RIVERSIDE -- A perfect game by UC Riverside lasted through four-plus innings in the opener Thursday and the Highlanders also claimed the nightcap over BYU's baseball team, 7-3 and 2-1.

UCR improved to 11-8, while BYU falls to 3-11. Game three between the two teams is scheduled for Friday afternoon, weather-permitting. The doubleheader came about because of projected bad weather for Saturday.

James Simmons, who went eight innings, improved his record to 4-1 and had his perfect game broken up in the fifth inning of game one when UCR's shortstop committed an error with a 3-0 lead. Simmons' no-hitter was broken up an inning later when Cougar catcher Casey Nelson singled just inside the right field line.

BYU's only other hit in the opening game came off a pinch-hit single on a high chopper to second base by Blake Crosby. BYU lefty Patrick Wells, now 1-3, took the loss after going five innings in game one.

Adrian Molina extended his team-leading hitting streak to five games for the Cougars with a two-run double in the ninth to left-center, driving in Crosby and Ben Saylor for the second and third runs in the ninth in game one.

In the nightcap, Molina gathered two of BYU's four hits. He led off the seventh inning of game two with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a ground out and scored when Saylor singled up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.

Cougar hurler Jesse Craig (0-5) was tagged with the loss after holding the Highlanders at bay through seven innings, including four innings retiring UCR in order. In the eighth he surrendered a lead-off double to Jaime Pedroza, who scored off a double by Brett Bigler for the game-winning run.

