May 25, 2007
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - Down at one point by nine, sixth-seeded UNLV (24-36) scored eight unanswered runs but could not come all the way back, losing 10-9 to second-seeded BYU (37-19) in the final game Friday night at the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
The Cougars jumped out to a 10-1 lead through five innings at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, but needed reliever Brad Kidd to retire the final three Rebels in order in the top of the ninth to escape with the win.
With the victory, the Cougars advance to Saturday's final against TCU at 3:00 pm PT. TCU comes into the championship game undefeated in the tournament. BYU must win the first game to force a 7:00 pm "if necessary" game for the title.
The one-run game was the second, in which the Cougars had played on Friday. BYU lost to the top-seeded TCU previous by a 8-7 margin.
The Cougars scored single runs in the second and third innings, three in the third and five in the fifth. UNLV got its first run in the fourth and then eight between the sixth and eighth innings, which included six in the seventh.
The Cougars went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second with help from three consecutive singles. Kasey Ko hit the third of the singles to bring home Kent Walton, who led off the inning with a hit.
BYU pushed its lead to 4-0 after scoring three runs in the third off of four hits and a Rebel error. Walton brought home the first run on a fielder's choice, while Steve Parker and Ko hit back-to-back singles to score the other two runs. After giving up the fourth hit, Marc Baca entered in relief of UNLV started Ryan Tabor.
The teams traded single runs in the fourth. UNLV got a run-scoring double by Chad Miller to score Efren Navarro Jr., who had reached on a double of his own. BYU its run on a ground out put in play by Apana Nakayama to bring home Austin Hall.
BYU extended its lead to 10-1 with five runs in the fifth. The Cougar offense connected on six hits in the frame. Ko scored the first run on a wild pitch, while Stephen Wells knocked a single up the middle to score the second and third runs. With the bases loaded Walton walked to bring home the fourth run. Parker immediately followed with a single up the middle to score the fifth.
The Rebels began chipping away at the nine-run deficit with an RBI-single by Miller.
UNLV pulled within two with a six-run inning highlighted by a grand slam by Xavier Scruggs. Michael Brenly began the inning with a double and scored the innings first run on a fielder's choice by Ryan Kowalski. Following a single by Keith Smith, BYU relieved Jordan Muir with Jacob Perez. Scruggs brought in the second through fifth runs, while Brenly got an infield single to score the sixth. Scrugg's slam forced BYU to bring Kidd into the game to pitch.
In the eighth inning, the Rebels got one run to trial by only one run. Kowalski began the inning with a single and wound up scoring on a fielder's choice by Scruggs.
Muir, who tossed 6.1 innings, improved to 6-4 with the victory. He allowed five runs on nine hits, while walking three.
Kidd notched his second save of the season in 2.2 innings of relief. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out one.
Tabor suffered the loss and fell to 2-2 on the year. He lasted only 2.1 innings in the start. He gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits. He struck out two and walked one.
