Wolfe Outstanding In Pilot Defeat

PROVO -- Andrew Law's fifth-inning triple brought in the game-winning run as BYU defeated Portland Saturday afternoon, 10-3, at Larry H. Miller Field.

“It was a good series for us,” said BYU head coach Vance Law. “Portland played some good baseball and I’m glad our team continued to battle throughout.”

The Cougars got off to a quick 3-0 start in the second inning as a Jonathan Cluff double brought in Alex Wolfe before a Brandon Relf ground out allowed Steve Parker to score. A Michael Bowen double then brought in Cluff from third base.

A strong defensive effort by BYU ensued as the Pilots had bases loaded but Bowen was able to snag the flyout to right field to prevent Portland from scoring. In the fourth inning, the Cougars executed a 4-6-3 double play to once again keep the Pilots off the board. Offensively, BYU was able to score a few runs on a two-run homer by Wolfe in the batter’s eye.

Portland was able to gather momentum in the sixth inning to score a trio of runs as a Kevin Armijo double brought in Rocky Gale before Armijo was able to score on a sacrifice fly. The Pilots got one more run off BYU pitcher Brandon Michon as a Beau Fraser double scored in Kris Kauppila from third base.

When the Pilots were threatening to score again in the seventh inning, BYU first baseman Wolfe made a huge play to come up on a Pilot bunt and throw to third base to snag lead runner Chase Powell. The Cougars then executed a double play to end Portland’s chances of a comeback.

“That play was critical for us,” Law said. “We were only up 6-3 and they were looking to score on us, but his charge to grab the ball and throw it to third to knock off their lead runner was huge for us. It could have gotten ugly if he didn’t make that play. He was outstanding for us today.”

Wolfe also succeeded offensively as he went 3-for-3 from the plate and scored three runs.

BYU’s offense continued to play well in the seventh inning, scoring two runs on a hit by Wolfe which was aided by several Pilot errors. Short stop Brandon Relf later scored a homerun to left field in the eighth inning preceding a Walton single that brought in Bowen from third.

BYU improves to 3-5 on the year while the Pilots fall to 3-3. Third baseman Steve Parker now has four games in a row with at least one hit.

The Cougars will next play Monday and Tuesday at traditional power Wichita State, who won the national championship in 1989.

“Wichita State is a powerful club and they will be a challenge to us,” Law said. “They’re playing good ball so we need to come out prepared.”

BYU returns home next Friday and Saturday to face perennial power St. John’s.