BYU at UC Riverside (Game 1)
Mar 9, 2006 at Riverside, CA (Sports Complex)
BYU 3 (3-10)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
CARTER, Austin lf........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   2
WALTON, Kent rf..........  3  1  0  0   1  1  3  1   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  0  0  0   1  1  3  3   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
SAYLOR, Ben 1b...........  3  1  0  0   1  0  6  1   1
JOHNSON, Chris 3b........  2  0  0  0   0  1  2  1   0
 CROSBY, Blake 3b........  2  1  2  1   0  0  1  0   0
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  4  0  1  2   0  1  4  0   1
NELSON, Casey c..........  3  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   0
 WORTHAM, Jake ph........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
VARGAS, Daniel 2b........  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  4   0
 HIESTAND, Jeff ph.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 JOHNSON, Jason pr.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
WELLS, Patrick p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 WOOLF, Mitch p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 ANDREWS, Cortland p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BINGHAM, Anthony p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 31  3  4  3   3  8 24 12   5
UC Riverside 7 (10-8)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Hollingswort lf..........  5  2  3  1   0  0  5  0   1
Bigler cf................  3  1  2  1   0  0  3  0   0
 Clay ph.................  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Steinmeyer 3b............  5  2  2  1   0  1  0  1   2
Grant rf.................  3  0  0  1   0  0  1  0   1
 Uhl cf..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Dunbar c.................  4  0  1  0   0  0  9  1   2
Salotti 1b...............  4  1  1  0   0  0  8  0   0
Wible dh.................  3  0  2  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Garcia pr...............  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Barratt 2b...............  3  0  2  0   0  0  0  2   1
Pedroza ss...............  4  0  0  1   0  0  1  2   1
Simmons p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Montgomery p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 35  7 13  5   0  1 27  7   8
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 003 -  3  4  4
UC Riverside........ 002 100 31X -  7 13  1
-------------------------------------------
E - VILLEZCAS; MOLINA; NELSON; VARGAS; Pedroza. LOB - BY 5; UCR 8. 2B -
MOLINA; Hollingswort; Steinmeyer; Salotti; Wible. HBP - HIESTAND; Barratt.
SH - Wible. SF - Bigler; Grant. SB - WALTON; Hollingswort 2; Grant; Wible;
Pedroza. CS - NELSON.
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WELLS, Patrick......  5.0  6  3  2  0  1 21 23
WOOLF, Mitch........  2.0  5  3  3  0  0  9 10
ANDREWS, Cortland...  0.1  2  1  1  0  0  3  4
BINGHAM, Anthony....  0.2  0  0  0  0  0  2  2
UC Riverside           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Simmons.............  8.0  2  0  0  1  7 26 28
Montgomery..........  1.0  2  3  3  2  1  5  7
Win - Simmons (4-1).  Loss - WELLS (1-3).  Save - None.
WP - WELLS. HBP - by Simmons (HIESTAND); by ANDREWS (Barratt).
Umpires - HP: Ron Ridd  1B: Scott Daniel  3B: Bradley Hungerford
Start: 3:00 pm   Time: 222   Attendance:
BYU at UC Riverside (Game 1) - Play-by-Play
Mar 9, 2006 at Riverside, CA (Sports Complex)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 003 -  3  4  4
UC Riverside........ 002 100 31X -  7 13  1
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 6/lf CARTER; 9/rf WALTON; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 33/dh KO; 25/1b SAYLOR;
5/3b JOHNSON, C.; 1/cf MOLINA; 8/c NELSON; 13/2b VARGAS; 4/p WELLS;
UC Riverside starters: 9/lf Hollingswort; 1/cf Bigler; 20/3b Steinmeyer; 10/rf
Grant; 18/c Dunbar; 33/1b Salotti; 25/dh Wible; 15/2b Barratt; 6/ss Pedroza; 42/p
Simmons;
BYU 1st - CARTER flied out to cf. WALTON grounded out to 3b. VILLEZCAS flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 1st - Hollingswort reached on a fielding error by ss.
Hollingswort stole second. Bigler grounded out to ss; Hollingswort advanced to
third. Steinmeyer struck out swinging. Grant grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits,
1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - KO flied out to lf. SAYLOR flied out to lf. JOHNSON, C. struck out
looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 2nd - Dunbar singled to right field. Salotti grounded out to p;
Dunbar advanced to second. Wible popped up to rf. Barratt flied out to rf. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - MOLINA flied out to rf. NELSON grounded out to 2b. VARGAS grounded
out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 3rd - Pedroza flied out to rf. Hollingswort doubled to right
center. Hollingswort stole third. Bigler flied out to lf, SF, RBI; Hollingswort
scored. Steinmeyer singled to center field. Steinmeyer advanced to second on a wild
pitch. Grant reached on a fielding error by 2b; Steinmeyer scored, unearned. Grant
stole second. Dunbar grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - CARTER grounded out to 1b unassisted. WALTON struck out swinging.
VILLEZCAS struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 4th - Salotti doubled to right center. Wible out at first 1b to
2b, SAC, bunt; Salotti advanced to third. Barratt singled to third base. Pedroza
reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; Barratt out at second 2b to ss; Salotti scored.
