Wells' Homer Brings Bookend Win

ARLINGTON -- Stephen Wells’ two-run homer in the ninth inning lifted BYU to an 11-10 victory Saturday over UT Arlington in a seesaw game.

The Cougars improve to 4-7, while UT Arlington falls to 4-6. The victory over the Mavericks gave BYU a bookend finish to a five-game week that started earlier in Texas with a win at Baylor.

“I am proud of our effort in continuing to fight back, it is a step in the right direction,” said BYU coach Vance Law. “It would have been easy to fold it up after the eighth.”

Wells, a Washington sophomore outfielder who had not played in a week because of a hamstring injury, belted a shot to rightfield off All-American junior outfielder Michael Choice, who came in as a UTA’s sixth reliever and his first appearance from the mound.

Senior Kevin Sloan picked up his second victory of the season after two save opportunities were blown by other Cougar relievers. He retired the Mavericks in order in the ninth to preserve the win in a game that had several lead changes.

Sean McNaughton got BYU off to a good start with a two-run homer to left centerfield in the third to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

The Mavericks tied the game in the third and took a 5-2 lead in the fourth. Cougar freshman hurler Chunner Nyberg rallied with three of his five strikeouts in the fifth and sixth innings.

“Nyberg threw the ball really well and gave us a chance to win,” said Law.

BYU regained the lead in the two-run sixth when Austin Hall led off with a double, followed by a Maverick error, allowing Jonathan Cluff on base. Hall and Cluff scored on a wild pitch and balk, respectively to put BYU up 6-5.

BYU DH Ryan Bernal drew a lead-off walk in the seventh and scored on a Chase Frampton single. Frampton later scored on Hall’s single, increasing the Cougar lead to 8-5.

That margin evaporated in the seventh when Jordan Vaughn and Choice knocked back-to-back solo homers, robbing Nyberg of a probable win as the game was tied eight-all through seven complete.

McNaughton’s double in the eighth paved the way for BYU to take a 9-8 lead. UTA took a 10-9 lead in the eighth with two after Sloan took the mound and intentionally walked Choice as his first batter.

The Cougars return to open the home season on Thursday in a three-game series with Washington.

