Mike Ward
First college career save for Gator Michael Ward.
Jenny Olson, BYU Athletic Communications  PROVO, Utah (March 20, 2008) -- In the first of a three-game series against Air Force, the BYU men's baseball team beat the Falcons 10-6 Thursday night at Miller Park. Junior Jake Wortham led the Cougars as he pitched the first through fifth innings, gave up three runs, all unearned, and struck out five Air Force players. Wortham picked up his second win of the season and gave the Cougars their first league victory of the season. "Jake [Wortham] is a great competitor," said BYU head coach Vance Law. "He knows how to move the ball in and out and how to command the strike zone." Despite two errors in the first three innings, the Cougars' strong hitting lifted them to victory over Air Force. BYU got its offensive action started in the bottom of the third inning, when the team was down 2-0. Junior outfielder Kent Walton made a solid hit to center field, helping the Cougars score two runs. Later, in the fourth inning, the Cougars wasted no time to gain a strong lead over the Falcons. With the bases loaded, junior short-stop Dan Vargas blasted a near home-run to centerfield for a triple, giving BYU three runs and pushing the score to 6-2. "Our offense is contagious," Law said. "When one of our players starts, others catch on and it becomes contagious. We've got guys who can run and hit. When it all comes together, our offense is great." Sophomore outfielder Sean McNaughton stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning and hit a fly deep to center field which scored Thomas Bills and Andrew Law. Walton then batted in McNaughton with a triple, BYU's third of the game, to raise the Cougar score 10-2. Michael Ward came in for the Cougars in the sixth inning and finished the game, striking out three Air Force players to earn a save for his three effective innings. BYU remained scoreless from the six through eighth innings, while the Falcons scored three last-minute runs in the ninth inning, making the final score 10-2. BYU will continue the series against Air Force Friday at 6 p.m. Air Force at Brigham Young Univ. Mar 20, 2008 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field) Air Force 6 (7-10,0-1 MWC) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ CARTER, Nathan cf........ 5 1 2 0 0 2 5 0 0 RANDHAWA, K.J. ss........ 4 1 2 1 0 1 3 4 0 DERBIGNY, Chay rf........ 5 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 4 GENTRY, Addison 1b....... 5 1 1 2 0 0 3 0 1 ALEXANDER, Matt dh....... 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ALLEN, Jake lf........... 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 MEENTS, Josh c/p......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 4 1 1 MAYO, Parker c.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 AUSBUN, Ben 3b........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 GRIGGS, Jason 3b........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 McMAHON, Jon 2b.......... 4 1 3 0 0 0 6 1 1 TRUESDALE, Alex p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PINGEL, Brad p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BARATTINO, Matt p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ABT, Jeff p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 37 6 10 4 0 8 24 7 8 Brigham Young Univ. 10 (10-10,1-3 MWC) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf...... 4 2 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 VARGAS, Dan ss........... 2 1 1 3 1 0 1 1 0 RELF, Brandon ss........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 WALTON, Kent cf.......... 3 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 BOWEN, Michael rf....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 PARKER, Steve 3b......... 4 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 KO, Kasey 1b............. 2 0 0 0 0 1 6 1 1 LEACH, J.C. 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 CLUFF, Jonathan rf/cf.... 5 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 BILLS, Thomas dh......... 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 MUSSO, J.T. c............ 2 2 1 1 1 0 6 0 0 NACAPOY, Chad c......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 LAW, Andrew 2b........... 3 3 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 HERMOSILLO, Kiko 2b..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 WORTHAM, Jake p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 WARD, Michael p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 35 10 10 10 5 4 27 13 9 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Air Force........... 011 001 003 - 6 10 4 Brigham Young Univ.. 003 430 00X - 10 10 3 ------------------------------------------- E - RANDHAWA 2(3); AUSBUN 2(10); MCNAUGHTON(3); LEACH(1); MUSSO(2). DP - AF 1. LOB - AF 8; BYU Cougars 9. 3B - GENTRY(2); MCNAUGHTON(3); VARGAS(2); WALTON(4). HBP - RANDHAWA; ALLEN, J.; MEENTS; GRIGGS; KO; MUSSO. SF - VARGAS(2). SB - CARTER 2(12); LAW(4). CS - MEENTS(1); VARGAS(3). Air Force IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- TRUESDALE, Alex..... 3.2 5 7 3 4 1 15 21 PINGEL, Brad........ 0.2 2 3 2 1 0 5 7 BARATTINO, Matt..... 1.2 1 0 0 0 1 6 6 ABT, Jeff........... 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 MEENTS, Josh........ 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 6 6 Brigham Young Univ. IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- WORTHAM, Jake....... 6.0 6 3 0 0 5 24 25 WARD, Michael....... 3.0 4 3 3 0 3 13 16 |
