Sophomore RHP Clayton Couch and the Falcons defeated BYU, 5-3.
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Falcons Soar Past BYU, 5-3
Cougars eliminated from tournament.
May 26, 2004
LAS VEGAS - Despite going winless in Mountain West Conference regular season play, the Air Force Falcons (6-48) picked up a win when it counted as they defeated the Cougars of BYU (28-30) 5-3 on Wednesday night to stay alive in the Mountain West Conference Championships. With the win, the Falcons snap a thirty-four-game losing streak that had extended back to March 16th, while the Cougars were eliminated.
The Falcons struck first, as junior center fielder Josh Wolfram came around to score on a ball hit by junior designated hitter Brent Tittle, but the Cougars answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on RBI's from junior center fielder Ryan Chambers and sophomore designated hitter Jeff Hiestand.
Air Force put up two more runs in the third as Tittle hit an RBI single and junior left fielder Reid Lamson stole home on a double steal, before adding two more in the fourth, to take a 5-2 lead.
The Cougars added another run in the bottom of half of the inning as junior left fielder Kory Knell scored on a passed ball, pushing the score to 5-3.
BYU starter, sophomore right-hander Bryce Searle (2-2), lasted just two and one-third innings in the loss, allowing three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out one. Chambers finished 2-for-4 with one run batted in.
For the Falcons, Tittle finished 2-for-5 with two RBI while sophomore right fielder Jason Brown was 2-for-4.
The Falcons benefited from a stellar outing by sophomore right-hander Clayton Couch (3-7) as he threw a complete-game victory, allowing just three runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking none.
With the win, the Falcons will advance in the loser's bracket to a 7 p.m. match up against the loser of tomorrow's New Mexico/UNLV game.
GAME 3 NOTES
Air Force snapped a streak of eight straight MWC Tournament losses with a win over BYU tonight. Air Force is now 3-3 in MWC Tournament games played at Wilson Stadium (including a 2-2 mark in 2000).
The Cougars were a combined 12-0 vs. Utah and Air Force in the regular season, but lost MWC Tournament games today to the Utes and Falcons, marking the first time BYU has gone 0-2 in the MWC Tournament.
Air Force pitcher Clayton Couch allowed 13 earned runs to BYU in a 17-2 loss on May 21, but rebounded today vs. the Cougars as he pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs while striking out seven.
The Cougars hit .421 vs. Air Force in six games last weekend, but were just 5-of-33 (.152) vs. the Falcons tonight.
BYU's Ben Saylor stretched his hitting streak to 15 straight games with a first-inning single vs. the Falcons.
Air Force leadoff hitter Josh Wolfram scored twice in each MWC Tournament game today and tied an MWC Tournament record with two stolen bases vs. BYU.
Air Force set the MWC Tournament single-game record with five stolen bases vs. the Cougars.
Air Force vs BYU (May 26, 2004)
Box score (NCAA)
2004 Mountain West Baseball
Air Force 5 (6-48), BYU 3 (28-30)
May 26, 2004 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson Stad.)
Air Force AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WOLFRAM, Josh cf......... 4 2 1 0 1 0 3 0 0
LAMSON, Reid lf.......... 3 1 0 0 2 2 2 0 1
TITTLE, Brent dh......... 5 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1
BROWN, Jason rf.......... 4 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0
BOLT, Karl 3b............ 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 2
FUGLER, Travis 1b........ 4 1 1 0 0 0 10 1 0
DeROHAN, Nathan ss....... 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 5 0
WALTER, Colton 2b........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0
SALAZAR, Geno 2b........ 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 3
POLSTON, Jon c........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 7 0 0
COUCH, Clayton p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Totals................... 32 5 9 2 4 10 27 15 7
BYU AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
VEST, Wade 2b............ 3 1 0 0 0 2 3 3 0
CHAMBERS, Ryan cf........ 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
TAYLOR, Brandon ss....... 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0
HIESTAND, Jeff dh........ 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2
SAYLOR, Ben rf........... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
KNELL, Kory lf........... 4 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 2
LAW, Tim 1b.............. 4 0 1 0 0 0 8 2 0
LUCAS, Blair 3b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 1
CLOWARD, Casey c......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 2 1
BILLS, Kevin ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
WILKES, Adam c.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0
SEARLE, Bryce p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BARRETT, Joshua p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
JACINTO, Paul p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 34 3 5 2 0 7 27 16 6
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Air Force........... 102 200 000 - 5 9 3
BYU................. 200 100 000 - 3 5 4
-------------------------------------------
E - WALTER; SALAZAR 2; LUCAS; CLOWARD; BARRETT 2. DP - Air Force 1; BYU 3.
LOB - Air Force 7; BYU 6. 2B - FUGLER; CHAMBERS. HBP - DeROHAN; POLSTON;
VEST; HIESTAND. SH - WALTER. SB - WOLFRAM 2; LAMSON; TITTLE. CS - DeROHAN;
WALTER.
Air Force IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
COUCH, Clayton...... 9.0 5 3 2 0 7 34 36
BYU IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SEARLE, Bryce....... 2.1 4 3 2 3 1 8 12
BARRETT, Joshua..... 4.2 4 2 0 0 7 18 20
JACINTO, Paul....... 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 6 7
Win - COUCH (3-7). Loss - SEARLE (2-2). Save - None.
WP - SEARLE 2. HBP - by COUCH (VEST); by SEARLE (POLSTON); by BARRETT (DeROHAN);
by COUCH (HIESTAND). PB - POLSTON.