Univ. of Portland at BYU
Feb 28, 2009 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Univ. of Portland 3 (3-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KAUPPILA, Kris ss........  5  1  0  1   0  1  4  2   0
SMITH, Craig cf..........  4  0  1  1   0  1  2  2   2
FRASER, Beau dh..........  5  0  4  1   0  0  0  0   0
KRAUS, Bryant lf.........  4  0  1  0   1  1  0  0   2
POWELL, Chase 1b.........  5  0  2  0   0  1  7  0   0
KRAUS, Kyle 2b...........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  2   4
 HENRICKS, Riley ph/2b...  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
PEARCE, Austin rf........  4  0  2  0   0  0  2  0   0
GALE, Rocky c............  4  1  2  0   0  1  9  2   1
MARDESICH, Matt 3b.......  1  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   2
 ARMIJO, Kevin ph/3b.....  2  1  1  0   0  0  0  1   0
LANGE, Matthew p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BRYNTESON, Keeler p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WAKEFIELD, Ed p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MILLER, Brent p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 37  3 13  3   2  6 24 11  11
BYU 10 (3-5)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WALTON, Kent dh..........  4  2  2  1   1  0  0  0   1
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  4  1  1  1   0  0  2  6   1
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  3  0  1  0   1  2  1  0   0
WOLFE, Alex 1b...........  3  3  3  2   1  0  8  1   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  1  1  0   0  0  2  0   1
CLUFF, Jonathan cf.......  4  1  2  1   0  0  4  0   0
RELF, Brandon ss.........  4  1  1  2   0  2  3  4   0
BOWEN, Michael rf........  3  1  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  4  0  0  0   0  3  6  1   1
MILLER, Adam p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MUIR, Jordan p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 33 10 13  8   3  7 27 13   4
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Univ. of Portland... 000 003 000 -  3 13  2
BYU................. 030 030 22X - 10 13  1
-------------------------------------------
E - GALE, R 2(3); PARKER(3). DP - Cougars 2. LOB - POR 11; Cougars 4. 2B -
FRASER, B 2(2); ARMJO, K(1); WOLFE 2(5); CLUFF(2); BOWEN(4). 3B - LAW,
An.(1). HR - WOLFE(1); RELF(1). HBP - HENRICKS, R; BOWEN. SH - LAW, An.(1).
SF - SMITH, C(1). SB - WALTON 2(2). CS - SMITH, C(1); McNAUGHTON(2).
Univ. of Portland      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
LANGE, Matthew......  4.2  8  5  5  1  5 20 21
BRYNTESON, Keeler...  1.1  2  1  1  0  2  6  6
WAKEFIELD, Ed.......  1.0  1  2  1  2  0  2  5
MILLER, Brent.......  1.0  2  2  2  0  0  5  6
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
MILLER, Adam........  5.2 11  3  1  2  3 26 29
MICHON, Brandon.....  0.1  1  0  0  0  1  2  2
MUIR, Jordan........  3.0  1  0  0  0  2  9 10
Win - MILLER, A. (1-0).  Loss - LANGE, M (0-1).  Save - MUIR (1).
WP - MILLER, A.(1); MICHON 2(2). HBP - by MUIR (HENRICKS, R); by MILLER, B
(BOWEN). PB - MUSSO(1).
Umpires - HP: Jeff Richardson  1B: Ray Belfiore  3B: Randy Upton
Start: 1:05 pm   Time: 2:30   Attendance: 541
Weather: 40 degrees, sunny
Game notes: Game Three of Three.
Play-by-Play
Univ. of Portland 1st - KAUPPILA, K grounded out to 2b. SMITH, C
grounded out to ss. FRASER, B singled to second base. KRAUS, B flied out to cf.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 1st - WALTON flied out to cf. LAW, An. popped up to ss. McNAUGHTON
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 2nd - POWELL, C grounded out to 2b. KRAUS, K struck
out swinging. PEARCE, A singled up the middle. GALE, R singled to center field;
PEARCE, A advanced to second. MARDESICH, M reached on a fielder's choice; GALE,
R advanced to second; PEARCE, A out at third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 2 hits,
0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 2nd - WOLFE walked. PARKER singled up the middle; WOLFE advanced to
second. CLUFF doubled to left field, RBI; PARKER advanced to third; WOLFE
scored. RELF grounded out to 2b, RBI; CLUFF advanced to third; PARKER scored.
BOWEN doubled down the lf line, RBI; CLUFF scored. MUSSO struck out looking.
WALTON lined out to ss. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 3rd - KAUPPILA, K out at first p to 2b to 1b. SMITH, C
singled to shortstop. SMITH, C out at second c to ss, caught stealing. FRASER,
B singled to center field. KRAUS, B singled to left field; FRASER, B advanced
to second. POWELL, C singled to right field; KRAUS, B advanced to second;
FRASER, B advanced to third. KRAUS, K flied out to rf. 0 runs, 4 hits, 0
errors, 3 LOB.
BYU 3rd - LAW, An. flied out to cf. McNAUGHTON singled to center field.
McNAUGHTON out at second c to ss, caught stealing. WOLFE doubled to center
field. PARKER flied out to rf. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 4th - PEARCE, A singled up the middle. PEARCE, A
advanced to second on a passed ball. GALE, R struck out swinging. MARDESICH, M
walked. KAUPPILA, K flied out to cf. SMITH, C reached on a fielder's choice;
MARDESICH, M out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 4th - CLUFF grounded out to ss. RELF struck out looking. BOWEN
singled, out at second cf to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 5th - FRASER, B doubled to left center. FRASER, B
advanced to third on a wild pitch. KRAUS, B walked. POWELL, C struck out
looking. KRAUS, K grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; KRAUS, B out on the
play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - MUSSO struck out swinging. WALTON singled to shortstop. LAW,
An. tripled to left center, RBI; WALTON scored. McNAUGHTON struck out swinging.
BRYNTESON, K to p for LANGE, M. WOLFE homered to center field, 2 RBI; LAW, An.
scored. PARKER grounded out to 2b. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 6th - PEARCE, A grounded out to 1b unassisted. GALE, R
singled to third base. ARMJO, K pinch hit for MARDESICH, M. ARMJO, K doubled to
right center; GALE, R advanced to third. KAUPPILA, K reached on a fielding
error by 3b, RBI; ARMJO, K advanced to third; GALE, R scored. SMITH, C flied
out to cf, SF, RBI; ARMJO, K scored, unearned. MICHON to p for MILLER, A..
KAUPPILA, K advanced to second on a wild pitch. KAUPPILA, K advanced to third
on a wild pitch. FRASER, B doubled to left field, RBI; KAUPPILA, K scored,
unearned. KRAUS, B struck out swinging. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - ARMJO, K to 3b. CLUFF singled to first base. RELF struck out
swinging. BOWEN fouled out to c. MUSSO struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 7th - MUIR to p for MICHON. POWELL, C singled up the
middle. HENRICKS, R pinch hit for KRAUS, K. HENRICKS, R hit by pitch; POWELL, C
advanced to second. PEARCE, A reached on a fielder's choice; HENRICKS, R
advanced to second; POWELL, C out at third 1b to 3b. GALE, R lined into double
play 2b to ss; HENRICKS, R out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 7th - HENRICKS, R to 2b. WAKEFIELD, E to p for BRYNTESON, K. WALTON
walked. LAW, An. grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; WALTON advanced to second.
McNAUGHTON intentionally walked. McNAUGHTON advanced to second; WALTON stole
third, scored on an error by c. WOLFE doubled to center field, scored on a
throwing error by c, unearned; McNAUGHTON out at third cf to ss to c. PARKER
flied out to rf. 2 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Portland 8th - ARMJO, K grounded out to 2b. KAUPPILA, K struck
out swinging. SMITH, C struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 8th - MILLER, B to p for WAKEFIELD, E. CLUFF grounded out to 3b.
RELF homered to left field, RBI. BOWEN hit by pitch. MUSSO grounded out to c;
BOWEN advanced to second. WALTON singled to center field, RBI; BOWEN scored.
WALTON stole second. LAW, An. grounded out to p. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Univ. of Portland 9th - FRASER, B grounded out to ss. KRAUS, B flied out
to lf. POWELL, C flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.