The sixth-seeded Utah Utes opened the 2009 Conoco Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship in exciting style with a 2-1 extra-inning upset of third-seeded BYU Tuesday at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

Utah left fielder Tyler Yagi was the hitter BYU couldn't solve and it caught up with the Cougars in the 10th inning. Yagi, a freshman, ripped a two-out RBI single for the game-winning hit in the Ute win. For the game, he went 2-for-5 and knocked in both Utah runs.

In the 10th inning, Utah center fielder Cooper Blanc started the rally with a single up the middle, stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. Following a flyout and walk, Yagi popped BYU closer Jordan Muir's fastball into center field. Yagi delivered the clutch hit for a team that has lacked the ability to finish strong this season. "It's been the story of our year, we haven't had the big pitch or big hit," Yagi said. "I needed to come through. I was looking for something up and I was sitting on the fastball. It's a huge win."

BYU lost a scoring chance in the bottom of ninth when Andrew Law was thrown out trying to steal third with one out and leadoff hitter Sean McNaughton at the plate.

"That wasn't a good move on Andrew's part," BYU Head Coach Vance Law said. "He's had the green light pretty much all year, but I didn't give it to him at that point," Vance Law said. "We've got to give ourselves a chance to drive in a run there."

Both starting pitchers dueled through one impressive inning after another and denied hits and stopped rallies. Utah's Jordan Whatcott went seven innings, allowing four hits with three strikeouts and six walks. BYU starter Blake Torgerson went seven innings and allowed three hits, while striking out seven and walking none.

The Utes (22-28) advance to face top-seed and No. 10-ranked TCU at 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. BYU (28-23) will face the loser of tonight's San Diego State-UNLV game at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday morning.