Pedroza stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by c. Hollingswort
grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - KO flied out to lf. SAYLOR fouled out to c. JOHNSON, C. reached on
a fielding error by ss. MOLINA struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
UC Riverside 5th - Bigler singled through the right side. Steinmeyer reached
on a fielder's choice; Bigler out at second 2b to ss. Grant flied out to cf. Dunbar
flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - NELSON singled down the rf line. VARGAS struck out looking. NELSON
out at second c to ss, caught stealing. CARTER struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 6th - WOOLF to p for WELLS. Salotti grounded out to ss. Wible
doubled, out at third rf to 2b to 3b. Barratt singled through the left side. Pedroza
popped up to 3b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - WALTON grounded out to ss. VILLEZCAS walked. KO flied out to lf.
SAYLOR flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UC Riverside 7th - CROSBY to 3b for JOHNSON, C.. Hollingswort singled to
right field. Bigler singled to pitcher; Hollingswort advanced to second. Steinmeyer
doubled, advanced to third on a throwing error by cf, RBI; Bigler scored;
Hollingswort scored. Grant flied out to cf, SF, RBI; Steinmeyer scored. Dunbar flied
out to lf. Salotti flied out to cf. 3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - CROSBY singled to second base. MOLINA flied out to lf. NELSON
struck out looking. HIESTAND pinch hit for VARGAS. HIESTAND hit by pitch; CROSBY
advanced to second. JOHNSON, J. pinch ran for HIESTAND. CARTER grounded out to 1b
unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
UC Riverside 8th - JOHNSON, J. to 2b. ANDREWS to p for WOOLF. Wible singled
through the right side. Wible stole second. Garcia pinch ran for Wible. Barratt hit
by pitch. Pedroza lined out to 3b. Hollingswort singled through the right side, RBI;
Barratt advanced to second; Garcia scored. Clay pinch hit for Bigler. BINGHAM to p
for ANDREWS. Clay reached on a fielder's choice; Hollingswort out at second p to ss;
Barratt advanced to third. Steinmeyer fouled out to c. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 9th - Clay to rf. Uhl to cf for Grant. Montgomery to p for Simmons.
WALTON walked. VILLEZCAS grounded out to p; WALTON advanced to second. WALTON stole
third. KO struck out looking. SAYLOR walked. CROSBY singled through the right side,
RBI; SAYLOR advanced to second; WALTON scored. MOLINA doubled to left center, 2 RBI;
CROSBY scored; SAYLOR scored. WORTHAM pinch hit for NELSON. WORTHAM grounded out to
2b. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU at UC Riverside (Game 2)
Mar 9, 2006 at Riverside, CA (Sports Complex)
BYU 1 (3-11)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
WALTON, Kent lf..........  4  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
MOLINA, Adrian cf........  4  1  2  0   0  1  2  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  0  0  0   0  0  3  4   0
KO, Kasey dh.............  4  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   1
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  4  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  2   0
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  1  0  0  0   2  1 13  0   0
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  0  0  0   0  1  4  1   3
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  5   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  3   0
 PLATT, James p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 29  1  4  1   2  6 24 15   4
UC Riverside 2 (11-8)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Hollingswort lf..........  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   1
Bigler cf................  4  0  2  2   0  0  2  0   0
Steinmeyer 3b............  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  1   0
Grant rf.................  2  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   0
 Clay ph.................  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
 Uhl rf..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Salotti 1b...............  4  0  0  0   0  0 11  1   5
 Barratt 1b..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Wible dh.................  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
Abney c..................  3  0  0  0   0  1  6  1   0
Garcia 2b................  3  1  1  0   0  1  3  3   0
Pedroza ss...............  3  1  3  0   0  0  2  5   0
Cassa p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Runzler p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Reifer p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Stange p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 28  2  7  2   2  4 27 12   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 100 -  1  4  0
UC Riverside........ 000 001 01X -  2  7  0
-------------------------------------------
DP - BY 1. LOB - BY 4; UCR 6. 2B - Bigler; Pedroza. SH - VILLEZCAS;
Hollingswort 2. SB - MOLINA; Bigler 2; Pedroza.
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  7.1  7  2  2  1  4 26 29
PLATT, James........  0.2  0  0  0  1  0  2  3
UC Riverside           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Cassa...............  6.1  3  1  1  1  6 20 22
Runzler.............  0.2  1  0  0  1  0  3  4
Reifer..............  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3
Stange..............  1.0  0  0  0  0  0  3  3