BYU at UT Arlington
Mar 06, 2010 at Arlington, TX (Clay Gould Ballpark)
BYU 11 (4-7)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  5  2  2  2   1  0  1  0   0
RELF, Brandon 2b.........  5  1  2  1   1  0  2  6   0
WOLFE, Alex 3b...........  3  1  0  0   2  1  1  2   1
BERNAL, Ryan dh..........  3  1  1  0   2  1  0  0   0
GUENTHER, Wes c..........  5  0  1  1   0  1  5  2   2
FRAMPTON, Chase 1b.......  5  1  2  1   0  1 13  0   3
HALL, Austin ss..........  4  2  2  1   1  1  1  3   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  1  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
WELLS, Stephen cf........  3  2  1  2   1  0  3  1   3
NYBERG, Chunner p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 McKNIGHT, David p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 SLOAN, Kevin p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 38 11 12  8   8  6 27 16   9
UT Arlington 10 (4-6)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Orr, N. lf/cf............  3  1  1  0   1  0  1  0   0
Vaughn, J. 1b............  5  2  2  2   0  0  4  1   2
 Lopez, B. pr............  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Hopkins, S. 1b..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Choice, M. cf/p..........  4  1  3  2   1  1  6  0   0
Guest, S. dh.............  5  1  2  1   0  0  0  0   0
 Pinchback, J lf.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Beck, P. rf..............  5  2  4  0   0  0  3  0   2
Comer, C. c..............  5  1  2  1   0  2  7  1   1
Nephew, B. 3b............  5  0  1  2   0  1  1  2   2
Payne, J. ss.............  5  0  1  0   0  1  0  2   0
Dyvig, C. 2b.............  3  1  1  1   0  0  3  1   0
 Jordan, D. 2b...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Walker, B. p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Christenson p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
 Laird, G. p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Hansen, S. p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Pritchard, C p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Watson, B. p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 40 10 17  9   2  5 27 10   7
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 002 022 212 - 11 12  1
UT Arlington........ 002 300 320 - 10 17  2
-------------------------------------------
E - WELLS(1); Orr, N.(1); Nephew, B.(4). LOB - BY 9; UTA 7. 2B -
McNAUGHTON(3); GUENTHER(1); HALL(3); Vaughn, J.(3); Choice, M.(3); Guest,
S.(4); Comer, C.(2). HR - McNAUGHTON(1); WELLS(1); Vaughn, J.(1); Choice,
M.(4). SH - WELLS(1); Orr, N.(2). SF - Dyvig, C.(1). SB - McNAUGHTON(7);
HALL(3). CS - FRAMPTON(1); Choice, M.(1).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
NYBERG, Chunner.....  6.0 11  5  5  0  5 25 27
MICHON, Brandon.....  0.1  2  2  2  0  0  3  3
McKNIGHT, David.....  1.1  3  3  3  1  0  7  8
SLOAN, Kevin........  1.1  1  0  0  1  0  5  6
UT Arlington           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Walker, B...........  4.0  6  2  2  1  3 17 18
Christenson.........  0.2  0  2  2  3  0  2  5
Laird, G............  0.2  1  2  1  1  1  3  5
Hansen, S...........  1.2  2  2  2  1  1  7  8
Pritchard, C........  0.0  2  1  1  1  0  2  3
Watson, B...........  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3
Choice, M...........  1.0  1  2  2  1  1  4  5
Win - SLOAN (2-0).  Loss - Choice, M. (0-1).  Save - None.
WP - McKNIGHT(2); Laird, G. 2(2); Pritchard, C(1). BK - NYBERG(1); Laird, G.(2).
Umpires - HP: Cale Smith  1B: Scott Johnston  3B: Jon Wolfe
Start: 1:02 PM   Time: 3:18   Attendance: 362
Weather: 63 degrees/15 MPH, In from LF
Pritchard, C faced 3 batters in the 8th.
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON flied out to cf. RELF singled through the left
side. WOLFE flied out to cf. BERNAL singled to right center; RELF advanced to
third. GUENTHER struck out looking. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UT Arlington 1st - Orr, N. grounded out to 2b. Vaughn, J. popped up to
1b. Choice, M. singled to shortstop. Choice, M. out at second c to 2b, caught
stealing. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - FRAMPTON singled to left field. FRAMPTON out at second c to
2b, caught stealing. HALL struck out looking. CLUFF flied out to rf. 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UT Arlington 2nd - Guest, S. grounded out to ss. Beck, P. singled to
right field. Comer, C. struck out swinging. Nephew, B. struck out swinging.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - WELLS walked. McNAUGHTON homered to left center, 2 RBI; WELLS
scored. RELF grounded out to 3b. WOLFE flied out to lf. BERNAL struck out
swinging. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UT Arlington 3rd - Payne, J. singled up the middle. Dyvig, C. singled up
the middle; Payne, J. advanced to second. Orr, N. grounded out to p, SAC, bunt;
