christensen p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  3  0   0
 Ryan Jessop p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Brett Guerrero p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 Marcus Moore p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 36  6 14  6   2 12 27 15  11
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 231 200 -  8  9  0
Utah Valley State... 002 021 010 -  6 14  2
-------------------------------------------
E - Openshaw 2. DP - BYU Cougars 1; Wolverines 1. LOB - BYU Cougars 3;
Wolverines 11. 2B - SAYLOR; Slesk. HR - HIESTAND(4); NELSON(3). HBP - Benson
2; Vance; Openshaw; Thomas. SH - Hales. SB - JOHNSON, S.; BANKS; Hales 2;
Connor. CS - VILLEZCAS; Openshaw.
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
JENSEN, Matt........  2.0  2  0  0  0  2  7  8
WOOLF, Mitch........  1.0  3  2  2  0  1  6  6
BARNES, Clayton.....  2.0  4  2  2  1  3  8 11
HIGHMARK, Chris.....  0.2  3  1  1  0  0  3  5
BARRETT, Josh.......  2.1  2  1  1  1  3  9 11
ANDREWS, Cortland...  1.0  0  0  0  0  3  3  3
Utah Valley State      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Dan Christensen.....  4.1  5  5  5  1  2 18 19
Ryan Jessop.........  0.2  2  1  1  1  0  3  4
Brett Guerrero......  2.1  2  2  0  1  1  8  9
Marcus Moore........  1.2  0  0  0  0  2  6  6
Win - BARNES (1-0).  Loss - Christensen (0-2).  Save - ANDREWS (1).
HBP - by JENSEN (Benson); by BARNES (Vance); by BARNES (Openshaw); by HIGHMARK
(Thomas); by BARRETT (Benson). BK - BARNES.
Umpires - HP: Jim Paronto  1B: Kirk Knowles  3B: Lew Carleton
Start: 7:07 pm   Time: 3:17   Attendance: 904
Jessop faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Brigham Young Univ. at Utah Valley State - Play-by-Play
Apr.11, 2006 at Orem, Utah (Wolverine Stadium)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ.. 000 231 200 -  8  9  0
Utah Valley State... 002 021 010 -  6 14  2
-------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 26/lf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR;
32/1b HIESTAND; 33/dh KO; 1/cf MOLINA; 5/3b JOHNSON, C.; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS;
21/p JENSEN;
Utah Valley State starters: 10/2b Hales; 20/cf Connor; 2/ss Slesk; 1/3b Benson; 8/lf
Vance; 12/1b Openshaw; 26/dh Newton; 9/c Thomas; 13/rf Zundel; 15/p Christensen;
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - JOHNSON, S. struck out swinging. VILLEZCAS struck
out looking. SAYLOR out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley State 1st - Hales singled to center field. Hales stole second.
Connor lined into double play ss to 2b; Hales out on the play. Slesk singled to
center field. Benson hit by pitch; Slesk advanced to second. Vance struck out
swinging. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - HIESTAND grounded out to 2b. KO grounded out to p
unassisted. MOLINA flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley State 2nd - Openshaw flied out to cf. Newton grounded out to ss.
Thomas struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - JOHNSON, C. grounded out to 2b. NELSON grounded out
to ss. BANKS grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley State 3rd - WOOLF to p for JENSEN. Zundel grounded out to ss.
Hales singled to center field. Connor singled to center field; Hales advanced to
second. Slesk struck out looking; Connor stole second; Hales stole third. Benson
singled to left field, 2 RBI; Connor scored; Hales scored. Vance flied out to rf.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - JOHNSON, S. walked. VILLEZCAS flied out to cf.
SAYLOR singled to center field; JOHNSON, S. advanced to second. HIESTAND out at
first 1b to p; SAYLOR advanced to second; JOHNSON, S. advanced to third. KO singled
to left field, 2 RBI; SAYLOR scored; JOHNSON, S. scored. MOLINA grounded out to 3b.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley State 4th - BARNES to p for WOOLF. Openshaw walked. Newton struck
out swinging. Thomas singled to left center; Openshaw advanced to second. Thomas
advanced to second on a balk; Openshaw advanced to third. Zundel struck out
swinging. Hales struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - JOHNSON, C. grounded out to 2b. NELSON homered to
left field, RBI. BANKS singled through the right side. BANKS stole second. JOHNSON,
S. singled to left field, RBI; BANKS scored. Jessop to p for Christensen. JOHNSON,
S. stole second. VILLEZCAS singled to left center, RBI; JOHNSON, S. scored. SAYLOR
flied out to lf. VILLEZCAS out at second c to ss, caught stealing. 3 runs, 4
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley State 5th - Connor singled to right field. Slesk doubled, out at
third cf to ss to 3b, RBI; Connor scored. Benson grounded out to p. Vance hit by
pitch. Openshaw hit by pitch; Vance advanced to second. Newton singled to center
field, RBI; Openshaw advanced to second; Vance scored. Openshaw out at third c to
3b, caught stealing. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - HIESTAND homered to right center, RBI. KO walked.
Guerrero to p for Jessop. MOLINA grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; KO out on
the play. JOHNSON, C. struck out swinging. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley State 6th - HIGHMARK to p for BARNES. Thomas hit by pitch. Zundel
singled to pitcher; Thomas advanced to second. Hales grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt;
Zundel advanced to second; Thomas advanced to third. Connor singled to right field,
RBI; Zundel advanced to third, out at home rf to c; Thomas scored. Slesk singled to
right field; Connor advanced to second. BARRETT to p for HIGHMARK. Benson hit by
pitch; Slesk advanced to second; Connor advanced to third. Vance flied out to rf.
1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - NELSON flied out to rf. BANKS singled to pitcher.
BANKS advanced to second on a fielding error by 1b. JOHNSON, S. walked. VILLEZCAS
popped up to p. SAYLOR doubled down the rf line, 2 RBI; JOHNSON, S. scored,
unearned; BANKS scored, unearned. HIESTAND grounded out to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley State 7th - Openshaw grounded out to ss. Newton struck out
swinging. Thomas flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - KO grounded out to ss. Moore, M. to p for Guerrero.
MOLINA grounded out to 3b. JOHNSON, C. reached on a throwing error by 1b. NELSON
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley State 8th - Zundel walked. Hales struck out swinging. Connor out
at first 2b to p; Zundel advanced to second. Slesk singled up the middle, RBI;
Zundel scored. Benson singled to right field; Slesk advanced to second. Vance struck
out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 9th - BANKS struck out looking. JOHNSON, S. grounded out
to p. VILLEZCAS grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Utah Valley State 9th - ANDREWS to p for BARRETT. Openshaw struck out
looking. Newton struck out looking. Thomas struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.