Win - Reifer (2-1).  Loss - CRAIG (0-5).  Save - Stange (5).
Umpires - HP: Scott Daniel  1B: Bradley Hungerford  3B: Ron Ridd
Start: 5:55 pm   Time: 2:22   Attendance: 198
BYU at UC Riverside (Game 2) - Play-by-Play
Mar 9, 2006 at Riverside, CA (Sports Complex)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 100 -  1  4  0
UC Riverside........ 000 001 01X -  2  7  0
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 9/lf WALTON; 1/cf MOLINA; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 33/dh KO; 25/rf SAYLOR;
30/3b CROSBY; 32/1b HIESTAND; 22/c MUSSO; 3/2b BANKS; 35/p CRAIG;
UC Riverside starters: 9/lf Hollingswort; 1/cf Bigler; 20/3b Steinmeyer; 10/rf
Grant; 33/1b Salotti; 25/dh Wible; 3/c Abney; 5/2b Garcia; 6/ss Pedroza; 11/p Cassa;
BYU 1st - WALTON grounded out to ss. MOLINA singled through the left side.
MOLINA stole second. VILLEZCAS reached on a fielder's choice; MOLINA out at third ss
to 3b. KO grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
UC Riverside 1st - Hollingswort lined out to cf. Bigler grounded out to p.
Steinmeyer grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 2nd - SAYLOR grounded out to 2b. CROSBY struck out swinging. HIESTAND
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 2nd - Grant grounded out to ss. Salotti grounded out to 3b.
Wible grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 3rd - MUSSO popped up to ss. BANKS grounded out to ss. WALTON grounded
out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 3rd - Abney struck out swinging. Garcia lined out to ss. Pedroza
singled up the middle. Pedroza stole second. Hollingswort grounded out to 2b. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - MOLINA struck out swinging. VILLEZCAS grounded out to 3b. KO
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 4th - Bigler grounded out to 2b. Steinmeyer singled to right
field. Grant grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Steinmeyer out on the play.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - SAYLOR grounded out to 1b unassisted. CROSBY struck out. HIESTAND
walked. HIESTAND out at second p to 1b to ss to 1b to 2b, picked off. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 5th - Salotti grounded out to 2b. Wible popped up to ss. Abney
fouled out to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - MUSSO struck out swinging. BANKS struck out looking. WALTON flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 6th - Garcia singled through the right side. Pedroza singled to
pitcher, bunt; Garcia advanced to second. Hollingswort grounded out to p, SAC, bunt;
Pedroza advanced to second; Garcia advanced to third. Bigler singled through the
right side, RBI; Pedroza advanced to third; Garcia scored. Bigler stole second.
Steinmeyer struck out swinging. Grant walked. Salotti popped up to p. 1 run, 3
hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
BYU 7th - MOLINA singled up the middle. VILLEZCAS grounded out to c, SAC,
bunt; MOLINA advanced to second. KO singled to shortstop. Runzler to p for Cassa.
SAYLOR singled up the middle, RBI; KO advanced to second; MOLINA scored. CROSBY
grounded out to 1b unassisted; SAYLOR advanced to second; KO advanced to third.
HIESTAND walked. MUSSO lined out to rf. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
UC Riverside 7th - Wible struck out looking. Abney grounded out to 2b. Garcia
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 8th - Reifer to p for Runzler. BANKS lined out to 2b. WALTON grounded out
to ss. MOLINA popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
UC Riverside 8th - Pedroza doubled to right center. Hollingswort grounded out
to p, SAC, bunt; Pedroza advanced to third. Bigler doubled to left field, RBI;
Pedroza scored. PLATT to p for CRAIG. Bigler stole third. Steinmeyer reached on a
fielder's choice, advanced to second on the throw; Bigler out at home ss to c to 3b
to c to 3b to p. Clay pinch hit for Grant. Clay walked. Salotti popped up to cf.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 9th - Uhl to rf for Clay. Barratt to 1b for Salotti. Stange to p for
Reifer. VILLEZCAS flied out to lf. KO popped up to 2b. SAYLOR lined out to cf. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

UC Riverside hosts BYU in a three-game series starting this Thursday in the last consecutive road trip of the 2006 baseball season.

The pitching rotation has flipped for BYU with southpaw Patrick Wells (1-2, 7.47) now being moved to the game one starter and Jesse Craig (0-4, 5.32) moves from the opening starter to game two starter. Brandon Christiansen (2-0, 3.75) remains as BYU's game three starter on the mound, having thrown 118 pitches in a two-hit complete game last Saturday.

Thursday and Friday's games are at 3 p.m., while Saturday's game is at 1 p.m.

This is the last of consecutive road trips for the Cougars, now 3-9 overall, who open their home season next week starting with a rare non-conference game against Utah. Thereafter, BYU alternates weeks being at home and on the road.

"We are road-weary," said BYU Coach Vance Law, who faces UC Riverside, 9-8. "We need to play well and improve on last week. We have some hitters who are struggling and will try to get them swinging the bats."

Law joined his players in getting his hair buzzed on his head after last Thursday's loss. The Cougars are 2-0 with the team unity hair cuts. Law has 198 career victories with the Cougars heading into this week's action.

For more information on BYU's baseball team for this week, click on the PDF link at the top of this page.