Dyvig, C. advanced to second; Payne, J. advanced to third. Vaughn, J. reached
on a fielder's choice to third base; Dyvig, C. advanced to third; Payne, J. out
at home 3b to c. Vaughn, J. advanced to second on a balk; Dyvig, C. scored on a
balk. Choice, M. doubled, out at third cf to 2b to 3b, RBI; Vaughn, J. scored.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 4th - GUENTHER doubled to right center. FRAMPTON flied out to cf.
HALL lined out to cf. CLUFF singled to third base; GUENTHER advanced to third.
WELLS fouled out to 3b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UT Arlington 4th - Guest, S. singled through the left side. Beck, P.
singled to right field; Guest, S. advanced to second. Comer, C. singled to
third base, bunt; Beck, P. advanced to second; Guest, S. advanced to third.
Nephew, B. singled to right center, advanced to second on a fielding error by
cf, 2 RBI; Comer, C. advanced to third; Beck, P. scored; Guest, S. scored.
Payne, J. popped up to ss. Dyvig, C. flied out to cf, SF, RBI; Comer, C.
scored. Orr, N. singled to shortstop; Nephew, B. advanced to third. Vaughn, J.
popped up to 2b. 3 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
BYU 5th - Christenson to p for Walker, B.. McNAUGHTON lined out to 2b.
RELF walked. WOLFE walked; RELF advanced to second. BERNAL walked; WOLFE
advanced to second; RELF advanced to third. GUENTHER out at first 1b to p, RBI;
BERNAL advanced to second; WOLFE advanced to third; RELF scored. Laird, G. to p
for Christenson. BERNAL advanced to third on a wild pitch; WOLFE scored on a
wild pitch. FRAMPTON struck out looking. 2 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
UT Arlington 5th - Choice, M. struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b.
Guest, S. flied out to rf. Beck, P. singled to left center. Comer, C. struck
out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - HALL doubled to center field. CLUFF reached on a fielding
error by 3b. WELLS grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; CLUFF advanced to second; HALL
advanced to third. CLUFF advanced to third on a wild pitch; HALL scored on a
wild pitch. McNAUGHTON walked. McNAUGHTON advanced to second on a balk; CLUFF
scored on a balk, unearned. Hansen, S. to p for Laird, G.. RELF flied out to
rf. McNAUGHTON stole third. WOLFE struck out swinging. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1
error, 1 LOB.
UT Arlington 6th - Nephew, B. grounded out to ss. Payne, J. struck out
swinging. Dyvig, C. grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - BERNAL walked. GUENTHER grounded out to p; BERNAL advanced to
second. FRAMPTON singled through the left side, advanced to second on the
throw, RBI; BERNAL scored. HALL singled through the left side, RBI; FRAMPTON
scored. CLUFF reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop; HALL out at second ss
to 2b. WELLS flied out to rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UT Arlington 7th - MICHON to p for NYBERG. Orr, N. grounded out to p.
Vaughn, J. homered to left field, RBI. Choice, M. homered to right field, RBI.
McKNIGHT to p for MICHON. Guest, S. grounded out to 2b. Beck, P. singled
through the right side. Comer, C. doubled down the rf line, RBI; Beck, P.
scored. Nephew, B. flied out to cf. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - Pritchard, C to p for Hansen, S.. McNAUGHTON doubled down the
lf line, advanced to third on a throwing error by lf. RELF singled up the
middle, RBI; McNAUGHTON scored. RELF advanced to second on a wild pitch. WOLFE
walked. Watson, B. to p for Pritchard, C. BERNAL grounded out to 2b; WOLFE
advanced to second; RELF advanced to third. GUENTHER reached on a fielder's
choice to third base; WOLFE advanced to third; RELF out at home 3b to c.
FRAMPTON flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
UT Arlington 8th - Payne, J. flied out to cf. Dyvig, C. grounded out to
2b. Orr, N. walked. Vaughn, J. doubled down the rf line, RBI; Orr, N. scored.
Lopez, B. pinch ran for Vaughn, J.. Lopez, B. advanced to third on a wild
pitch. SLOAN to p for McKNIGHT. Choice, M. intentionally walked. Guest, S.
doubled down the lf line, RBI; Choice, M. advanced to third; Lopez, B. scored.
Beck, P. grounded out to 3b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 9th - Orr, N. to cf. Hopkins, S. to 1b for Lopez, B.. Choice, M. to
p. Jordan, D. to 2b for Dyvig, C.. /  for Watson, B.. Pinchback, J to lf for
Guest, S.. /  for Watson, B.. HALL walked. HALL stole second. CLUFF struck out
swinging. WELLS homered to right field, 2 RBI; HALL scored. McNAUGHTON grounded
out to ss. RELF out at first 1b to p. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UT Arlington 9th - Comer, C. flied out to lf. Nephew, B. grounded out to
ss. Payne, J. grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.