Umpires - HP: Raymond Belfiore 1B: Keith Bailey 2B: Ken Bayne 3B: Dan
Perugini Start: 7:00 PM Time: 3:30 Attendance:
Game notes:
ID-263972
2004 MWC Tournament Game Three
Air Force advances to Thursday, BYU is eliminated
Day 1 Session Attendance - 663
Game: MWC3
Play-by-Play
2004 Mountain West Baseball
Air Force 5 (6-48), BYU 3 (28-30) - Play-by-Play
May 26, 2004 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson Stad.)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Air Force........... 102 200 000 - 5 9 3
BYU................. 200 100 000 - 3 5 4
-------------------------------------------
Air Force starters: 6/cf WOLFRAM; 1/lf LAMSON; 3/dh TITTLE; 10/rf BROWN J.; 13/3b
BOLT; 17/1b FUGLER; 8/ss DeROHAN; 4/2b WALTER; 26/c POLSTON; 23/p COUCH;
BYU starters: 5/2b VEST; 22/cf CHAMBERS; 3/ss TAYLOR; 16/dh HIESTAND; 25/rf SAYLOR;
12/lf KNELL; 1/1b LAW; 6/3b LUCAS; 9/c CLOWARD; 26/p SEARLE;
Air Force 1st - WOLFRAM walked. WOLFRAM stole second. WOLFRAM advanced to
third on a wild pitch. LAMSON walked. TITTLE grounded into double play 2b to ss to
1b, RBI; LAMSON out on the play; WOLFRAM scored. BROWN J. singled through the left
side. BROWN J. advanced to second on a wild pitch. BOLT struck out. 1 run, 1 hit,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 1st - VEST hit by pitch. CHAMBERS singled to right field, RBI, advanced
to second on the throw; VEST scored. TAYLOR flied out to cf; CHAMBERS advanced to
third. HIESTAND out at first 1b to p, RBI; CHAMBERS scored. SAYLOR singled to left
field. KNELL flied out to lf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 2nd - FUGLER grounded out to 2b. DeROHAN singled through the left
side. DeROHAN out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. WALTER singled to center
field. WALTER out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 2nd - LAW grounded out to 2b. LUCAS grounded out to ss. CLOWARD grounded
out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 3rd - POLSTON hit by pitch. WOLFRAM reached on a fielder's choice;
POLSTON out at second 3b to ss. WOLFRAM stole second, advanced to third on an error
by c. LAMSON walked. TITTLE singled, RBI; LAMSON advanced to second, advanced to
third on an error by 3b; WOLFRAM scored. BARRETT to p for SEARLE. TITTLE stole
second; LAMSON stole home, unearned. BROWN J. struck out. BOLT struck out looking.
2 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - VEST grounded out to 2b. CHAMBERS reached on an error by 2b. TAYLOR
reached on a fielder's choice; CHAMBERS out at second 3b to 2b. HIESTAND flied out
to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Air Force 4th - FUGLER doubled to center field. DeROHAN hit by pitch. WALTER
out at first 1b to 2b, SAC, bunt; DeROHAN advanced to second; FUGLER advanced to
third. POLSTON struck out looking. WOLFRAM reached on an error by p, advanced to
second; DeROHAN scored, unearned; FUGLER scored, unearned. LAMSON struck out
swinging. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - SALAZAR to 2b for WALTER. SAYLOR reached on an error by 2b. KNELL
reached on a fielder's choice; SAYLOR out at second 3b to 2b. LAW singled through
the right side; KNELL advanced to third. LAW advanced to second on a passed ball;
KNELL scored, unearned. LUCAS reached on a fielder's choice; LAW out at third ss to
3b. CLOWARD grounded out to p. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Air Force 5th - TITTLE lined out to lf. BROWN J. struck out swinging. BOLT
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - VEST struck out swinging. CHAMBERS doubled to right center. TAYLOR
grounded out to ss; CHAMBERS advanced to third. HIESTAND struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 6th - FUGLER flied out to lf. DeROHAN struck out swinging. SALAZAR
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - SAYLOR grounded out to ss. KNELL struck out swinging. LAW reached
on an error by 2b. LUCAS struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Air Force 7th - POLSTON grounded out to p. WOLFRAM singled up the middle.
LAMSON grounded into double play p to ss to 1b; WOLFRAM out on the play. 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 7th - BILLS pinch hit for CLOWARD. BILLS struck out swinging. VEST struck
out swinging. CHAMBERS flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Air Force 8th - WILKES to c for BILLS. TITTLE singled up the middle. BROWN J.
singled to right field; TITTLE advanced to second. BOLT reached on an error by p;
BROWN J. advanced to second; TITTLE advanced to third. JACINTO to p for BARRETT.
FUGLER grounded into double play 1b to c to 1b; BOLT advanced to second; BROWN J.
advanced to third; TITTLE out on the play. DeROHAN walked. SALAZAR struck out. 0
runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB.
BYU 8th - TAYLOR flied out to cf. HIESTAND hit by pitch. SAYLOR out at first
p to 2b to 1b; HIESTAND advanced to second. KNELL struck out looking. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Air Force 9th - POLSTON singled to right field. WOLFRAM out at first p to ss
to 1b; POLSTON advanced to second. LAMSON struck out looking. TITTLE grounded out to
3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - LAW grounded out to 1b unassisted. LUCAS singled up the middle.
WILKES grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; LUCAS out on the play. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Line score
Air Force 5, BYU 3 (May 26, 2004 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Force........... 102 200 000 - 5 9 3 (6-48)
BYU................. 200 100 000 - 3 5 4 (28-30)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Air Force - COUCH. BYU - SEARLE; BARRETT(3); JACINTO(8).
Win-COUCH(3-7) Loss-SEARLE(2-2) T-3:30 A-0
Game notes:
ID-263972
2004 MWC Tournament Game Three
Air Force advances to Thursday, BYU is eliminated
Day 1 Session Attendance - 663
Game: MWC3
